This is the first in a series on using the internet as a learning device. You can read part two here and part three here.
We are all learners and researchers. While education and research are terms related to school, they go far beyond the classroom and graduation. Learning and discovering new information are lifelong pursuits. As John Dewey said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” The idea of taking responsibility for an entire lifetime of learning can seem daunting. I have a recommendation to make it less of an overwhelming challenge and more of a daily habit which I’ll share below. Today’s essay will look at the people who might do research, the role of curiosity, and how to keep track of the things we learn.
The first topic we’ll look at is choosing a subject to research. Some of us might be students or specifically looking to solve an immediate problem. Most of us wouldn’t consider ourselves researchers, but we do often look for quality information to serve a purpose. Any time we are looking for more information about an idea or how something works we are doing informal research. We are all researcher when we seek to understand the world around us better. Research is, therefore, a routine part of life.
Consider these reasons we may research a topic:
- following up on a conversation
- a statistic online or on the news that catches your eye
- a discussion with a friend or family member
- personal learning and documenting
- gain an edge professionally
- pure curiosity
All of these are common examples of “careful study of a given subject, field, or problem, undertaken to discover facts or principles,” which is the definition of research.
What does research look like?
Generally, the research process we were taught in school looked somewhat like the following:
- Choose a general topic
- Do background research
- Ask questions
- Narrow your topic
- Define your thesis statement
- Begin writing
- Edit and rewrite
- Publish or hand in your findings
The problem with this model is it doesn’t take into account the fact that we are always learning. The process of research to publishing doesn’t happen as linearly as this outline indicates. Often we ask questions, then go back to doing more research, taking steps forward and back, until we land on a narrow topic which has enough sources to actually answer all our questions and accomplish any other goals we might have.
Therefore, I propose the slightly modified:
- Look at your interests
- Pull current knowledge and sources
- Narrow your topic
- Ask questions
- Begin writing
- Edit and rewrite
- “Publish” your findings (turn in the paper, have a discussion, publish your essay, etc.)
- Listen to feedback
- Repeat as necessary
When you start with interests you’ve already become familiar with, you start from a position of understanding and with resources already gathered. You are already aware of the current discussion around them, and able to contribute to that conversation. This modification also views research and learning as a constant journey instead of a strict destination, which again, is the case for all of us.
Where should research start?
Start with something you find interesting; either a quote that resonated with you or an idea you hadn’t heard before. Maybe it’s the name of a writer you’ve just discovered. Start with an interest and ask questions.
After beginning with your interest, the next important thing to keep in mind is the purpose of your research. Are you a student writing for a class? Are you looking for more information on whatever is in the news? Are you looking to follow up on an interesting conversation you had over lunch? Each of these goals will shape the direction your research takes. Start with a goal in mind and reverse engineer back.Here is an example of taking a general subject and exploring questions and ideas around it. Higher education is in a very tenuous position right now, and not only because of Covid-19. For the past few years, enrollment has been falling off at mid-level schools, prompting course offerings to shuffle, incentives to be offered, and in some cases, entire programs to change. Experts have predicted that these mid-level universities for the most part, won’t be able to weather the hard times which are on the way. Again, that was before the pandemic. Now we are seeing the entire country question whether this fall is the right time to get a degree. Between certification programs gaining speed, and the rising, already inflated price of college tuition, don’t be surprised to start seeing closures around the country. The current pandemic is only hastening to separate the weaker, less adaptable schools from those expected to still be standing in the next decade.
Higher education is a huge topic though, and we can quickly narrow down what we want to know. In doing so, you could examine the arguments as to why mid-level schools won’t last; why larger and legacy schools will last; and why small community colleges will endure. Further, why certifications are so popular, why tuition and a degree are less desirable to the modern eye; how schools and higher education are changing in light of the internet; and why the schools who are able to succeed despite Covid-19 are the schools you can still expect to see a few years down the road.
There are also broader strokes and adjacent arguments to be examined, like those around collegiate sports, whether (and the degree to which) the economy rewards those with college degrees, and the future of teachers’ educations, requirements, and salaries. You would also find scholarly sources, for an academic setting, or perhaps look at press releases and updates on the university website for less formal but official news. If you’re looking to gain a deeper understanding, you might look for industry journals and trade magazines, or periodicals.
This is all pertinent to just one topic; and you have an entire world of topics to choose from. Ask questions, find the answers and then ask more probing, specific answers as you gather more information. Remember, finding compelling or stimulating information and getting it into our memories is active work.
Industry and Hobbies
Another source of inspiration is your industry – what line of work are you in? What other industries are directly affected by yours? For instance, real estate is affected by the economy, the price of materials and labor, which are affected by travel restrictions or tariffs; there are also factors of marketing and location, which go into price, availability, and desirability. Look for industries adjacent to yours and see what the professionals or “superstars” are up to there. What ideas are they pursuing?
