THE ROLE OF RESEARCH-2
University is books
By GARY MURRELL
"The true university of these days is a collection of books," Thomas Carlyle, Scottish essayist, once wrote. The world of research has changed this description a little but some KU professors and administrators still basically agree.
The role of research, according to E. Jackson Baur, professor of sociology, is to educate the educated and encourage the learning.
"Research is designed to acquaint the student with beginning projects when he is an undergraduate," Baur said. "We do not usually try to involve him in it."
He said the creative element in the research process rests with the individual scholar—"the thinking man," as Ralph Waldo Emerson said.
He defines research as the systematic effort of the mind toward an increase or deepening of knowledge and ideas, be it by discovery of new facts, of the formulation of new ideas, critical interpretation, organization, and evaluation of knowledge and ideas.
"Although, the particulars and even some of the outlines of research vary remarkably from one area of intellectual effort to another," Baur explained.
Baur believes graduate research must obligate the whole man to his work.
"To be successful in research," he said, "one cannot and must not partially involve himself. It is necessary that all be working for one end."
In science, whether it be chemistry, biology, or sociology, all great advances have been discovered as a result of what Albert Einstein, renowned physicist, calls "preestablished harmony."
"The aesthetic appeal of science arises because it bestows comprehension, the ability to see a thing in its relations, in its place in a particular framework."
Baur continued by saying that one finds practical advantage in research. "A type of beauty, the elements of harmony, perfection and ingenuity can be found there also," he said.
Citing a recent study which he and other members of the KU Sociology Department prepared, Baur said he has concluded undergraduate students who like research have a better chance of attaining a degree.
The study involved observing some 100 students from the time they entered KU as freshmen in 1959 to the time they would have been graduated in 1963.
"After four years of undergraduate work only 56 students were left and finally were graduated," he said. "That's a rather alarming but normal attrition rate."
In undergraduate work, research has been most successful in the natural sciences, and perhaps least successful in the humanities.
"This is not to say the humanities do not afford the student a good opportunity for research, but rather the student is working independently and in some instances, without experience," Baur said.
"Whereas, in the natural sciences, he is working with a group—with others his own age and he's using them as models."
The second type of research falling under the graduate category, is different. Baur said graduate research is not over-emphasized at KU—at least in the sociology department.
He said sociologists view research as an essential part of the graduate program in which students participate as apprentices to graduate faculty who conduct seminars.
William J. Argersinger, Associate Dean of Faculties for Research, agrees that there is more than one type of research, but he divides it into three distinct categories:
- The traditional variety in which the researcher seeks to further his knowledge independently, using only university facilities not outside or state financial aid.
- Research budgeted and funded through state funds.
- Research supported by outside funds, principally federal monies.
He said to figure value of research is difficult because it entails an arbitrary estimation of the amount of time each graduate student spends and the amount of money each spends.
"For example, the School of Fine Arts requires very little outside research because its curriculum is set up on a more practical basis than is the natural sciences' curriculum," he said.
"And," he continued, "many faculty members, especially in the physical sciences, continue to do research for many years after receiving doctorates."
Argersinger, whose job it is to supervise the budgeting of funds for the KU Graduate School, said the field in which the most emphasis has been placed by outside contributors, including federal sources and foundations are laboratory sciences and physics. The two areas receive a combined annual total of nearly $1 million.
Schools are ranked according to the amount they spend each year
in each of several categories of research, he said.
For example, last year KU spent about $9 million which was distributed through six schools—the College, the Law School, engineering, pharmacy, education and business.
"Neither fine arts nor journalism received any funds last year for research," Argersinger said. "However, in both cases, much independent research was done."
State funded research on basis of small grants accounted for the work of about 160 graduate students mainly from the humanities and social sciences.
Federal grants provided about 250 grants, but recipients from the state and federal sources overlap. Foundations, including Carnegie, Ford, Gugenheim, Wenner-Gren, Fels and Old Dominion, were active in KU research.
William P. Albrecht, Dean of the KU Graduate School, has some good answers to questions concerning the role of research and weaknesses of a graduate instructional program.
Dean Albrecht said research has a two-fold purpose:
- To impart knowledge.
- To contribute to knowledge.
"It is evident to me that without research there would be no teaching, no education." he said.
To those who say a graduate student who teaches weakens a graduate program, Dean Albrecht replies:
"Such a statement is not true. Teaching experience is necessary for higher degrees, especially a doctorate.
8 Daily Kansan Thursday, January 12, 1967
the Country House
JANUARY CLEARANCE
NOW! NOW!
- Carcoats
- Skirts
- Suits
- Sweaters
- Slacks
Dresses
Ladybug
London Fog
Pendleton
Tami
At the Town Shop
839 Masa
KU experimenters experiment on selves
One of the current studies in psychology is for an experimenter to experiment on another experimenter who is experimenting. The theory being studied is to what extent psychological tests are conducted without being led to a preconceived conclusion.
The future psychologist may have to spend as much time questioning himself as others.
TRYING TO ARRIVE at some understanding of the subjectivity of conducting an objective experiment is Kermite Fode, assistant professor of psychology.
Fode gave a presentation yesterday to the Psychology Colloquium on Experimenter Effect.
"The general concept is there is some kind of effect on the subject which is influenced by the experimenter's bias, because he has some particular goal in mind," said Fode.
"ALTHOUGH THE EXPERIMENTER does not influence the subject directly or intentionally most of the time, he does it unknown to himself or his subject," said Fode.
"Of course there are factors of influence, such as sex, weight, height or even amount of hair, the experimenter has over his human subject," and to go a step further he said "there is even influence on the experimenter from the subject, especially if she is good looking."
Tests of this theory have given ample evidence there is some relationship of influence, but, Fode said, the evidence was reached by conclusions of the tests on a numerical basis.
"IN OTHER WORDS, there is no specific incident during the experiments which could provide proof of the influence," he said.
When Fode was asked whether the outcome of these findings were based on the "super experimenter's" own expectations, Fode said "Well, I guess I would have to say yes."
The theory Fode presented is relatively new, he said, and there is much more work to do on it.
The Psychology Colloquium is held usually-once each month during the fall and spring semesters. It is given on a Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Kansas Union Forum Room, refreshments are served at 3:30 p.m. The next colloquium will be Feb. 18 by Raymond Catell (University of Illinois) on Social Aspects of Personalities.
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