What is the difference between an interesting project, and an interesting research project? There are many projects at Unitec we would like to tell you about, but not all of them are research projects.

So what makes it research?

There are many different definitions and there is often room for disagreement. If an architect designs a house, is it research? If one of our researchers tests a sample of wood for a local timber company, is it research?

The short answer is: maybe, it depends!

But what does it depend on? Factors such as whether the project involves some sort of systematic study, original investigation, experimental enquiry or development of novel design or construction solutions, and whether it creates new knowledge or understanding. It must also be open to scrutiny and evaluation by others in the field.

So if an architect uses routine professional practice to design your house, then no, it isn’t research. But if the architect adopts an experimental approach by deploying new techniques and materials in ways that push the boundaries of what is currently done, and produces some sort of innovation or aesthetic refinement, then it may well be research.

Likewise, routine testing of wood would not be research; but an original series of tests, driven by a set of questions and leading to new knowledge or understanding, probably would be.

Interested in conducting postgraduate research at Unitec? Get in touch with Tuapapa Rangahau, partnering Research and Enterprise.

Want to read more about research?

Here are some useful sources for further information about the ins and outs of research:

• Wikipedia (check out its extensive reference list)
• OECD Frascati Manual
• The Research Whisperer