It's funny you assume research is out to prove something. Usually basic research is either observational. i.e. observe a phenomenon without priors as to gather

It's funny you assume research is out to prove something. Usually basic research is either observational. i.e. observe a phenomenon without priors as to gather knowledge, or oriented towards hypothesis testing which is testing your models fit to explain reality. The type of research you assume should be called Adverserial research, fit the research methodology to the desired conclusion. This is not research, it is demagoguery. It's sad, this may be the most common sort of research...