Academic research vs applied research

Academic and Applied Research

Academic Research
• Also called Scholarship
• Questions tend to be more conceptual
• Seeks to add to the larger "body of knowledge"
• Tends to be theoretically focused
• Findings are usually made public
• Results usually spur questions and ideas for future research
• Evaluated through peer review by academic discipline standards
• Shared through scholarly journals, academic conference presentations and other publications (e.g., books)
Applied Research
• Also called Professional Research
• Problems tend to be more practical
• Seeks to find solutions to immediate problems and issues
• Tends to be organizationally focused
• Findings are usually kept private
• Results are usually used internally to make decisions and establish strategy
• Evaluated by client-organization and/or industry standards
• Shared primarily through internal reports with those who need the results; may also be shared more broadly through professional conferences and trade/industry publications (e.g., case studies, articles, etc.)