Why do we do research? There are many reasons for doing research. In the first place, nobody can possibly know everything, especially in today’s information-saturated world. So, we need to start from a place of curiosity. Ask yourself: What can I find out about this subject or topic? The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates once said something like: “to admit that I know nothing is the beginning of wisdom”. This is a useful starting place – it’s saying that you can become more by learning. So, basic research can provide an introduction to something you don’t know or lead to a deeper understanding of something you know a little about. But there are other really important reasons for doing research: learning about a particular field, acquiring expertise, developing problem-solving skills, becoming skilled in communicating your findings, as well as rising to the challenge of completing projects. It is the equivalent of being a detective or a forensic investigator - the tiniest clues can lead to working out what the whole story is. In terms of the units that you do at university, research is an important component because it shows that you have based your work and ideas on the materials produced by other people. This is called either disciplinary knowledge or discourse. The more that you read into the particular areas, the richer your own work becomes and the better the results that you can get.