Research.
Some revel in it and dive in with perhaps a little too much zeal; some flail and whine and procrastinate until they can't anymore, and continue to gripe during the process; and some whine and moan and complain and then find they actually like research...and go about the rest of their exploits with a jovial, can-do attitude and get stuff done.
Everybody approaches the task differently, with varying rates of success.
Me, I actually like research (I'm one of those fanatical revelers :D). In fact, I like research so much that I overdo it and spend time looking up fairly irrelevant facts about things like ecosystems and water currents when I should be writing.
I'm in recovery.
Back when I was a junior in college, I took a course that essentially revolved around gathering anthropological research—information about people groups and their cultures—and how to use that research in the context of ministry (I majored in Cross-Cultural Studies).
Initially I was excited about the project because it seemed easy enough and it was an opportunity to learn more about Japan because we got to choose our own people group—though it had to be a people group that hadn't been researched by other students in the last five years. I love Japan, so obviously I was going to choose a people group...in Japan. (Didn't see that coming, did you? ;-) My mindset: Research+Japan=Double Win.
I ended up choosing the Ryukyuan of Okinawa and used the term Okinawan...which turned into a funny story later because someone chose the same people group and it slipped the professor's notice because my fellow student referred to the people group as Ryukyuans! (:
Anyway, our assignment was to fill a box with research on our chosen group and organize the info via categorical hanging folders as per the OCM, or Outline of Cultural Materials.
The box itself was graded numerically, and I was an extremely busy student; time became the most important element of my efforts. Usefulness took a backseat to time spent because I had to have 15, 25, 30 (etc.) pieces of info in that box by the deadline(s) or risk failure...though that isn't to say I didn't think I was gathering at least somewhat useful information. I wouldn't realize how aimless my efforts truly were until I began to USE THE BOX.
I don't know how I missed it...but the point of gathering research for the box was to write a paper—several papers, actually, each 10 pages with the exception of the capstone paper, which was 30+. Which requires research. Preferably relevant research.
You see where I'm going with this?
When I finally did get to writing said papers, I had a ton of unanswered—and unhappily required—questions that my box couldn't help me with. I had to do even MORE research.
Commence table flipping and wailing about the cruelty of ignorance:
I'd say at least half of what I'd gathered was wasted effort. OUCH. Triple ouch, really. Still hurts sometimes...*sniffs*
If I'd known precisely what things I'd need to research to complete the papers, if I'd had some sort of rubric or guide, my research would have been targeted and, well, relevant. A good use of my time.
