what is importance of research in your daily life

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Importance Of Research In Daily Life

Whether we are students, professionals, or stay-at-home parents, we all need to do research on a daily basis.

The reason?

Research helps us make informed decisions.

It allows us to learn about new things, and it teaches us how to think critically.

There is an importance of research in daily life.

Let’s discuss the importance of research in our daily lives and how it can help us achieve our goals!

6 ways research plays an important role in our daily lives.

• It leads to new discoveries and innovations that improve our lives. Many of the technologies we rely on today are the result of research in fields like medicine, computer science, engineering, etc. Things like smartphones, wifi, GPS, and medical treatments were made possible by research.
• It informs policy making. Research provides data and evidence that allows policymakers to make more informed decisions on issues that impact society, whether it’s related to health, education, the economy, or other areas. Research gives insights into problems.
• It spreads knowledge and awareness. The research contributes new information and facts to various fields and disciplines. The sharing of research educates people on new topics, ideas, social issues, etc. It provides context for understanding the world.
• It drives progress and change. Research challenges existing notions, tests new theories and hypotheses, and pushes boundaries of what’s known. Pushing the frontiers of knowledge through research is key for advancement. Even when research invalidates ideas, it leads to progress.
• It develops critical thinking skills. The research process itself – asking questions, collecting data, analyzing results, drawing conclusions – builds logic, problem-solving, and cognitive skills that benefit individuals in their professional and personal lives.
• It fuels innovation and the economy. Research leads to the development of new products and services that create jobs and improve productivity in the marketplace. Private sector research drives economic growth.

So while not always visible, research underlies much of our technological, social, economic, and human progress. It’s a building block for society.

Conducting quality research and using it to maximum benefit is key.

Research is important in everyday life because it allows us to make informed decisions about the things that matter most to us.

Whether we’re researching a new car before making a purchase, studying for an important test, or looking into different treatment options for a health issue, research allows us to get the facts and make the best choices for ourselves and our families.

• In today’s world, there’s so much information available at our fingertips, and research is more accessible than ever.
• The internet has made it possible for anyone with an interest in doing research to access vast amounts of information in a short amount of time.

This is both a blessing and a curse; while it’s great that we have so much information available to us, it can be overwhelming to try to sort through everything and find the most reliable sources.

What is the importance of research in our daily life?

Research is essential to our daily lives.

• It helps us to make informed decisions about everything from the food we eat to the medicines we take.
• It also allows us to better understand the world around us and find solutions to problems.

In short, research is essential for our health, safety, and well-being. Without it, we would be living in a world of ignorance and misinformation.

What is the importance of research in our daily lives as a student?

As a student, research plays an important role in our daily life. It helps us to gain knowledge and understanding of the world around us.

• It also allows us to develop new skills and perspectives.
• In addition, research helps us to innovate and create new things. 
• Research is essential for students because it helps us to learn about the world around us. Without research, we would be limited to our own personal experiences and observations.
• Research allows us to go beyond our personal bubble and explore new ideas and concepts.
• It also gives us the opportunity to develop new skills and perspectives. 
• In addition, research is important because it helps us to innovate and create new things. When we conduct research , we are constantly learning new information that can be used to create something new.

This could be anything from a new product or service to a new way of doing things.

Research is essential for students because it allows us to be innovative and create new things that can make a difference in the world.

Consequently, while each person’s daily life routine might differ based on their unique circumstances, the role that research plays in our lives as students is an integral one nonetheless.

Different though our routines might be, the value of research in our lives shines through brightly regardless.  And that importance cannot be overstated .

How does research affect your daily life?

Every day, we benefit from the countless hours of research that have been conducted by scientists and scholars around the world.

• From the moment we wake up in the morning to the time we go to bed at night, we rely on research to improve our lives in a variety of ways.
• For instance, many of the items we use every day, such as our phones and laptops, are the result of years of research and development.
• And when we see a news story about a new medical breakthrough or a natural disaster, it is often the result of research that has been conducted over a long period of time.

In short, research affects our daily lives in countless ways, both big and small. Without it, we would be living in a very different world.

What are the purposes of research?

The word “research” is used in a variety of ways. In its broadest sense, research includes any gathering of data, information, and facts for the advancement of knowledge.

Whether you are looking for a new recipe or trying to find a cure for cancer, the process of research is the same.

You start with a question or an area of interest and then use different sources to find information that will help you answer that question or learn more about that topic.

“The purpose of research is to find answers to questions, solve problems, or develop new knowledge.”

It is an essential tool in business , education, science, and many other fields. By conducting research, we can learn about the world around us and make it a better place.

How to do effective research 

Research is a process of uncovering facts and information about a subject.

It is usually done when preparing for an assignment or project and can be either primary research, which involves collecting data yourself, or secondary research, which involves finding existing data.

Regardless of the type of research you do, there are some effective strategies that will help you get the most out of your efforts:

• First, start by clearly defining your topic and what you hope to learn. This will help you to focus your search and find relevant information more quickly.
• Once you know what you’re looking for, try using keyword searches to find websites, articles, and other resources that are relevant to your topic.
• When evaluating each source, be sure to consider its reliability and biases.
• Finally, take good notes as you read, and make sure to keep track of where each piece of information came from so that you can easily cite it later.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your research is both thorough and accurate.

