I'm currently level 48 with a measly 240 research / hour. Is it urgent I improve on it immediately? What's the best way to do so if my planet scans haven't been turning up planets good with research?

Join a legion which gives good RP output from the base.

Hopefully you're putting all your rank points into deck. This means you can squeeze in as many scanners as possible. It's worth focusing some research into scanners too.

when you do a blitz use a continuum beacon, subspace seeker and tachyon cylinder. This artifacts are available from planet artifact production and are common for higher rank players.

Don't be afraid to burn lots of energy on a scan blitz to get those good planets. It's hard at lower ranks when energy is precious but it gives you better planets early on.

Then research better planet production structures and build them on all you planets.

1) you could join a good legion and ask if anyone has a good research planet , most higher rank players have lots of them in there scans.

2) Join a legion with a research base

3) Up your planet building tech.

4) Keep an eye out for planet sales. (Most likely to expensive at your rank)

5) Buy Android Scientist (there are much better things to buy then Android Scientist)

6) Hack other players. ( Hope you like being disabled)

Hacking rewards are really poor. The key thing at low ranks is good research planets. Mining isn't too important and artifact production can be left till later though it's nice). Getting good scanners, production structures and energy researched is key as well as a bit for attack, hull and a little defence depending on the player's game strategy.

And definitely DON'T buy android scientists.

The rest of the tips are good though.

well, badge farming is soooo much easier at lower ranks, so he might as well hack to both slightly aid the RP problem and to farm out the badges
Even if he don't have the deck/storage to put buy and use those artifacts yet, having the badge ready can only be a good thing.

So hack away, at least till u have all the badge u need~

Haha, pun intended? XD

Also, I'm almost at 80 blue badges. Should I get the Decryption Quad-Frame or should I save up for the CipherBot?

If you really want to increase your research, join a good legion that has a rank 4+ base, and earn 10k+ a day research, or only colonize research planets, and research planet tech upgrades.