Every industry relates to and impacts others. For philosophy, there are practices of psychology, economics, communication, relationships, leadership, and politics. With education, you could touch on sports, real estate, economics, technology, public policy, and implications on corporate and small businesses. We live in a world which is increasingly shrinking – every topic touches on and influences another. For this reason, understand the ripple effects (or second and third-order effects) of decisions becomes ever more important. Understanding consequences, by researching ideas and potential outcomes, puts you in a better decision to make high-quality choices.
You can also look at areas related to your hobbies. If you are an avid hiker, perhaps look at the history of some of your favorite hiking gear companies. Who are the founders? Where did they grow up? How did they get into the business?
Once you have a general topic, the next step is to ask questions. Follow the rabbit trail that research yields. Sometimes you start out looking for a specific person and a random detail in their story leads to to an inspiring quote. Or
Look at Feedback and Follow Those Ideas
Feedback doesn’t have to be complicated. While feedback can take the form of discussions or emails, a conversation is a simple way to test ideas and your own understanding of a topic. Since it’s a less formal setting, you get people’s candid reactions and impressions. What kinds of questions are other people asking? Is there a point in your conversation or explanation where people get lost? Were you asked to explain more about a particular point, person or idea? Did you receive push-back on a stance? Did anyone make a connection to a related person or topic for more information? All of these represent potential follow-up opportunities for you to learn and grow your understanding of a subject.
It sometimes gets overlooked, but a major component of research is to learn something during the process. If you haven’t learned something new – even if you’ve studied or followed the topic for years – you’re not doing enough or proper research. There is always a different perspective or new information comes to light, or an interesting connection happens; there is always something new to learn. When we approach ideas, and feedback with an expectation of learning, finding topics and fascinating theories begin to present themselves quickly.
The most important quality in a continuing education – formally or informally – is maintaining curiosity. Albert Einstein famously attributed success to curiosity, “Success comes from curiosity, concentration, perseverance and self criticism.” Elsewhere, he elaborated on the importance of curiosity, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.“
Curiosity often comes down to a choice to make an effort or not. Choosing to do a quick internet search or not; flipping through the index of the book you’re reading to find another book on the topic. These aren’t especially grand actions, however, when you make a habit of asking questions, finding answers, and making it a point to learn daily, you reap those benefits for years.
Which leads to a need for creating a dedicated place to house all of these questions, book titles, quotes, and accumulated ideas.
The Commonplace Book
Keep a “commonplace book,” aka, second brain, book of inspirations, handbook, etc. Common place books have been around for centuries, and they are where, historically, the brightest minds have stored ideas, quotes, inspiration, sketches, etc in a single place to come back to later. Stoic emperor Marcus Aurelius copied passages of wisdom into his journal, where he also wrote his thoughts and daily reminders for how he wanted to approach the day. Philosophers and composers have used their commonplace books to record ideas, the buds of philosophical systems or the beginning of stanzas of symphonies. Beethoven was rarely seen without his commonplace book, even bringing it along to dinner with his friends and pausing to record a thought or snippet of conversation which captured his awe. John Locke, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau all kept commonplace books which ultimately led to their theories and published books.
In the real world, we are always learning; we simply need to capture our ideas and new information in such a way that we can revisit it later. We are already doing the difficult work of reading books and articles, thinking about their implications, and putting that information to use. It only makes sense to write it down in a safe place so that you can retain more of it, and reference it at a moment’s notice. By keeping a record of daily ideas and thoughts, you create a sort of index of the things which inspire you, fully customized to your interests. This becomes the best place to start when you need ideas, quotes, or other information. You’ll already have your interests in one place, from which you can ask questions and continue learning and following your curiosity.
All you need is a plain notebook or new file on your computer to designate as your commonplace book. To get started, look at the sorts of topics you like to read about, the genres of shows or movies you like to watch, a song lyric that’s been stuck in your head. It can be small or large; it just needs to be something which interests you. When you read, take notes into your commonplace book. When you are online and come across the name of an influential writer from the 15th century, write their name down. When you’re settling down to sleep and a great question or idea comes to you, write it in your commonplace book. As you grow and learn, your commonplace book will grow along with you.
Find something new to put in your commonplace book every day. If, at the end of the day, you haven’t taken down a note or quote, open up a book and find an interesting idea or quote. Fire up an internet search of whatever you wrote down last and find more information on it. If all else fails, look up a classic thinker or writer and find a quote you especially like. Curiosity and learning are skills which can be developed; the more you use them, the sharper they become. Get in the habit of learning something new daily.
Keep your research, interests, and material accessible so that you can pull from it when you need to, or add a quote. By keeping a commonplace book, and adding to it daily, you are building your own index of fully customized quotes, ideas, names, and stories to grow and learn from, or even to reference later. Tell an interesting story at dinner or journal about a lesson you learned from your reading; I’ve even used quotes in emails. The important thing is to put that knowledge to use and share it with others.
Develop curiosity, write down your findings, and repeat daily; the foundations of a lifelong education.
