I would propose an even more "meta" categorization. Research should be categorized into 'A' level and 'B' level. B level would mean that the purpose of this research is to explore an hypothesis and suggest directions for further research, while A level would mean an attempt at conclusive (or as close to conclusive as possible) results after enough B level research has been done in a certain field. B research would encompass what we suspect and/or want to examine; A research would encompass what we claim to know.
