define research
2.1 Definition of Research. research: NOUN: 1. a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding.  Cambridge University Press 2003. The word research is used to describe a number of similar and often overlapping activities involving a search for information. For example, each of the following activities involves such a search; but the differences are significant and worth examining.
Research is the systematic investigation and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions, so it shapes peopleâs understanding of the world around them. Through research findings, psychologists are able to explain individualsâ behaviors, including how people think and act in certain ways.