Abstract: Critical research is a kind of normative research type based on self-reflection logic, and it is guided by enlightenment and liberation, and committed to transforming social reality. Critical research has three typical characteristics: critical orientation, action orientation and result orientation. Critical research is a very important but neglected research path in politics and public management. From the perspective of comparison, the independence and uniqueness of critical research as a research path highlight the value of its methodology. The scope of application of critical research is closely related to its research purpose and specific tasks. As far as the purpose is concerned, critical research aims to break through “false consciousness” and “false demand” through criticism and disclosure, so that people can realize their “true consciousness” and “real demand”, thus realizing individual enlightenment and liberation, transforming social reality, and gradually eliminating all kinds of oppression and distortion formed in the process of human social development. The design of critical research tries to, on the basis of experience, form new understanding through invention, discovery and interpretation, which further become new experience, and through such a non-stop cycle, it tries to break the false consciousness and liberate the whole consciousness. Most critical studies generally follow such processes or procedures: reviewing history, explaining history, designing, collecting, analyzing, concluding, and improving history. In addition to the construction, internal and external validity and other evaluation dimensions similar to general research, critical research also bears some other quality requirements based on its own philosophical assumptions, principles and the position of how to do research. As a research path in the sense of methodology or research paradigm, the development of critical research needs a relatively loose political and academic environment; it is necessary to strengthen the connection between theoretical research and social practice, pay attention to the gradual and limited social construction, and at the same time attach importance to the innovation and development of critical research methods to achieve diversification and standardization of methods.

Key words: critical research, research path, false consciousness, research paradigm