CyberFootprint

There are many things that happen before a decent blog post gets out into the aether. Yet, there are some things that should happen before the great posts are born. We call this magic “research.”

Everyone can find out how to do proper research on the net, so there is no big deal, right? Wrong. Most of the bloggers perform some data gathering, which is limited in scope, breadth and depth, and claim it is a research that gives their post credibility and balance. In the world of constant time pressure, it is somehow expected that you are not going to spend extensive amount of time on checking the facts and analyzing raw data.

I would like to share with you four principles about research I have learned and applied thus far.

Don’t rely on other blogs only. Find the original study, or the raw data, and interpret them yourself. It is time-consuming, but it is worth it. The benefits of such action are obvious. You will analyze the issue at hand from a different point of view, learn more about it, and create a better content for your post (which also translates into increased traffic). Everybody wins.

Be skeptical. Did the study present unshakable evidence that smoking is not only healthy, but it also cures lung cancer? Don’t believe everything that seems to make sense at the first glance. Check the statistics behind the words, ask experts for their opinion (you can also get an expert quote for the post) and be sure to examine the conflicting evidence with an open mind.

Research a variety of sources. The more data you have, the better for you. However, if all the data come from one source, you limit yourself to thinking inside the box and often not seeking other evidence. That is bad, because it limits the scope of your analysis.

Endurance pays off. Let’s suppose you have found a great study and data that support your hypothesis. What now? Get out of your comfort zone, and search for more! Searching more persistently and finding new evidence brings more insight into the situation, and consequently, makes you to be a more credible source of information and analysis yourself.

I hope you will find the aforementioned essentials useful. The list is by no means exclusive; it is composed of actions that have served me well when doing research. Do you know some more? If you do, share them with us.