Concept of Researching
In our day to day life, we come across many terminologies that are used in an interchangeable manner. While we manage to understand them in the right perspective given the situations we are in, using proper words in the appropriate manner helps in perfect communication. For instance, the words ‘purpose’, ‘target’, ‘goal’, ‘objective’, ‘ambition’ and ‘aim’ may appear to convey the same meaning when we use them in our communication. However, when we really start pondering over which of these fit in perfectly to the particular context we are talking about, many of us feel lost most of the time. In such a situation, researching helps understand words in the best of the contexts pulling us out of all possible confusions.
With the advent of Internet, the world has become a small sized ball in our hands. Search Engines act as a reservoir of knowledge providing mind boggling data for every query searched through the same. The scope for knowledge expansion is limitless with Internet in our finger tips provided the same is leveraged in the perfect manner by knowledge thirsty users. This applies to all areas of life where researching and finding out relevant data is concerned. Right from a freelance writer who is in need of ideas to develop a concept to a Research Scholar who wants to earn a Doctorate degree in a particular field, researching skills play a crucial role. Let us have a detailed look at why we should learn to research for our aims and goals and how we can research the things that we are looking for effectively using internet or through other means. At the end of the study, we will find ways to use our research for generating value adding novel ideas.
What is Researching?
Researching is an art by itself. It is an amazing skill that grabs the attention of the mind in an impeccable manner. Researching helps quench the thirst of a greedy mind in a continous manner. The more the greedy the mind is for assimilating knowledge, the more extensive the research effort would be. While the eyes see what many others have seen already in their lives, an inquisitive mind tends to think of ideas that no human mind has thought so far. Research, thus is a concept of creating new ideas that would pave way for more researching by self and others. While research is basically done for the sake of accumulating knowledge during the initial stages, the moment it gets its wings, the whole world gets engulfed in a sphere of imagination. Researching is nothing but the curiosity that constantly strives for more and more information due to high levels of dissatisfaction caused with the information or facts in hand.
It is important to understand the basics of research to realize the role of the same in our lives. Research is usually done for many purposes. Based on the purpose of the research the same can be classified into different types like Short Term Research, Descriptive Research, Case Study Research, Analytical Research, Conclusion Oriented Research, Fundamental Research, Historical Research, Conceptual Research, Exploratory Research, Empirical Research, Clinical or Diagnostic Research, Longitudinal or One Time Research and Simulation or Laboratory Research. Each of the above research has their own purpose and uniqueness and brings out results based on the same. Some of the key research types which are in general used by people more often are enlisted below for clearer understanding.
Basic Research – Done by most of us just for enhancing our knowledge on specific areas. Such research many not attach any commercial value to themselves.
Qualitative Research – This type of research is highly specific and subjective in nature. It focuses in getting the views of individuals through many methods like Ethnography, Grounded Theory, In-depth interviews, Phenomenology and Case Study.
Quantitative Research – This type of research brings out data in a more numerical manner and is related to statistics and Mathematics.
Problem Solving Research – As the name of the research suggests, such type of research target more in solving problems. Specific solutions to the issues in hand are searched for in a focussed manner in this type of research.
Applied Research – This type of research is carried out to apply the knowledge acquired to sort out real time issues in a pragmatic manner
Problem Oriented Research – This type of research focuses in understanding the exact issues in hand so finding out appropriate solutions is made possible
Why should we learn to research for our aim and goals?
Every human who possess high levels of aspirations to succeed in life must learn to search and research for their aims or goals in life. When we think about our goals in life, we only succeed in setting up the same to some extent. But when we research through different modes before setting a meaningful and value adding goal for our life, we seek the help of minds in conglomeration. Such minds can be explored through Magazines and Offline media over and above getting happily entangled in the World Wide Web. All these throw so many ideas on us that we witness our confusions pertaining to setting life goals unwind as startling opportunities right in front of us.
How can we research the things that we are looking for effectively using internet or by any other means?
Irrespective of the method of research we want to deploy to find out value adding information pertaining to a specific area, a basic understanding of what exactly we want to find out is important. When we have clarity about our exact requirement, ascertaining the mode and method of researching becomes easier. We are no more in the period when we tried to merge our nervous systems by sharing books and ideas over personal meetings. The world is actually at our finger tips 24x7x365 days a year. Irrespective of the time factor, the moment we think of something, we are able to get information about the same till our mind gets over flown with information. This immense power that Internet offers to us can be leveraged to the maximum extent possible, if we learn to communicate our expectations in the search bar in a precise manner.
One thing that must be kept in mind while dealing with the Internet search bar is that we are not dealing with our Mothers who automatically understand what we want to ask at any point of time. We are dealing with an inanimate thing which answers us in the perfect manner when we ask the question in the straight forward manner. The advantage in getting information from the Internet search bar is that we need not feel shy or embarrassed to ask stupid or embarrassing facts since we are not dealing with a human being. For instance, instead of asking a bizarre question like ‘Am I Pregnant?” to a search Engine, one can look out for “Pregnancy tests at home”. The search engine will provide some really amazing results which would guide you to understand if you are really pregnant in a secretive but solid manner.
Remember, depending on the mode of search, the approach towards researching will change and this includes questions and questioning patterns too. When you are trying to find out informative data from a knowledgeable source face to face, due to the human interaction that is prevalent, your questions may have to be indirect. At the same time, the questions must be framed in such a manner that they bring out the required data in a subtle or direct manner. Questions thus framed may have a complete professional tone or a casual one depending on the source from which you are expecting the details.
How to use our research to be useful to us in idea generation?
Human mind is a stunning wonder. When explored constantly, it is really baffling to understand the extent to which it can stretch itself to generate new ideas. Human mind, in reality does not have limiting dimensions to it. Research is that aspect of life which offers wings to the tiny little ideas generated by the human mind. Effective researching skills provide the appropriate landing gear to our ideas that lift themselves up in the skies. Some tips pertaining to using our research to generate value adding ideas are given below.
- Have a clear cut idea about what you want to research
- Understand clearly why the research is important for you and how it can add value to your life
- Decide on the mode you want to conduct the research based on your requirement
- Ensure you remain focused without getting distracted with the load of information you may get immersed in the process
- Cull out the crucial and relevant things out of the research making a note of the same
- Ponder over the points noted to fix your target or goal
- Look at extending the ideas thrown at you during the research
- Be open minded to consider the similar ideas though they may lack the originality
- Think about newer avenues from the information you have gathered
- In a focused manner, work on the possible new ideas that can be generated with the information in hand
- Don’t let the unpractical nature of ideas stop you from working on the same
- Decide on your priorities based on the ideas jotted down
- At this stage, think clearly about the feasibility of the same and work out a plan to make these work out for you
We would like to conclude by focusing on the fact that whatever you want in life must be imagined first, if you need to build a house, you need to have its blueprint ready before laying the foundation. Researching helps you make the blueprint so that your foundation is strong. Without the blueprint, you are just shooting arrows in the air and wasting the most important asset called time.
Written by Rama Ramji edited by SiteMaster