How to use research to achieve your goals.

Achieving your goals requires careful planning and a lot of hard work.

But even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry.

That’s where research comes in.

By taking the time to do your homework, you can increase your chances of success while also learning more about your topic of interest.

When it comes to goal-setting, research can help you to identify realistic targets and develop a roadmap for achieving them.

It can also provide valuable insights into potential obstacles and how to overcome them.

In short, research is an essential tool for anyone who wants to achieve their goals.

So if you’re serious about reaching your target, be sure to do your homework first.

So the next time you are faced with a decision, don’t forget to do your research!

It could very well be the most important thing you do all day.

Jacks of Science sources the most authoritative, trustworthy, and highly recognized institutions for our article research. Learn more about our Editorial Teams process and diligence in verifying the accuracy of every article we publish.

Research and Its Importance for Daily Life Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Impact of research, qualities of effective research, role of beliefs and values.

Research plays an important role in science. This is normally done to obtain detailed knowledge about certain aspects before an invention. Scientific research involves the study of diseases and other parameters to invent medicine and vaccines. Therefore, without research, there will be no inventions and therefore a big blow to health. Essentially research fulfils purposes that are designed before the exercise. However, apart from that, research has other implications on reality and daily lives. As a result, the effects of research go beyond the purpose it is meant for. This paper aims to take an analytical look at the concept of research. The paper will begin with a detailed look at the concept of research. Thereafter, the several similarities between different aspects of research will be analyzed. The impact of research on our daily life will also be reviewed.

Research has a lot of impact on the daily functioning of life. First and foremost, research leads to a better life by producing results that can be used to make life better. Especially as far as scientific research is concerned, the invention of vaccines and medicines makes diseases to be less of a threat to society (Calderon & Slavin 2001). Therefore, through the process of research, various methods of handling life’s problems and making the world a better place to live in are facilitated. Secondly, the very process of research affects society in several ways. The impact of the process of research has two dimensions.

The first part is the negative part in which the process of research has certain consequences for society. Unethical practices harm society. Since research is done on people in society, the practices adopted by the researchers have a lot of impacts. Scientific research has left some people with serious illnesses and injuries sometimes; it is like experimenting with people’s life. However, the process of research also has positive effects on society (McGill 1981). This is mainly because of employment opportunities, awareness and education. Research offers vast opportunities to the members of society to learn and obtain understanding about certain issues. At the same time, the participants of the research are remunerated making them earn a living from the same.

Several factors denote effective and valid research. To conduct valid or effective research, therefore, several considerations must be in place. First is the aspect of ethics, for research to be valid it must be conducted ethically. This involves the practices adopted for the research (Cresswell 2003). If the research involves risks, this must be communicated to the participants in advance. At the same time plans must be in place to compensate all those that will be affected in the course of the research. The disbursing of information is necessary before the research. This is important to take care of deception which is rampant in research. In general, proper preparation and education of the participants is the key to successful research. Another crucial requirement is the availability of resources for research.

Several forms of research involve a different processes. As a result, not all forms of research involve vigour. For instance, scientific research on diseases is more demanding than research on recreational issues. This is due to the context of the studies and the parameters involved. For instance, scientific research involves several processes and procedures which tend to take more resources. Recreational issues, on the other hand, are less involved due to the nature of the subject. The research can therefore be conducted with much ease.

Beliefs and values have a lot of impact on the process of research. People’s beliefs, therefore, influence the outcome and process of research. This is due to the relevance that beliefs and values have on people’s perception and philosophy of life. For instance, certain topics are considered sacred and secret in certain societies (Bryant 2005). Their beliefs don’t allow them to discuss certain things. Therefore in the process of collecting information from such people, it becomes very difficult to deal with them. People’s values also play a huge role. Some people are flexible in certain areas than others. Therefore, when conducting research one must understand the values of all participants. This is because their values determine how they approach certain issues. Religion plays a great role in determining the beliefs and values of people.

Research is part and parcel of life, in fact without research life will not be as it is. To live better life research is necessary; this is because research leads to innovation and invention. As far as science is concerned research leads to the invention of vaccines and drugs. Other areas of research also lead to a better understanding of the concepts involved. However, it is not only the results of research that benefit society but also the process of research. Some several opportunities and benefits that come with the process of research. As a result, the role of research in society goes beyond its real purpose. For research to be effective and valid several factors must be considered. Chief among them is the aspect of ethics. Different forms of research involve different forms of approaches. As a result, certain forms of research are more demanding than others. The influence of values and beliefs is notable as far as research is concerned. The paper has discussed the concept of research in detail. The process and impact of research have also been discussed.

Bryant, M. (2005). Managing an Effective and Ethical Research Project . London: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Calderon, M. & Slavin, R. (2001). Effective programs for Latino students. New York: Routledge.

Cresswell, J. (2003). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches. New York: SAGE.

McGill, N. (1981). Effective research: a handbook for health planners. Washington: Institute for Health Planning.

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What Is the Importance of Research? 5 Reasons Why Research is Critical

by Logan Bessant | Nov 16, 2021 | Science

Most of us appreciate that research is a crucial part of medical advancement. But what exactly is the importance of research? In short, it is critical in the development of new medicines as well as ensuring that existing treatments are used to their full potential. 

Research can bridge knowledge gaps and change the way healthcare practitioners work by providing solutions to previously unknown questions.

