research

Definition:

The collection and evaluation of information about a particular subject.

See also:

• Research Paper
• Annotation
• Choosing a Style Manual and Documentation Guide
• Citation
• Confirmation Bias
• Critical Essay
• Critique
• Discovery Strategies (Heuristics)
• Documentation
• Interview
• Literature Review
• "Look at Your Fish!" by Samuel H. Scudder
• Plagiarism
• Primary Source
• "Quote . . . Misquote": The Challenge of Verifying Quotations
• Review
• Secondary Source
• Summary
• Writer's Notebook

Etymology:

From the Old French, "to search, examine"

Observations:

• "Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."
  (Zora Neale Hurston, Dust Tracks on a Road, 1942)



• "Poking a dead raccoon is not research."
  (Bart Simpson, The Simpsons)



• "College research assignments are an opportunity for you to contribute to an intellectual inquiry or debate. Most college assignments ask you to pose a question worth exploring, to read widely in search of possible answers, to interpret what you read, to draw reasoned conclusions, and to support those conclusions with valid and well-documented evidence. Such assignments may at first seem overwhelming, but if you pose a question that intrigues you and approach it like a detective, with genuine curiosity, you will soon learn how rewarding research can be. . . .
  
  "Admittedly, the process takes time: time for researching and time for drafting, revising, and documenting the paper in the style recommended by your instructor. Before beginning a research project, you should set a realistic schedule of deadlines."
  (Diana Hacker, The Bedford Handbook, 6th ed. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002)



• "Beginning researchers need to start by using the seven steps listed below. The path is not always linear, but these steps provide a framework for conducting research. . . .
  1. Define your research question
  2. Ask for help
  3. Develop a research strategy and locate resources
  4. Use effective search techniques
  5. Read critically, synthesize, and seek meaning
  6. Understand the scholarly communication process and cite sources
  7. Critically evaluate sources"
  (Leslie F. Stebbins, Student Guide to Research in the Digital Age. Libraries Unlimited, 2006)

Pronunciation: ri-SERCH or REE-serch