BASICS OF RESEARCH

“Research” is a term loosely used in everyday speech to describe a multitude of activities, such as collecting masses of information, delving into esoteric theories, and producing wonderful new products. I often said to people that before I joined college for my undergraduate degree, I did a lot of research to find the best fit for me. Here, I am using the term “research” as mere gathering of facts and information. Researching on different colleges, here, can be more accurately termed “collection of information” but it is not “research” in the true sense of the word. However, it certainly can be seen as an important part of research.

Research is a lot more than merely collecting information and reassembling it in different forms. Analysis and interpretation of information is a vital ingredient of research. Mere “assembly of information” is again an important component of research, but not its entirety. Research is an activity which is prompted by our need to satisfy our natural curiosity and our wish to make sense of the world around us. There is a lot more to the term “research” than a layman comprehends.

The Oxford Encyclopedic English defines research as

• The systematic investigation into the study of materials, sources, etc. in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
• An endeavor to discover new or collate old facts etc, by the scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation.

Doing research helps us avoid the possibility of trusting inaccurate information that is readily available to us in different forms. So next time, when you are overly reliant on the outsider information, just think again and “RESEARCH”!!!