The pursuit of a thorough understanding of what comprises health, an explanation of illness and disease, and an identification of the most efficacious treatment or prevention of a specific health disorder depends significantly on the correct application of the methods of scientific research. However, chiropractic must conceptualize and apply the scientific method correctly in its research activities. In particular, doctors of chiropractic, who are encouraged to use research data in their diagnostic and treatment approaches, and who are solicited for financial support of research project and organizations, must become educated consumers of scientific research and, when possible, capable practitioners of field investigations. Most fundamentally, research involves trying to find new facts and ordering these facts into meaningful patterns.2 Research is often viewed as a method for solving problems and seeking answers to questions. The primary purpose of science is to develop new knowledge.
Science attempts to describe, predict, control, and explain phenomena.
It is the quality of the work itself, rather than the characteristic of the research, the financial supporter, or the sponsoring institution that should be the focus of judgement. For example, many universities have regulations limiting or banning research that cannot be freely published because of a sponsor's condition. Communication of findings covers both positive and negative findings, i.e., findings which support or fail to support the original hypothesis. This norm assures the integrity of scientific research. The research community should maintain a necessary skepticism about new knowledge claims.