Research Process in the Digital Technology

Abid Hussain

Origin and etymology of research can be traced back by the Middle French
recerche, from recercher to go about seeking, from Old French recerchier, from
re- + cerchier, sercher to search. In current scenario research is a scientific
inquiry to discover the new facts about some issue, research is to dig out the old
knowledge and reshape them accordingly. Today’s research problem will be
best fit for today not for tomorrow. The research is a continues process which
never comes to end. Research begins with an issue that comes from an
observation. By types of research, we understand that there are four basic types
of Research such as basic research, which can be used for the advancement of
knowledge and to explain or understand the phenomena. The applied research
can be used to provide information to the people in order to understand and
controlled their environment, this type of research help them to search for
potential solutions to various problems being occurred. The evaluation research
can be conducted to overcome a quick solution to a programme being
implemented in some organization, this type of research can only be conducted
for the stakeholder in any organization which allow researchers to implement it
or to reject it. The action research can be conducted in some organization or
community for some specific issue in Educational institutes etc, under this
research data can be collected and the result is prepared by studying
themselves.

There are many ways to conduct research. Each of these ways is used in
various professional fields, including psychology, sociology, social work,
medicine, nursing, education and so on. For all kind of research we always
come across various questions such as, how to start, what to be selected, what
methodology can be used, where to lead to gain proper knowledge, and how to
complete the assigned task, these are some questions which incarcerated the
minds of humanity, as the research continues process which never comes to
end. Once a person is given the task to be researched, no better solution can
be sighted except libraries. We know that Libraries are storehouse of
knowledge, where one can find the best solution to their research problem. All
libraries of the world have organized their knowledge in classified order, which
helps the researcher to get maximum knowledge from the available resources.
Libraries are keys to explore the new horizon in the field of research, but who
may get proper benefits from these resources. In this case, libraries should play
a democratic role in all community resides in the surrounding environment.
The age of Digital Technology has brought marvelous changes in the life of
researchers in the 21st Century. Get the desired material in the least possible
time has become a dream, under one click researcher explore the classified
knowledge in minutes and get their desired material in no time. Gone are the
days when researchers were spending much money by travelling to various
libraries in order to get their desired material by gaining some source of
knowledge. The librarians of the traditional libraries were not even allowed
outsiders to get in the library. In case, if something was found none were
allowed to take them outside the library except getting the photocopy. In the
modern age of technology, libraries across the world have built up their digital
library services and access have been given to their registered users to get data
of their choice and if not available, you may place an online order to arrange the
same for the required researcher. The world libraries are interlinked with the
internet and every one is sharing their resources to fulfil the demand of their
valued researchers. Interlibrary loan and resource sharing with different libraries
made the work more easy to get in touch with libraries across the globe, even
number of free Digital libraries are performing this sacred job by providing latest
books and similar material in the digital environment. Pakistani Libraries should
also be given such opportunities to develop more stations like HEC Digital
library to promote reading culture. The government should give keen interest to
produce modern libraries in the digital environment to entertain its researchers.

Digital research is a rapidly growing area of development, deliberation and

reflection. Digital research, Internet research, online research, e-research and e-
science are concepts often used interchangeably, and, although they are not
identical, they all suggest the fast-developing and highly trans-formative role that
information, communication and networking technologies play in the conduct of
scientific study and research. As digital technology, researchers, librarians,
information professionals, computer scientists, engineers, lawyers, educators,
publishers and the like – have to work hand-in-hand with the most important
component of digital libraries, the end-users, to make things happen fast and to
the best of human civilization.

The Writer is working as library officer at Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad

, a think tank based in Islamabad.