Research means carefully investigating something to discover facts or reach new understanding. When you research a topic for a school project, you read books, examine sources, and gather information to learn what's actually true about your subject.

Research involves checking multiple sources, comparing what different experts say, and thinking critically about what you find. A scientist researching a cure for a disease might spend years conducting experiments, recording results, and testing theories. A historian researching ancient Rome examines old documents, artifacts, and archaeological evidence to understand how people really lived.

The word works as both a noun and a verb. You do research (verb) to produce research (noun). A marine biologist's research on coral reefs might reveal new species or show how ocean temperatures affect sea life.

Good research requires patience and honesty. When researchers discover something unexpected, even if it contradicts what they hoped to find, they report it truthfully. Research has given us antibiotics, computers, and countless other advances because people committed to finding out what's really true and following the evidence wherever it leads.