One of the first steps taken in conducting research is the review of all available literature on the topic so that the current study will draw on the heritage of past research. Scientist attempt to find order and consistency in their findings . In its basic form, scientific research begins with a single, carefully observed event and progresses ultimately to the formulation of theories and laws. A theory is a set of related propositions that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relationships among concepts. Researchers develop theories by searching for patterns of uniformity to explain and describe the information collected.
Scientific research is predictive.
Science is concerned with relating the present to the future. In fact, scientific researchers strive to develop theories because they are useful in predicting behavior. The importance of theories lies in their ability to predict an outcome or an event successfully. If a theory generates predictions that are supported by data, and the results are always the same, the theory can be used to make predictions in other similar situations. Analysts who do not follow a prescribed set of steps increase the amount of error possible in the study.