istraivanja

Istraživanja is a term used in Serbo-Croatian languages to denote systematic inquiry aimed at discovering facts, understanding phenomena, or testing hypotheses. It encompasses activities across many domains, including scientific research, investigative journalism, criminal investigations, archaeology, and market or policy analysis.

Etymology: The word originates from istraživati, meaning to explore or investigate.

Scope and types: In science, istraživanja refer to both basic and applied research. In criminology and law enforcement, it denotes investigations to solve cases. In journalism, investigative reporting aims to uncover information of public interest. In business and public policy, market research and policy analysis rely on structured inquiry.

Methods and standards: Istraživanja typically involve formulating questions or hypotheses, conducting literature reviews, designing studies, collecting and analyzing data, and communicating results. Scientific research emphasizes reproducibility, peer review, and ethical compliance; non-scientific arenas stress verification of sources and evidence.

Ethics and limitations: Ethical considerations include consent, privacy, data protection, conflict of interest, and accuracy. Access to data, funding, methodological constraints, and biases can limit findings, while legal or institutional frameworks shape what investigations are permissible.