4.1: Start Smart

The day will come when you need to research a topic; how do you approach the task? If you do a little early planning, you’ll be more focused and effective when searching for data and information. Start smart and do a little preparation before starting your research.

The word "research" is often used to describe a multistep investigation process used to either answer a question or solve a problem. Academic research expands knowledge by finding answers to questions, while nearly all military staff research revolves around identifying and solving problems. This chapter emphasizes information retrieval and evaluation of sources-this chapter does not describe the end-to-end process associated with academic research (see Appendix 2) or details of systematic problem solving (also covered in a separate chapter).

Nonetheless, for simple projects, planning means spending a few quiet moments thinking about your task. For longer projects, you may write out a detailed research plan. Regardless of the scope, think through these issues:

Review the Purpose and Scope of the Overall Project

After completing Step 1, Analyzing Purpose and Audience, you should have a good idea of what you need, but sometimes your purpose and scope may evolve as you learn more about the topic. You may also need to do some preliminary research just to get smart enough to scope out the effort. If you’ve been handed a vague topic, try to get some feel for how far you should go in your research, what you can realistically do and where you should stop.

Assign Yourself a Deadline for the Research Effort

It’s easy to get lost in the research process. Don’t do an outstanding job of data retrieval, then a marginal job on the presentation because you ran out of time. For larger projects, assign yourself a timeline for the data gathering process.

Get a Vector from the Boss

Ask the boss if there are unusual sources or knowledgeable individuals you should seek out. Your boss gave you this research problem for a reason-he or she thought that you were capable of finding the answer. Even if you can eventually find the answer on your own, you might save some time by asking for suggestions on where to start. An early vector could be particularly helpful if you’re working on a practical problem that’s "local," specialized, or requires information that isn’t available to the general public.

How Much Do I Know Already; What Are My Biases?

Before you look for answers outside yourself, look in the mirror first. You may have valuable knowledge about an assigned research project, but you need to acknowledge and guard against your own biases in working a research problem. It’s tough to keep an unbiased attitude; in fact, it’s probably impossible if you know anything about the subject in question. The good news is once you realize you may be biased, you’ll be less likely to automatically dismiss data that’s not consistent with your personal philosophy.