In this post, we’ll discuss the importance of research and its impact on medical breakthroughs.  

The Importance Of Health Research

The purpose of studying is to gather information and evidence, inform actions, and contribute to the overall knowledge of a certain field. None of this is possible without research. 

Understanding how to conduct research and the importance of it may seem like a very simple idea to some, but in reality, it’s more than conducting a quick browser search and reading a few chapters in a textbook. 

No matter what career field you are in, there is always more to learn. Even for people who hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in their field of study, there is always some sort of unknown that can be researched. Delving into this unlocks the unknowns, letting you explore the world from different perspectives and fueling a deeper understanding of how the universe works.

To make things a little more specific, this concept can be clearly applied in any healthcare scenario. Health research has an incredibly high value to society as it provides important information about disease trends and risk factors, outcomes of treatments, patterns of care, and health care costs and use. All of these factors as well as many more are usually researched through a clinical trial. 

What Is The Importance Of Clinical Research?

Clinical trials are a type of research that provides information about a new test or treatment. They are usually carried out to find out what, or if, there are any effects of these procedures or drugs on the human body. 

All legitimate clinical trials are carefully designed, reviewed and completed, and need to be approved by professionals before they can begin. They also play a vital part in the advancement of medical research including:

• Providing new and good information on which types of drugs are more effective.  
• Bringing new treatments such as medicines, vaccines and devices into the field. 
• Testing the safety and efficacy of a new drug before it is brought to market and used in clinical practice.
• Giving the opportunity for more effective treatments to benefit millions of lives both now and in the future. 
• Enhancing health, lengthening life, and reducing the burdens of illness and disability. 

This all plays back to clinical research as it opens doors to advancing prevention, as well as providing treatments and cures for diseases and disabilities. Clinical trial volunteer participants are essential to this progress which further supports the need for the importance of research to be well-known amongst healthcare professionals, students and the general public. 

Five Reasons Why Research is Critical

Research is vital for almost everyone irrespective of their career field. From doctors to lawyers to students to scientists, research is the key to better work. 

• Increases quality of life

 Research is the backbone of any major scientific or medical breakthrough. None of the advanced treatments or life-saving discoveries used to treat patients today would be available if it wasn’t for the detailed and intricate work carried out by scientists, doctors and healthcare professionals over the past decade. 

This improves quality of life because it can help us find out important facts connected to the researched subject. For example, universities across the globe are now studying a wide variety of things from how technology can help breed healthier livestock, to how dance can provide long-term benefits to people living with Parkinson’s. 

For both of these studies, quality of life is improved. Farmers can use technology to breed healthier livestock which in turn provides them with a better turnover, and people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease can find a way to reduce their symptoms and ease their stress. 

Research is a catalyst for solving the world’s most pressing issues. Even though the complexity of these issues evolves over time, they always provide a glimmer of hope to improving lives and making processes simpler. 

• Builds up credibility 

People are willing to listen and trust someone with new information on one condition – it’s backed up. And that’s exactly where research comes in. Conducting studies on new and unfamiliar subjects, and achieving the desired or expected outcome, can help people accept the unknown.

However, this goes without saying that your research should be focused on the best sources. It is easy for people to poke holes in your findings if your studies have not been carried out correctly, or there is no reliable data to back them up. 

This way once you have done completed your research, you can speak with confidence about your findings within your field of study. 

• Drives progress forward 

It is with thanks to scientific research that many diseases once thought incurable, now have treatments. For example, before the 1930s, anyone who contracted a bacterial infection had a high probability of death. There simply was no treatment for even the mildest of infections as, at the time, it was thought that nothing could kill bacteria in the gut.

When antibiotics were discovered and researched in 1928, it was considered one of the biggest breakthroughs in the medical field. This goes to show how much research drives progress forward, and how it is also responsible for the evolution of technology . 

Today vaccines, diagnoses and treatments can all be simplified with the progression of medical research, making us question just what research can achieve in the future. 

• Engages curiosity 

The acts of searching for information and thinking critically serve as food for the brain, allowing our inherent creativity and logic to remain active. Aside from the fact that this curiosity plays such a huge part within research, it is also proven that exercising our minds can reduce anxiety and our chances of developing mental illnesses in the future. 

Without our natural thirst and our constant need to ask ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ many important theories would not have been put forward and life-changing discoveries would not have been made. The best part is that the research process itself rewards this curiosity. 

Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas which can take a proposed question and turn into a real-life concept. It also builds discerning and analytical skills which are always beneficial in many career fields – not just scientific ones. 

• Increases awareness 

The main goal of any research study is to increase awareness, whether it’s contemplating new concepts with peers from work or attracting the attention of the general public surrounding a certain issue. 

Around the globe, research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change, racial discrimination, and gender inequality. Without consistent and reliable studies to back up these issues, it would be hard to convenience people that there is a problem that needs to be solved in the first place. 

The problem is that social media has become a place where fake news spreads like a wildfire, and with so many incorrect facts out there it can be hard to know who to trust. Assessing the integrity of the news source and checking for similar news on legitimate media outlets can help prove right from wrong. 

This can pinpoint fake research articles and raises awareness of just how important fact-checking can be. 

