The research report also typicallynecessitates a literature review—a collection of published and citedresearch related to the topic at hand—that provides the impetusfor the student’s project and to show how the project extends whathas already been done and provides new insight or knowledge.Thus, the research report gives students practice at both primaryand secondary research, while allowing them to pursue genuineresearch questions

aving students design and pursue genuine research projectsthat generate rather than simply locate information teaches themthat research is about innovation—about doing what hasn’t beendone. It also demonstrates to them that research is a useful toolnot only for learning, but also for action. Information gained fromresearch can be used to impact their schools, homes, workplaces,and communitie

In fact, the name research paper is, in itself, misleading,as it implies that research is a practice only used in a particulargenre or instance, rather than as a fundamental element of nearlyall forms of academic, workplace, or personal writing. Researchingisn’t meant to be a narrow task of looking up information, butof creating and discovering new information in response to prob-lems. Describing research in these limited terms does not preparestudents to participate in actual research in their courses of studyand in their professional fields

So, what does it really mean to do research? Research is a three-stage process: (1) seeking information that is new to the researcher,(2) interpreting, evaluating, and organizing that information, and(3) reporting that information to others to affect some action.Richard Larson emphasizes that the nature of research is active.The researcher—whether student, academic, or professional—takes an active role in seeking.