There is no Hope of Doing Perfect Research (Essay Sample)

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There is no Hope of Doing Perfect Research
The debate as to whether research can be perfect or not has existed for quite some time, and may still stay for as long as research is used in solving problems faced by humanity. The word perfect is an absolute term that relates to impeccability and flawlessness. It is the highest allusion to positive quality that relates to faultlessness. The fact that research is used to solve problems makes it an indispensable process that humanity cannot avoid. Nonetheless, the idea of perfection cannot be applied to any process in which human beings and machines are involved.
All human and machine processes are subject to errors and mistakes that are generated both systematically and assystematically. Therefore, it would be wrong to allude that a process in which any of them has been engaged can be conclusively unflawed. At the same time, several research processes that are similar in nature with identical methodology, but done by different institutions or individuals under similar conditions end up producing different results. Considering the meaning of word perfect,’ if it in any way applied to research then we would expect similarity in outcomes of all processes done under similar conditions, which is not usually the case (Babbie 5).
Research is carried out in an environment that has the application of controls and heavily depends on sampling. Sampling does not bring sufficiency in data collection and wholesomeness in perception; it is non-inclusive of all aspects. At the same time, research is usually an ongoing procedure that does not reach a perfective state. If research were a perfect process, all activities of each research course would be decisive and conclusive at the end. One research case worth considering is the study carried out by Fritz Pfleumer of Germany that ended up in the invention of the audiotape in the year 1928. In this process, Pfleumer created an alternate procedure that would be used for recording information other than the previously used wire recording. Looked at critically, this invention did not terminate all the possibilities of researching further about recording. Later, better inventions and improvements were to be made and these saw the invention of the compact discs, diskettes, digital cameras and modern audio and video devices. If research were perfect, all these inventions would not have come up the original invention of the audiotape by Fritz Pfleumer.
Similarly, Felix Hoffmann carried out research that led to the invention of one drug that is found on the shelf of every doctor. Aspirin made a sizeable impact in the field of medicine and has been one of the longest lasting pain killer drugs. Invented in the year 1897, Aspirin has been and is still being used across the world (Seppala and Mark 4). However, it is crucial to note that several other pain killer drugs have been invented. Some of these...