The Importance Of Research To Students

It is not a hidden fact that research can be mentally draining, which is why most students avoid it like the plague. But the matter of fact is that no matter which career path you choose to go down, research will inevitably be a part of it. 

But why is research so important to students ? The truth is without research, any intellectual growth is pretty much impossible. It acts as a knowledge-building tool that can guide you up to the different levels of learning. Even if you are an expert in your field, there is always more to uncover, or if you are studying an entirely new topic, research can help you build a unique perspective about it.

For example, if you are looking into a topic for the first time, it might be confusing knowing where to begin. Most of the time you have an overwhelming amount of information to sort through whether that be reading through scientific journals online or getting through a pile of textbooks. Research helps to narrow down to the most important points you need so you are able to find what you need to succeed quickly and easily. 

It can also open up great doors in the working world. Employers, especially those in the scientific and medical fields, are always looking for skilled people to hire. Undertaking research and completing studies within your academic phase can show just how multi-skilled you are and give you the resources to tackle any tasks given to you in the workplace. 

The Importance Of Research Methodology

There are many different types of research that can be done, each one with its unique methodology and features that have been designed to use in specific settings. 

When showing your research to others, they will want to be guaranteed that your proposed inquiry needs asking, and that your methodology is equipt to answer your inquiry and will convey the results you’re looking for.

That’s why it’s so important to choose the right methodology for your study. Knowing what the different types of research are and what each of them focuses on can allow you to plan your project to better utilise the most appropriate methodologies and techniques available. Here are some of the most common types:

• Theoretical Research: This attempts to answer a question based on the unknown. This could include studying phenomena or ideas whose conclusions may not have any immediate real-world application. Commonly used in physics and astronomy applications.
• Applied Research: Mainly for development purposes, this seeks to solve a practical problem that draws on theory to generate practical scientific knowledge. Commonly used in STEM and medical fields. 
• Exploratory Research: Used to investigate a problem that is not clearly defined, this type of research can be used to establish cause-and-effect relationships. It can be applied in a wide range of fields from business to literature. 
• Correlational Research: This identifies the relationship between two or more variables to see if and how they interact with each other. Very commonly used in psychological and statistical applications. 

The Importance Of Qualitative Research

This type of research is most commonly used in scientific and social applications. It collects, compares and interprets information to specifically address the “how” and “why” research questions. 

Qualitative research allows you to ask questions that cannot be easily put into numbers to understand human experience because you’re not limited by survey instruments with a fixed set of possible responses.

Information can be gathered in numerous ways including interviews, focus groups and ethnographic research which is then all reported in the language of the informant instead of statistical analyses. 

This type of research is important because they do not usually require a hypothesis to be carried out. Instead, it is an open-ended research approach that can be adapted and changed while the study is ongoing. This enhances the quality of the data and insights generated and creates a much more unique set of data to analyse. 

The Process Of Scientific Research

No matter the type of research completed, it will be shared and read by others. Whether this is with colleagues at work, peers at university, or whilst it’s being reviewed and repeated during secondary analysis.

A reliable procedure is necessary in order to obtain the best information which is why it’s important to have a plan. Here are the six basic steps that apply in any research process. 

• Observation and asking questions: Seeing a phenomenon and asking yourself ‘How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where?’. It is best that these questions are measurable and answerable through experimentation. 
• Gathering information: Doing some background research to learn what is already known about the topic, and what you need to find out. 
• Forming a hypothesis: Constructing a tentative statement to study.
• Testing the hypothesis: Conducting an experiment to test the accuracy of your statement. This is a way to gather data about your predictions and should be easy to repeat. 
• Making conclusions: Analysing the data from the experiment(s) and drawing conclusions about whether they support or contradict your hypothesis. 
• Reporting: Presenting your findings in a clear way to communicate with others. This could include making a video, writing a report or giving a presentation to illustrate your findings. 

Although most scientists and researchers use this method, it may be tweaked between one study and another. Skipping or repeating steps is common within, however the core principles of the research process still apply.

By clearly explaining the steps and procedures used throughout the study, other researchers can then replicate the results. This is especially beneficial for peer reviews that try to replicate the results to ensure that the study is sound. 

What Is The Importance Of Research In Everyday Life?

Conducting a research study and comparing it to how important it is in everyday life are two very different things.

Carrying out research allows you to gain a deeper understanding of science and medicine by developing research questions and letting your curiosity blossom. You can experience what it is like to work in a lab and learn about the whole reasoning behind the scientific process. But how does that impact everyday life? 

Simply put, it allows us to disprove lies and support truths. This can help society to develop a confident attitude and not believe everything as easily, especially with the rise of fake news.

Research is the best and reliable way to understand and act on the complexities of various issues that we as humans are facing. From technology to healthcare to defence to climate change, carrying out studies is the only safe and reliable way to face our future.

Not only does research sharpen our brains, but also helps us to understand various issues of life in a much larger manner, always leaving us questioning everything and fuelling our need for answers. 

Logan Bessant is a dedicated science educator and the founder of Science Resource Online, launched in 2020. With a background in science education and a passion for accessible learning, Logan has built a platform that offers free, high-quality educational resources to learners of all ages and backgrounds.

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How does research impact your everyday life?

“Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.” – Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

What would the modern world look like without the bedrock of research?

