Wiki Page, GOTT Clover II: Identify (2 of 6): What is Research?

Wiki Page
2016-08-14T21:35:07-06:00

What comes to mind when you think of research?

It might be a scientist in a lab, or maybe a scholar buried in a pile of books. While neither of those scenarios are incorrect, research is something you do everyday!

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Imagine you and your friends are looking for a place to eat, but none of you can think of a restaurant to go to. What do you do?

Google "restaurants near me"? Look up Yelp reviews for what's highly rated and affordable? Ask someone else for a recommendation? You might use a smart phone or other resources to investigate your options.

What is happening in this scenario?

You and your friends had an information need, or the motivation to seek out knowledge or answers. You needed to know what restaurant to go to, so you asked "What restaurant should we go to?"

Just like in everyday life, research is driven by a question or questions, a gap in knowledge, or something you don't know and want to find out.