You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Many people believe that scientific research should be carried out and controlled by governments rather than private companies. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge and experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer 1
Instead of being conducted by private companies, crucial scientific research must be managed and administered by the governments, according to the opinions of many. I believe that private companies should be given their own freedom in doing research, but with sufficient and proper monitoring from the government.
On the one hand, the government should indeed not only conduct scientific research. The main reason is that the scope of scientific research is diverse and comprehensive, and private companies could cover up some research that the governments do not carry out. Many private institutions or individuals’ discoveries are helpful for humanity, as we can learn from the past. For example, Thomas Alva Edison was an individual inventor who contributed significantly to the world with his inventions such as the bulb light, motion pictures, phonograph, etc. We should notice that the invention was not the main focus of the government’s research during that time, and thanks to Edison, we have electric light today.
On the other hand, although private companies are given the right to do scientific research, governments must strictly monitor them. They must be controlled, as some might be doing it for monetary gain or destructive weapons. For example, some companies might focus on developing biochemical weapons, which could threaten world peace. The government’s job is to prevent and block these kinds of research.
In conclusion, I do not agree that scientific research should only be conducted by governments. It is a fact that the scope of scientific research is vast. Therefore private companies should be allowed to do research. However, I agree that private companies’ research must be reviewed and monitored by the governments to avoid misappropriation.
Model Answer 2
It is undeniable that scientific research is imperative for a country’s development in this modern world. However, controlling who can carry out such research is equally important. To a larger extent, I agree that the government should have the upper hand when undertaking scientific research as they tend to be more people driven.
There are various reasons why it is pivotal to have government-run research projects. To begin with, when research is carried out by the government, the motive behind it is always people-driven and not money oriented. As a result, there is more transparency in the process and the need to invest in quality research that benefits the general public also increases.
Furthermore, a government is borne to be more responsible and has complete accountability when it comes to investing public money in such research.
In contrast, private organizations are not people-oriented and tend to invest in more profitable research projects. In addition, when the funding comes from the same organization, the results could also be biased to ensure there is a favourable outcome to the funding institution. For example, companies producing medicinal drugs are legally obliged to undergo rigorous trials, which may take several years to complete. As private companies invest a lump sum of money in such studies, it is impractical for them to wait for a longer tenure to attain the expected results. Hence, there is a higher probability of the quality being compromised to make the research successful.
In conclusion, carrying out and controlling scientific research is a contentious issue as transparency and openness are pivotal for quality research. Undoubtedly, this is only possible if done by a non-profit organization like the government.