First and foremost – without research, there’s no way you’d possibly be reading this right now, as the Internet was pioneered and developed (via a whole heap of exhaustive research…) by the European Organization for Nuclear Research , or CERN, the same association that produced the Large Hadron Collider.

Without research, we’d likely also be utterly defenceless to the brutal forces of nature. For example, without meteorology, we’d be unable to predict the path of violent storms, hurricanes and tornadoes, while a lack of volcanology research would leave a huge proportion of the world susceptible to the destruction of volcanic eruptions.

And it doesn’t end there.

Medical technology and discovery would be non-existent – no MRi , no anaesthetic, no birth control, no X-Ray machine, no insulin, no IVF, no penicillin, no germ theory, no DNA, and no smallpox vaccination – which, by the way would have wiped out one out of every nine babies had Jenner not researched and found a cure.

Source: University of Surrey

So not only is research an invaluable tool for building on crucial knowledge, it’s also the most reliable way we can begin to understand the complexities of various issues; to maintain our integrity as we disprove lies and uphold important truths; to serve as the seed for analysing convoluted sets of data; as well as to serve as ‘nourishment’, or exercise for the mind.

“…Aside from the pure pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, research is linked to problem solving,” John Armstrong, a respected global higher education and research professional, writes for The Conversation. “What this means is the solving of other people’s problems. That is, what other people experience as problems.

“It starts with a tenderness and ambition that is directed at the needs of others – as they recognise and acknowledge those needs,” he continues. “This is, in effect, entry into a market place. Much research, of course, is conducted in precisely this way beyond the walls of the academy.”

Ultimately, when we begin to look at research for what it truly is – a catalyst for solving complex issues – we begin to understand the impact it truly has on our everyday lives. The University of Surrey , set just a 10 minute walk from the centre of Guildford – ranked the 8 th best place to live in the UK in the Halifax Quality of Life Survey – is a prime example of a university producing high-impact research for the benefit of our global society.

Surrey’s experienced research team found that pollution levels inside cars were found to be up to 40 percent higher while sitting in queues, or at red lights, when compared to free-flowing traffic conditions. And with the World Health Organisation (WHO) placing outdoor air pollution among the top 10 health risks currently facing humans, linking to seven million premature deaths each year, Surrey took on the research challenge of finding an effective solution…

…And boy, did they get the results!

“Where possible and the weather conditional allowing, it is one of the best ways to limit your exposure by keeping windows shut, fans turned off and to try and increase the distance between you and the car in front while at traffic jams or stationary at traffic lights,” says Dr Prashant Kumar, Senior Author of the study. “If the fan or heater needs to be on, the best setting would be to have the air re-circulating within the car without drawing air from outdoors.”

Researchers actually found that closed windows or re-circulated air can reduce in-car pollutants by as much as 76 percent, highlighting how Surrey’s research outcomes could bring a wealth of invaluable global benefits.

As further testament to Surrey’s impactful research success, a study that uncovered high levels of Vitamin D inadequacy among UK adolescents has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , and has now been used to inform crucial national guidance from Public Health England.

“The research has found that adolescence, the time when bone growth is most important in laying down the foundations for later life, is a time when Vitamin D levels are inadequate,” says Dr Taryn Smith, Lead Author of the study. The study forms part of a four-year, EU-funded project, ODIN, which aims to investigate safe and effective ways of boosting Vitamin D intake through food fortification and bio-fortification.

“The ODIN project is investigating ways of improving Vitamin D intake through diet,” continues Dr Smith, “and since it is difficult to obtain Vitamin D intakes of over 10ug/day from food sources alone, it is looking at ways of fortifying our food to improve the Vitamin D levels of the UK population as a whole.”

But the impact of Surrey’s research is broad and all-encompassing, with on-going projects into things like radiotherapy, dementia, blue light and human attentiveness, disaster monitoring, sustainable development, digital storytelling, and beyond. And benefits of research produced at the University of Surrey is not meant for the UK population alone; these are the issues that face us as an increasingly international and interconnected society, making research produced by world-class institutions like Surrey the tools to pave the way to bigger, brighter and healthier global future.

Find out more about studying for a postgraduate degree at Surrey by registering for one of Surrey’s Webinars .

Follow Surrey on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , YouTube , Pinterest and LinkedIn

Feature image via Shutterstock

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2.1 Why Is Research Important?

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Explain how scientific research addresses questions about behavior
• Discuss how scientific research guides public policy
• Appreciate how scientific research can be important in making personal decisions

Scientific research is a critical tool for successfully navigating our complex world. Without it, we would be forced to rely solely on intuition, other people’s authority, and blind luck. While many of us feel confident in our abilities to decipher and interact with the world around us, history is filled with examples of how very wrong we can be when we fail to recognize the need for evidence in supporting claims. At various times in history, we would have been certain that the sun revolved around a flat earth, that the earth’s continents did not move, and that mental illness was caused by possession ( Figure 2.2 ). It is through systematic scientific research that we divest ourselves of our preconceived notions and superstitions and gain an objective understanding of ourselves and our world.

The goal of all scientists is to better understand the world around them. Psychologists focus their attention on understanding behavior, as well as the cognitive (mental) and physiological (body) processes that underlie behavior. In contrast to other methods that people use to understand the behavior of others, such as intuition and personal experience, the hallmark of scientific research is that there is evidence to support a claim. Scientific knowledge is empirical : It is grounded in objective, tangible evidence that can be observed time and time again, regardless of who is observing.

