AHRC's definition of 'research'(emphases are added)

52 The Council’s definition of research is primarily concerned with the definition of research processes, rather than outputs. This definition is built around three key features and your application for funding must address all of these in full in order to be considered eligible for support:

• 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.

• it must specify a research context for the questions or problems to be addressed. You 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 your project will make to the advancement of creativity, insights, knowledge and understanding in the area.*

• it must specify the research methods for addressing and answering the research questions or problems. You must state how, in the course of the research project, you will seek to answer the questions, or advance available knowledge and understanding of the problems. You should also explain the rationale for your chosen research methods and why you think they provide the most appropriate means by which to answer the questions.

* As Michael Jubb notes,(1) this last requirement 'excludes research to provide content' - which is what most artists are referring to when they use the term 'research' ... which, via Ian Gregory is 'research' with a small 'r'.

www.ahrc.ac.uk - link accessed 18 Sept 08 see also the AHRC's guide for post-doctoral researchers: link.

(1) ‘Research in the creative and performing arts “The RAE and Research in the Creative & Performing Arts. Review of Research Assessment” – an AHRB Paper’ re-printed in the Journal of Visual Arts Practice Vol 3 No. 1 (2004)

back to 'Research'

PhD thesis:
The artist as a multifarious agent: an artist's theory of the origin of meaning

journal papers, book articles, edited books, editorial roles, and conference papers

see also 'What is an artist's writing? (In research)'