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Are you curious in your research?

Inquiry, and asking the right questions, can lead you to exciting avenues in your research.

Ensure to keep yourself engaged and inspired, by exposing yourself to alternative influences, as you never know what connections can be sparked that will enhance your research.

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What is an inquiring mind?

  • Inquiry involves seeking and learning knowledge about something that may be known or unknown.
  • Research is concerned with knowledge that is not yet known.
  • Intellectual insights are gained from inquiry.

Why is an inquiring mind important?

An inquiring mind is needed to undertake research.

For a doctorate this means:

  • addressing a research question that is part of a wider enquiry

For a postdoctoral researcher this means:

  • autonomously identifying new lines of investigation in your field of study

For a principal investigator this means:

  • integrating the various strands of research conducted by your team to enable overall progress in the field

How can you be more curious?

How can you develop an inquiring mind?

  • In developing new research questions, identify the underlying assumptions in your field and test their viability
  • Identify historical precedents in your own research field where an assumption was challenged
  • Expose yourself to a wider range of published work and take notes, especially on what interests you
  • Visit other research departments in your institution; expose yourself to alternative influences from across disciplines – you never know what connections may be sparked that inform your research

How can you develop intellectual insight?

  • There is often a period of time between the positing of a question and the answer appearing – this is a crucial time for the mind to be figuring out the solution. These ‘eureka’ moments often happen away from the place where the research is being conducted and can lead to breakthroughs.
  • Learn to be comfortable with a lack of resolution before resorting to lesser solutions.
  • Note down insights as they arise.
  • Factor in ‘down-time’ from your immediate research interests to speculate on trends in your general research field.
  • To build up your level of background knowledge, read several different texts and reviews on the same subject.
  • Embrace being questioned about your research as this is an opportunity to reveal deeper understanding.

Final takeaways

  • Inquiry involves seeking and learning knowledge about something that may be known or unknown.
  • An inquiring mind is needed to undertake research.
  • There is often a period of time between the positing of a question and the answer appearing – this is a crucial time for the mind to be figuring out the solution.