The Curious Mind: The Art of Questioning Research

Imagination, combined with thorough research and creative experimentation, has the power to guide a brighter future.

In the past, research was a slow and isolated process, meticulous in its validation. Only after intense scrutiny were the findings presented to the world. However, studies are conducted rapidly in our current era of relentless change. Consequently, research is frequently embraced as fact without sufficient review.

Research is the source that most scientific ideas are based upon. Any researcher worth their salt will welcome effective challenge. If you are not aware, the term “worth their salt” comes from the Middle Ages when salt was so valuable that Roman soldiers accepted it as payment so they could preserve meat and fish. Don’t believe me? Look it up. We all have a duty to question facts, figures, and directives regardless of the assumed credibility of the source.?This is especially true when something doesn't make sense to you. Your question could lead to a new discovery. It's important.

In an attempt to inspire you to enjoy discerning research reports as much as I do, I’ll share a few tips:

Stay open-minded and objective in the face of contradictory research.?I call it the game of opposites. Sometimes, children are encouraged to play the game of opposites to experience how life is different on Opposite Day. On these fanciful days, they’ll wear their right shoe on their left foot, turn their T-shirts inside out, or eat breakfast for lunch.?

As adults, we can play the game of opposites by reviewing contradictory opinions based on research with an objective eye. It’s easy to do. If you are a vegetarian, read books about the benefits of eating meat. If you are a carnivore, read about the health benefits of a vegetarian diet. Each study will advocate for their respective diet. The conclusions will be based on exhaustive, credible research. It gets confusing. However, you might devise a new conclusion based on experience and further research. It seems to be true, especially with diets, that no one diet is right for every individual in every circumstance.

We don’t have to look far for a contrary opinion these days. Pick one and run with it.?

Be confident in knowing that listening is not agreeing.?Listening to a differing point of view does not necessarily mean you agree. It only means you are collecting data. You may or may not change your mind based on the information that is revealed. Furthermore, you may learn something new by entertaining a novel perspective.?

Disagree with Grace. When someone’s opinion differs from yours, allow them to share their perspective. If you still do not concur, let the other party know by stating, “I have an alternative perspective.” Or better yet, ask, “Are you open to listening to another point of view?” Arguing stops conversations fast and doesn’t advance either party’s worldview.?

Follow the Money.?Research is funded or sponsored by businesses, universities, nonprofits, individuals, or teams. Identify who’s funding the research. It’s an interesting data point to keep in your awareness.?Question what tactics were employed to assure the sponsor is not influencing the process or conclusions of a study.

Understand the Control Group.?(As a reminder, the control group is the number of people or data tested.) How big is it? Are diverse control groups tested? How long did the study last? Was it months, years, decades, or centuries? What outliers were eliminated? Why?

Know the Difference Between Quantitative and Qualitative Research.?A quick overview – quantitative research includes questions with finite answers that can be used in math calculations, algorithms, or statistical analysis.?

In my opinion (opinions are still important, although they are anecdotal and not facts), analysts lean toward quantitative research because it’s failproof. An example of quantitative analysis is to measure the number of people who access a restaurant. It will be a finite number.?

An example of a qualitative research question is asking restaurant guests if they had a positive experience. This will unleash a new can of silly string. Identifying someone’s preferences is subjective; however, this is where the hidden nugget of valuable information might lie.?

One reason more quantitative research is employed is because it’s easier to implement based on a timeline. An example of collecting quantitative data is using a kiosk with emojis to measure customer satisfaction. At a casual restaurant, patrons might tap an emoji on a kiosk that expresses a happy face ??, a sad face ?, or a neutral face ??to identify their emotion.

The risk with relying on quantitative data is that the researchers, or even worse, the people who rely on the data, may make assumptions based on the data. For example, they may conclude that 70% of the guests hit the smiley face emoji, concluding they were pleased.?

That doesn’t fly with a research junky like me.

I, you guessed it; look it up. I find out how big the control group was, how long the test was administered, who financed the trial, who worked on the test, what outliers were eliminated, and why. Then, I’ll ask open-ended questions to learn a deeper story than the data alone tells.

In addition to analyzing how the data was procured, I’d go into a sample restaurant and watch people. Perhaps a child runs to the emoji kiosk and repeatedly presses the happy face button. It happens. Or maybe depressing the happy face emoji was related to a specific element of the dining experience. Or the favorite sports team in town may have won that day, lifting the community's spirits.

Are you starting to recognize how one question leads to another question? We can research and query forever. At some point, someone (usually the person or entity funding the research) will want a conclusion.?

That’s okay as long as we remain curious and continue to invest in the art of questioning. The most significant risk is to accept the happy face at face value without thoughtful examination.

By challenging assumptions and drawing new conclusions, research can be an exhilarating adventure, revealing trailblazing discoveries.