While behavior is observable, the mind is not. If someone is crying, we can see behavior. However, the reason for the behavior is more difficult to determine. Is the person crying due to being sad, in pain, or happy? Sometimes we can learn the reason for someone’s behavior by simply asking a question, like “Why are you crying?” However, there are situations in which an individual is either uncomfortable or unwilling to answer the question honestly, or is incapable of answering. For example, infants would not be able to explain why they are crying. In such circumstances, the psychologist must be creative in finding ways to better understand behavior. This chapter explores how scientific knowledge is generated, and how important that knowledge is in forming decisions in our personal lives and in the public domain.

Use of Research Information

Trying to determine which theories are and are not accepted by the scientific community can be difficult, especially in an area of research as broad as psychology. More than ever before, we have an incredible amount of information at our fingertips, and a simple internet search on any given research topic might result in a number of contradictory studies. In these cases, we are witnessing the scientific community going through the process of reaching a consensus, and it could be quite some time before a consensus emerges. For example, the explosion in our use of technology has led researchers to question whether this ultimately helps or hinders us. The use and implementation of technology in educational settings has become widespread over the last few decades. Researchers are coming to different conclusions regarding the use of technology. To illustrate this point, a study investigating a smartphone app targeting surgery residents (graduate students in surgery training) found that the use of this app can increase student engagement and raise test scores (Shaw & Tan, 2015). Conversely, another study found that the use of technology in undergraduate student populations had negative impacts on sleep, communication, and time management skills (Massimini & Peterson, 2009). Until sufficient amounts of research have been conducted, there will be no clear consensus on the effects that technology has on a student's acquisition of knowledge, study skills, and mental health.

In the meantime, we should strive to think critically about the information we encounter by exercising a degree of healthy skepticism. When someone makes a claim, we should examine the claim from a number of different perspectives: what is the expertise of the person making the claim, what might they gain if the claim is valid, does the claim seem justified given the evidence, and what do other researchers think of the claim? This is especially important when we consider how much information in advertising campaigns and on the internet claims to be based on “scientific evidence” when in actuality it is a belief or perspective of just a few individuals trying to sell a product or draw attention to their perspectives.

We should be informed consumers of the information made available to us because decisions based on this information have significant consequences. One such consequence can be seen in politics and public policy. Imagine that you have been elected as the governor of your state. One of your responsibilities is to manage the state budget and determine how to best spend your constituents’ tax dollars. As the new governor, you need to decide whether to continue funding early intervention programs. These programs are designed to help children who come from low-income backgrounds, have special needs, or face other disadvantages. These programs may involve providing a wide variety of services to maximize the children's development and position them for optimal levels of success in school and later in life (Blann, 2005). While such programs sound appealing, you would want to be sure that they also proved effective before investing additional money in these programs. Fortunately, psychologists and other scientists have conducted vast amounts of research on such programs and, in general, the programs are found to be effective (Neil & Christensen, 2009; Peters-Scheffer, Didden, Korzilius, & Sturmey, 2011). While not all programs are equally effective, and the short-term effects of many such programs are more pronounced, there is reason to believe that many of these programs produce long-term benefits for participants (Barnett, 2011). If you are committed to being a good steward of taxpayer money, you would want to look at research. Which programs are most effective? What characteristics of these programs make them effective? Which programs promote the best outcomes? After examining the research, you would be best equipped to make decisions about which programs to fund.

Link to Learning

Watch this video about early childhood program effectiveness to learn how scientists evaluate effectiveness and how best to invest money into programs that are most effective.

Ultimately, it is not just politicians who can benefit from using research in guiding their decisions. We all might look to research from time to time when making decisions in our lives. Imagine that your sister, Maria, expresses concern about her two-year-old child, Umberto. Umberto does not speak as much or as clearly as the other children in his daycare or others in the family. Umberto's pediatrician undertakes some screening and recommends an evaluation by a speech pathologist, but does not refer Maria to any other specialists. Maria is concerned that Umberto's speech delays are signs of a developmental disorder, but Umberto's pediatrician does not; she sees indications of differences in Umberto's jaw and facial muscles. Hearing this, you do some internet searches, but you are overwhelmed by the breadth of information and the wide array of sources. You see blog posts, top-ten lists, advertisements from healthcare providers, and recommendations from several advocacy organizations. Why are there so many sites? Which are based in research, and which are not?

In the end, research is what makes the difference between facts and opinions. Facts are observable realities, and opinions are personal judgments, conclusions, or attitudes that may or may not be accurate. In the scientific community, facts can be established only using evidence collected through empirical research.

NOTABLE RESEARCHERS

Psychological research has a long history involving important figures from diverse backgrounds. While the introductory chapter discussed several researchers who made significant contributions to the discipline, there are many more individuals who deserve attention in considering how psychology has advanced as a science through their work ( Figure 2.3 ). For instance, Margaret Floy Washburn (1871–1939) was the first woman to earn a PhD in psychology. Her research focused on animal behavior and cognition (Margaret Floy Washburn, PhD, n.d.). Mary Whiton Calkins (1863–1930) was a preeminent first-generation American psychologist who opposed the behaviorist movement, conducted significant research into memory, and established one of the earliest experimental psychology labs in the United States (Mary Whiton Calkins, n.d.).

