Academic fields Plan: Academic fields

Academic fields

Plan:

1. Academic fields

2. Fields in Scientific Research.

3. Functions and criticism

In general, an academic discipline or field signifies an area of knowledge which is taught at the College or at the University. Initially titles of curriculum were linked in German Universities during the 19th century. These sciences were approved and accepted in other countries step by step in the beginning of the 20^th century. Consequently, they became the traditional standard subjects. Obviously, these sciences included physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and astronomy, which are nowadays considered to be the oldest academic disciplines.

Academic fields develop as a result of discoveries or explorations made in different spheres of science. In fact, all of them are interrelated.Academic disciplines can be categorized as following: social sciences, exact sciences, natural sciences, humanities and applied sciences. Each discipline usually has several sub-disciplines or branches, and the differentiatim boundaries of these disciplines are often casual and indefinite. For example, economics can be included in social sciences.

Uzbekistan has also a rich history in scientific area. It has contributed to the development of the world science. Significant scholars of the state developed several new ideas in a variety of academic fields¹.

DISCUSSION

1.Discuss the following questions with your partner.

1. 
   What academic fields are the most useful for human development?
   
2. 
   Which academic sciences are considered to be the most complicated to study?
   

2. 
   Listen to the tape. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words or phrases.
   

1. 
   Academic fields have several subdisciplines or branches, like social sciences, exact sciences, natural sciences, humanities and applied sciences.
   
2. 
   For example, chemistry, physics, earth and space sciences are
   

as the branches of natural sciences, which

Considered to be the rules that regulate the natural

world through scientific methods.

3. 
   They are accepted and approved by data.
   
4. 
   Formal sciences like mathematics, computer science, statistics and logic, study formal systems, which included abstract structures.
   
5. 
   Humanitarian sciences or humanities are the
   

disciplines with human culture,

using methods that mainly study theoretical and critical issues.

6. 
   Mainly they depend on practical spheres.
   
7. 
   Applied sciences exploration on scientific knowledge
   

related to practical use.

8. 
   Science has been a field by men,
   

women encountered in science.

“Research into questions posed by scientific theories and hypotheses”.

Scientists are trained to use scientific method and reach the logical conclusion to any question. Scientific research is useful in defining the laws of nature and our place in the cosmos. Scientific research enables the scientists to carry out a thorough study and create an understanding of the world and nature as it truly is.

Essential Methods of Scientific Research

Four significant elements set up the foundation methods applied in  scientific research:

1. 
   Operation: It refers to an action done on the subject or system under investigation
   
2. 
   Observation: Observation is the result of an operation on the system
   
3. 
   Model: Model could be a theory, a fact, a phenomena or a hypothesis at a certain moment
   
4. 
   Utility Function: Utility function means the usefulness of a model or theory in the explanation, prediction, controlling and costing of research.
   

Fields in Scientific Research

The fields of scientific research are divided into two broad categories:

1. 
   Social Sciences
   
2. 
   Natural Sciences
   

Social science deals with the study of human behavior and societies whereas natural sciences are concerned with study of natural phenomena. There is another class of scientific research called formal sciences. Formal science deals with investigation of those areas which cannot fall in either of the above mentioned categories such as mathematics.

Popular Areas in Scientific Research

Chemistry    Political Science Physics     Management Astronomy    Sociology Education

Ecology   Linguistics Statistics  Economics Philosophy   Computer Sciences Biology

Examples of Famous Scientific Research Topics

Typically, scientific papers deal with the following topics in the arena of scientific research:

• 
  Stem cell research
  
• 
  Cancer research
  
• 
  Plant research
  
• 
  Psychology research
  
• 
  Human cloning
  
• 
  Global Warming
  

Definition of a Scientific Research Proposal

A scientific research proposal can be defined as,

“A scientific research proposals offer information on a proposed research topic, including what the research is, by whom it is to be researched and budgets.”

Scientific research begins with the writing of a research proposal which in detail explains how the researcher intends to carry out the research. The proposal gives the reader or the evaluator a clear idea of the goal of the researcher and the importance of the research.

Format of a Scientific Research Proposal

Title Page

Title page is the first part of a scientific research proposal. The title must be short, succinct and concise. It must express in few words what the research will be all about. The title page must contain the name of the researcher, name of the supervisor and the signatures of the approval authority.

Summary

Next is the summary page. It summarizes the research to be done. It also highlights the key aspects of the research and time line. The summary is usually not beyond one page.

Introduction

Emphasize the importance of the proposed research and describe the research topic or theme. This is usually done in one or two paragraphs. It should be stated in the introduction whether a relationship exists between the proposed research and research undertaken before.

