Most people would say that they don’t do much researching. Before this month, I would have said so myself. After the archival assignment, though, I started to rethink what researching really meant. Merriam-Webster defines research as:
Studious inquiry or examination; especially : investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws.
So have I been researching all along?
I confess that I am a little bit obsessed with Pinterest. Whether I’m looking up lifehacks on how to change a flat tire or a new chocolate cupcake recipe, Pinterest has exactly what I’m looking for. So, when my mom announced that she and I, along with another aunt, were going to be throwing my cousin a bridal shower, I opened up a new board and set to browsing.
Is It Research?
So is this research? When I was browsing, I was investigating, hoping to discover some facts and ideas that I could use for the bridal shower. Isn’t that what Merriam-Webster defines research as?
Research doesn’t use the same methods that it did 50 years ago. During that time, it meant browsing through library shelves and card catalogs in hopes of finding the gold mine of books related to your topic. Today, we can use surveys, archives, the Internet, videos, and even quotes straight from sources’ mouths. If all of this is research, then why isn’t it considered research to browse through the aesthetically-pleasing pages of Pinterest? I know for a fact that I’ve learned more about history from Pinterest and Crash Course than I have in any of my high school history courses.
So maybe it’s time to start looking at researching a little differently. A little more fun, dare I say?