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Originally Posted by Phanuthier
To me, I've always thought research was something new and never been done before, and application of knowledge was "industry" (in engineering terms).
Is there that kind of difference in Poli Sci between reserach and application?
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Well, a lot of research in the Political Science field is pretty theoretical in nature but there is also a lot of research being done for practical purposes. You look at studies done on issues like election financing - these studies are the research that will likely eventually contribute to a change in legislation or policy. Something like Canadian Arctic sovereignty is certainly theoretical right now but the findings can end up having an impact on future policy decisions.
I don't view research as focusing on something completely new and undiscovered, I see it as simply working towards advancing the bulk of knowledge in one particular area.