If no such research has been undertaken previously, this should be pointed out. Remember that the introduction should not discuss the research topic in depth.

Literature Review

A short literature review is an important part of a scientific research proposal. It sets the foundation of research and explains what makes the research in a particular area beneficial.

Motivation

Here the researcher must mention the source of interest in the theme or topic.  Indicate what is proposed with the research. For example, the topic was selected because of practical problems experienced in the particular field.

Technical Discussion

Technical discussion makes the crux of the scientific research proposal. It encompasses the conceptual framework of the research, its objectives, methodology, data collection and analysis, research design, schedule, human and financial resources needed etc.

Legal Requirements

A section of legal or contract requirements must be present in a scientific research proposal. It must emphasize the ethical considerations and any licensing or rights required during the course of the research.

Main Points to Consider While Writing a Scientific Research Proposal

A research proposal is a preliminary requirement before writing a research paper.Follow the basic tips and advice on how to write a research proposal for your scientific research paper in addition to the following important guidelines:

There are three main points to consider before writing a scientific research proposal:

1. 
   Explanation of the proposed research- What will be done?
   
2. 
   Methods and techniques to be used- How it will be done?
   
3. 
   Significance of the research- Why it should be done?
   

History of the concept[]

The University of Paris in 1231 consisted of four faculties: Theology, Medicine, Canon Law and Arts.^[3] Educational institutions originally used the term "discipline" to catalog and archive the new and expanding body of information produced by the scholarly community. Disciplinary designations originated in German universities during the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Most academic disciplines have their roots in the mid-to-late-nineteenth century secularization of universities, when the traditional curricula were supplemented with non-classical languages and literatures, social sciences such as political science, economics, sociology and public administration, and natural science and technology disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering.

In the early twentieth century, new academic disciplines such as education and psychology were added. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was an explosion of new academic disciplines focusing on specific themes, such as media studies, women's studies, and Africana studies. Many academic disciplines designed as preparation for careers and professions, such as nursing, hospitality management, and corrections, also emerged in the universities. Finally, interdisciplinary scientific fields of study such as biochemistry and geophysics gained prominence as their contribution to knowledge became widely recognized. Some new disciplines, such as public administration, can be found in more than one disciplinary setting; some public administration programs are associated with business schools (thus emphasizing the public management aspect), while others are linked to the political science field (emphasizing the policy analysis aspect).

As the twentieth century approached, these designations were gradually adopted by other countries and became the accepted conventional subjects. However, these designations differed between various countries.^[4] In the twentieth century, the natural science disciplines included: physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and astronomy. The social science disciplines included: economics, politics, sociology, and psychology.

Prior to the twentieth century, categories were broad and general, which was expected due to the lack of interest in science at the time. With rare exceptions, practitioners of science tended to be amateurs and were referred to as "natural historians" and "natural philosophers"—labels that date back to Aristotle—instead of "scientists".^[5] Natural history referred to what we now call life sciences and natural philosophy referred to the current physical sciences.

Prior to the twentieth century, few opportunities existed for science as an occupation outside the educational system. Higher education provided the institutional structure for scientific investigation, as well as economic support for research and teaching. Soon, the volume of scientific information rapidly increased and researchers realized the importance of concentrating on smaller, narrower fields of scientific activity. Because of this narrowing, scientific specializations emerged. As these specializations developed, modern scientific disciplines in universities also improved their sophistication. Eventually, academia's identified disciplines became the foundations for scholars of specific specialized interests and expertise.^[6]

Functions and criticism[]

An influential critique of the concept of academic disciplines came from Michel Foucault in his 1975 book, Discipline and Punish. Foucault asserts that academic disciplines originate from the same social movements and mechanisms of control that established the modern prison and penal system in eighteenth-century France, and that this fact reveals essential aspects they continue to have in common: "The disciplines characterize, classify, specialize; they distribute along a scale, around a norm, hierarchize individuals in relation to one another and, if necessary, disqualify and invalidate."

Communities of academic disciplines[]

Communities of academic disciplines can be found outside academia within corporations, government agencies, and independent organizations, where they take the form of associations of professionals with common interests and specific knowledge. Such communities include corporate think tanks, NASA, and IUPAC. Communities such as these exist to benefit the organizations affiliated with them by providing specialized new ideas, research, and findings.

Nations at various developmental stages will find need for different academic disciplines during different times of growth. A newly developing nation will likely prioritize government, political matters and engineering over those of the humanities, arts and social sciences. On the other hand, a well-developed nation may be capable of investing more in the arts and social sciences. Communities of academic disciplines would contribute at varying levels of importance during different stages of development.

Interactions[]

These categories explain how the different academic disciplines interact with one another.

Multidisciplinary[]