Definition of Academic Research

Research is part and parcel of academic life.  It is what trains students to foster critical thinking and analytical skills. This process also enables them to gain a solid grasp of the field of study that they pursued. In addition, depending on the quality of research a student prepares, they can make valuable contributions to their field of study. To help you further understand what academic research is and what it entails, below is an in-depth explanation of its definition.

Definition of Academic Research

Academic Research is defined by the father of the United States space program:  Werner von Braun

Basic research is what I am doing when I don’t know what I am doing?”

Another definition of research :

Systematic investigation into a problem or situation, where the intention is to identify facts and/or opinions that will assist in solving the problem or dealing with the situation

The definition from the Cambridge English dictionary:

Research: a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding

Another realistic and practical adage for defining the research process for a PhD

A PhD is about finding out more and more about less and less until one eventually knows everything about nothing (Anon.)

Other definitions of academic research includes:

• Making a rigorous and relevant contribution to knowledge.
• Understanding of a cause and effect relationship of a given phenomenon or uncovering a new phenomenon
• Organized inquiry to provide information for the solution to a problem (Emery&Cooper`91)
• A careful and systematic investigation in some field of knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or principles (Kumar `96)
• Scientific or scholarly inquiry or investigation and the proper communication of the findings (McCuen `96)

With the definition of academic research detailed, you can now start the endeavor. However, keep in mind that this process takes up time and focus so it is important to prepare yourself by understanding the steps you need to take to complete your research.

For instance, you may want to learn more about what is research design as well as how to create a thesis statement, and how to perform cursory research on a topic you are interested in. Moreover, you may also want to brush up on the different levels of evidence in research. With this information at hand, you can ensure a seamless academic research process in the long run.

Useful Links:

• “Academic” Research at University, by Karen Kwok
• Research Definition, George Mason University