Applied Research

Whereas basic research is the study of fundamental principles and processes, the defining characteristic of applied research is that its research findings have immediate application to the general topic under consideration.

Another characteristic of applied research is that its goal is to solve practical questions, and in contrast to basic research, applied research is aimed not at understanding or accumulating more knowledge about some phenomenon but at describing the phenomenon. While applied research has a more pragmatic element than basic research does, basic research forms the foundation for applied research.

For example, reading is a skill that involves many different processes, including visual and intellectual skills. The basics of how the eyes focus on letters and words and how that message is transmitted to the brain and then translated into meaningful symbols may very well constitute a set of basic research questions. In contrast, an example of an applied research endeavor is taking those findings and using them to understand why some children read better than others or creating an intervention and providing it for a group of children who are poor readers.