Francis Sumner (1895–1954) was the first African American to receive a PhD in psychology in 1920. His dissertation focused on issues related to psychoanalysis. Sumner also had research interests in racial bias and educational justice. Sumner was one of the founders of Howard University’s department of psychology, and because of his accomplishments, he is sometimes referred to as the “Father of Black Psychology.” Thirteen years later, Inez Beverly Prosser (1895–1934) became the first African American woman to receive a PhD in psychology. Prosser’s research highlighted issues related to education in segregated versus integrated schools, and ultimately, her work was very influential in the hallmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional (Ethnicity and Health in America Series: Featured Psychologists, n.d.).

Although the establishment of psychology’s scientific roots occurred first in Europe and the United States, it did not take much time until researchers from around the world began to establish their own laboratories and research programs. For example, some of the first experimental psychology laboratories in South America were founded by Horatio Piñero (1869–1919) at two institutions in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Godoy & Brussino, 2010). In India, Gunamudian David Boaz (1908–1965) and Narendra Nath Sen Gupta (1889–1944) established the first independent departments of psychology at the University of Madras and the University of Calcutta, respectively. These developments provided an opportunity for Indian researchers to make important contributions to the field (Gunamudian David Boaz, n.d.; Narendra Nath Sen Gupta, n.d.).

When the American Psychological Association (APA) was first founded in 1892, all of the members were White males (Women and Minorities in Psychology, n.d.). However, by 1905, Mary Whiton Calkins was elected as the first female president of the APA, and by 1946, nearly one-quarter of American psychologists were female. Psychology became a popular degree option for students enrolled in the nation’s historically Black higher education institutions, increasing the number of Black Americans who went on to become psychologists. Given demographic shifts occurring in the United States and increased access to higher educational opportunities among historically underrepresented populations, there is reason to hope that the diversity of the field will increasingly match the larger population, and that the research contributions made by the psychologists of the future will better serve people of all backgrounds (Women and Minorities in Psychology, n.d.).

The Process of Scientific Research

Scientific knowledge is advanced through a process known as the scientific method . Basically, ideas (in the form of theories and hypotheses) are tested against the real world (in the form of empirical observations), and those empirical observations lead to more ideas that are tested against the real world, and so on. In this sense, the scientific process is circular. The types of reasoning within the circle are called deductive and inductive. In deductive reasoning , ideas are tested in the real world; in inductive reasoning , real-world observations lead to new ideas ( Figure 2.4 ). These processes are inseparable, like inhaling and exhaling, but different research approaches place different emphasis on the deductive and inductive aspects.

In the scientific context, deductive reasoning begins with a generalization—one hypothesis—that is then used to reach logical conclusions about the real world. If the hypothesis is correct, then the logical conclusions reached through deductive reasoning should also be correct. A deductive reasoning argument might go something like this: All living things require energy to survive (this would be your hypothesis). Ducks are living things. Therefore, ducks require energy to survive (logical conclusion). In this example, the hypothesis is correct; therefore, the conclusion is correct as well. Sometimes, however, an incorrect hypothesis may lead to a logical but incorrect conclusion. Consider this argument: all ducks are born with the ability to see. Quackers is a duck. Therefore, Quackers was born with the ability to see. Scientists use deductive reasoning to empirically test their hypotheses. Returning to the example of the ducks, researchers might design a study to test the hypothesis that if all living things require energy to survive, then ducks will be found to require energy to survive.

Deductive reasoning starts with a generalization that is tested against real-world observations; however, inductive reasoning moves in the opposite direction. Inductive reasoning uses empirical observations to construct broad generalizations. Unlike deductive reasoning, conclusions drawn from inductive reasoning may or may not be correct, regardless of the observations on which they are based. For instance, you may notice that your favorite fruits—apples, bananas, and oranges—all grow on trees; therefore, you assume that all fruit must grow on trees. This would be an example of inductive reasoning, and, clearly, the existence of strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi demonstrate that this generalization is not correct despite it being based on a number of direct observations. Scientists use inductive reasoning to formulate theories, which in turn generate hypotheses that are tested with deductive reasoning. In the end, science involves both deductive and inductive processes.

For example, case studies, which you will read about in the next section, are heavily weighted on the side of empirical observations. Thus, case studies are closely associated with inductive processes as researchers gather massive amounts of observations and seek interesting patterns (new ideas) in the data. Experimental research, on the other hand, puts great emphasis on deductive reasoning.

We’ve stated that theories and hypotheses are ideas, but what sort of ideas are they, exactly? A theory is a well-developed set of ideas that propose an explanation for observed phenomena. Theories are repeatedly checked against the world, but they tend to be too complex to be tested all at once; instead, researchers create hypotheses to test specific aspects of a theory.

A hypothesis is a testable prediction about how the world will behave if our idea is correct, and it is often worded as an if-then statement (e.g., if I study all night, I will get a passing grade on the test). The hypothesis is extremely important because it bridges the gap between the realm of ideas and the real world. As specific hypotheses are tested, theories are modified and refined to reflect and incorporate the result of these tests Figure 2.5 .

