Better Research Through Analyzing Facts

Author: Jon Gros

People are given the task of research in all walks of life. Students, employees, and scientists are a few obvious examples. Even people who read the news on a daily basis just to stay informed of current events, are doing a type of research.

One could say, especially in this information age, people are on a “fact frenzy” on a daily basis. Therefore, it’s important to know that how we see information — that is, the way we conduct research is just as important as how we present the results of that research, or understand the information we extrapolate. This, and the type of reasoning we exemplify, are all ingredients that can result in how successful our research will be accepted, once it’s presented.

Let’s take a scenario we may all relate to. Imagine a student preparing to begin writing a term paper on a given subject.

One of the first things the student must do is to make sure the facts they are researching are reliable. The student turns to the internet, and finds all sorts of information. Some pieces of information are factual, others are misleading. That’s the nature of the internet – anyone can write anything at any time. Therefore, checking the authenticity of the resource is paramount. Forget the question-and-answer websites, especially if the “best chosen answer” doesn’t cite their sources.

The student accomplishes the first task by finding reliable sources of facts and trivia, by finding information presented directly from government or educational institution-based websites.

The next challenge is to analyze the fact fragments and sort out which facts are important, and which ones are not. The student will need to analyze data effectively, and remain objective. This would mean setting aside what you think you know, and look at the facts from a fresh perspective. “A common mistake people often make is looking for facts that would bolster their existing point of view.”, at least that is what one of the experts from EssayYoda says. Simple, cut and dry facts can have different meanings to different people, even when they are presented objectively.
Now it’s time for the student to present the facts in the report, and to begin writing.

Certain variables can come into play — such as aesthetics, writing style, and knowing how to write a good thesis. But how the facts are assimilated is what will cause the work to be embraced or rejected by the reading audience. Writers must be careful of the bottom line they are trying to point to.