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What is the role of research in practice-related research?
How is it different to pure practice?
Many practitioners would say they do ‘research’ as a necessary part of their everyday practice. As the published records of many creative practitioners demonstrate, searching for new understandings and seeking out new techniques for bringing ideas to fruition is a substantial part of everyday practice. However, this kind of research is, for the most part, directed towards the individual’s particular goals of the time rather than seeking to add to our shared store of knowledge in a more general sense.
Scrivener argues that the critical difference is that practice-based research aims to generate culturally novel apprehensions that are not just novel to the creator or individual observers of an artefact; and it is this that distinguishes the researcher from the practitioner (Scrivener, 2002).
Another important distinction between personal practitioner research and doctoral practice-based research is the form that the knowledge generated takes. The practice-based doctoral research outcome that is shared with a wider community arises from a structured process that is defined in university examination regulations. In order to achieve advances in knowledge of the kind referred to above, the everyday research process common to professional practice has to be defined and executed in a manner that is commonly agreed.
The research component of the practice-based research is, in most respects, similar to any definition of research, a key element of which is the transferability of the understandings reached as a result of the research process. In the UK, the Arts and Humanities Research Board (now Council) (AHRB, 2000 ) defined research primarily in terms of research processes rather than outputs. This definition is built around three key features of any doctoral research proposal:
1. It must define a series of research questions or problems that will be addressed in the course of the research. It must also define its objectives in terms of seeking to enhance knowledge and understanding relating to the questions or problems to be addressed.
2. It must specify a research context for the questions or problems to be addressed. It must specify why it is important that these particular questions or problems should be addressed, what other research is being or has been conducted in this area and what particular contribution this project will make to the advancement of creativity, insights, knowledge and understanding in this area.
3. It must specify the research methods for addressing and answering the research questions or problems. In the course of the research project, how to seek to answer the questions, or advance available knowledge and understanding of the problems must be shown. It should also explain the rationale for the chosen research methods and why they provide the most appropriate means by which to answer the research questions.
Creative output can be produced, or practice undertaken, as an integral part of the research process. However, the outcomes of practice must be accompanied by documentation of the research process, as well as some form of textual analysis or explanation to support its position and to demonstrate critical reflection. A thesis arising from a practice-based research process, such as the one given above, is expected to both show evidence of original scholarship and to contain material that can be published or exhibited.
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