What really is the meaning of research?

Definition I am sure it is not the first time you come across this word ‘Research’, and you have been hearing the word very often and usually people will be explaining to you that before they do anything that they find important or big they need to go do their research first. It has also been suggested by several experts in different fields that before you take a big decision, do your research. Now we get to simplify it.

Research is the gathering of information, it involves collecting, analyzing, and concluding on the information found. Research is purely looking for information on a specific topic to enhance your knowledge on that topic to influence your understanding of the topic. Now based the brilliant researcher of our time John W. Creswell, he defines it as “a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to grow our understanding of the topic”. So, basically, we research to get more information.

Where do you come across research?  The world is big and rich in information, the is always something to learn about everything and there are experts in almost everything. Therefore, this makes information limitless, its applications are also limitless. You will come across the word research in everything that you do, this is because everything has been built or created on the foundations of information. Different areas of life use research on different levels and directions, for different purposes. Simply put, you will come across the word research everywhere.

There is absolutely nothing to be worried about or to fear about the word ‘research” because when you research, you are simply looking back into something that already exit. This can happen in order for you to change the existing information, to challenge the existing information or to follow the existing information but all at the end you will understand the information. This is the whole point of doing research, to understand the information.

Uses of research Research can be used in all aspects of life. You can used it in your studies, in your business, in your church and even in your home. All aspects of life involve the use of research, if you want to become an expert on a specific field, you need to do your research on other people who shared the same interest as yourself, this is the collection part of research and as soon as you have gathered as much information you can on the topic you analyze it.

The analysis involves your deep interpretations on what you have found, this will allow you to challenge existing information by identifying limitations and working towards addressing those limitation. This will allow you to create new information and this will also expand the existing information. The moment you want to know more than what you know, you start becoming a researcher.