Perceived Criteria for Research Problem Choice in the Agricultural Sciences--A Research Note.

Busch, Lawrence; Lacy, William B.; Sachs, Carolyn

The article discusses perceived criteria for research problem choice in the agricultural sciences. Despite the seemingly straightforward character of decisions about research problem choice, closer examination reveals an extraordinarily complex process. In addition to scientific criteria for problem choice, peer approval, career advancement, client orientation and utility are also important. These criteria emerge from a complex process of negotiations and often operate together to shape problem choice. In addition, the data strongly challenge the critics' view that problems with the outcomes of agricultural research are due to a conspiracy or related form of conscious alliance of scientists with vested interests. In contrast, it appears that the scientists' perceptions of the importance of research to society are based on the scientists' commonsense assessments of societal needs rather than on inquiries into those needs. Alternatively, one might argue that agricultural scientists take a long-term view of fundamental issues in their research while clients tend to take the short-term, practical position. Finally, the separation of science from everyday life may explain how scientists in general choose research problems and establish research agendas, as well as why scientists have found it extremely difficult to come to terms with some of the critics' arguments. Indeed, the belief in scientific autonomy may mask the ways in which vested interests manipulate the directions of research, and make the undesirable consequences of science appear as separate from the research process itself.

AGRICULTURAL sociology; RESEARCH methodology; AGRICULTURAL scientists; CAREER development; PROBLEM solving; SCIENCE & society

Social Forces, 1983, Vol 62, Issue 1, p190

0037-7732

Academic Journal

10.2307/2578355