Research Cycle
Definition: Describes the circular process of conducting scientific research, with “researchers working at various stages of inquiry, from more tentative and exploratory investigations to the testing of more definitive and well-supported claims” (Lieberman, 2020, p. 42). The cycle includes literature research and hypothesis generation, data collection and analysis, as well as dissemination of results (e.g. through publication in peer-reviewed journals), which again informs theory and new hypotheses/research.
Related term: Research process
References:
- Bramoullé, Y., & Saint-Paul, G. (2010). Research cycles. In Journal of Economic Theory (Vol. 145, pp. 1890–1920). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.965816
- Lieberman, E. (2020). Research Cycles. In C. Elman, J. Gerring, & J. Mahoney (Eds.), The Production of Knowledge: Enhancing Progress in Social Science (pp. 42–70). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108762519.003
Originally drafted by: Helena Hartmann
Reviewed by: Jamie P. Cockcroft, Aleksandra Lazić, Graham Reid, Beatrice Valentini