To see how this process works, let’s consider a specific theory and a hypothesis that might be generated from that theory. As you’ll learn in a later chapter, the James-Lange theory of emotion asserts that emotional experience relies on the physiological arousal associated with the emotional state. If you walked out of your home and discovered a very aggressive snake waiting on your doorstep, your heart would begin to race and your stomach churn. According to the James-Lange theory, these physiological changes would result in your feeling of fear. A hypothesis that could be derived from this theory might be that a person who is unaware of the physiological arousal that the sight of the snake elicits will not feel fear.

A scientific hypothesis is also falsifiable , or capable of being shown to be incorrect. Recall from the introductory chapter that Sigmund Freud had lots of interesting ideas to explain various human behaviors ( Figure 2.6 ). However, a major criticism of Freud’s theories is that many of his ideas are not falsifiable; for example, it is impossible to imagine empirical observations that would disprove the existence of the id, the ego, and the superego—the three elements of personality described in Freud’s theories. Despite this, Freud’s theories are widely taught in introductory psychology texts because of their historical significance for personality psychology and psychotherapy, and these remain the root of all modern forms of therapy.

In contrast, the James-Lange theory does generate falsifiable hypotheses, such as the one described above. Some individuals who suffer significant injuries to their spinal columns are unable to feel the bodily changes that often accompany emotional experiences. Therefore, we could test the hypothesis by determining how emotional experiences differ between individuals who have the ability to detect these changes in their physiological arousal and those who do not. In fact, this research has been conducted and while the emotional experiences of people deprived of an awareness of their physiological arousal may be less intense, they still experience emotion (Chwalisz, Diener, & Gallagher, 1988).

Scientific research’s dependence on falsifiability allows for great confidence in the information that it produces. Typically, by the time information is accepted by the scientific community, it has been tested repeatedly.

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Science In Everyday Life: 50 Examples Showing How Science Impacts Our Daily Activities

Science plays a vital role in our daily lives, even if we don’t always realize it. From the alarm that wakes us up to the phones we scroll through before bed, advancements in science, technology, engineering, and math touch every aspect of our routines.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer on examples of science in daily life: Science gives us technology like smartphones, WiFi, microwaves, and virtual assistants . It brings us medical treatments, weather forecasts, and green energy solutions.

Fields like chemistry, biology, and physics explain the world around us and advancements that enhance how we live.

This comprehensive guide provides over 50 examples demonstrating the many amazing ways science impacts our lives. We’ll cover common technologies, healthcare innovations, environmental applications, and insights science provides into the world around us.

Read on to gain appreciation for just how integral STEM is to our modern lives.

Technology Innovations from Science

Smartphones and wifi.

Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, and we can thank science for their existence. These devices combine various technologies, such as wireless communication, touchscreen displays, and powerful processors, all made possible through scientific advancements.

With the advent of WiFi technology, we can now connect our smartphones to the internet seamlessly, allowing us to access information, communicate with others, and stay connected wherever we go. According to a report by Statista, there are over 3.8 billion smartphone users worldwide, highlighting the widespread impact of this technology.

Virtual Assistants and AI

Virtual assistants, like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, have become an integral part of our daily lives. These AI-powered technologies are the result of extensive research and development in the field of artificial intelligence.

They can perform a wide range of tasks, from answering questions and setting reminders to controlling smart home devices. Virtual assistants have revolutionized the way we interact with technology and have made our lives more convenient.

According to a study by Pew Research Center, around 46% of Americans use voice assistants, showcasing the widespread adoption of this technology.

Streaming Entertainment

Gone are the days when we had to wait for our favorite TV shows or movies to air on traditional television networks. Thanks to scientific advancements, we now have streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video that allow us to enjoy a vast library of entertainment content on demand.

Streaming services rely on technologies like high-speed internet connections and video compression algorithms, which have made it possible to deliver high-quality content to our devices. According to a report by Conviva, global streaming hours increased by 57% in 2020, highlighting the growing popularity of streaming entertainment.

Kitchen Appliances

Science has also revolutionized our kitchens with innovative appliances that make cooking and food preparation easier and more efficient. From microwave ovens and induction cooktops to smart refrigerators and programmable coffee makers, these appliances utilize scientific principles to enhance our culinary experiences.

For example, microwave ovens use electromagnetic waves to heat food quickly, while induction cooktops use magnetic fields to generate heat directly in the cookware. These advancements have saved us time and energy in the kitchen, allowing us to focus on creating delicious meals.

Healthcare and Medicine

Medical treatments and drugs.

Science plays a crucial role in the development of medical treatments and drugs. Through extensive research and experimentation, scientists are able to discover new medications and therapies that help treat diseases and improve the quality of life for patients.

From antibiotics to cancer-fighting drugs, science has revolutionized the field of medicine. For instance, in recent years, breakthroughs in immunotherapy have provided hope for patients with previously untreatable cancers, offering them a chance at a longer and healthier life.

Medical Imaging and Scans

The advancement of medical imaging technology has greatly contributed to the field of healthcare. X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds are all examples of medical imaging techniques that allow doctors to visualize the internal structures of the body without invasive procedures.

These imaging tools aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of various conditions, such as broken bones, tumors, and organ abnormalities. With the help of these technologies, doctors can make more accurate and timely diagnoses, leading to better treatment outcomes for patients.

Prosthetics and Implants

Science has also revolutionized the field of prosthetics and implants, providing individuals with enhanced mobility and improved quality of life. With advancements in materials science and robotics, prosthetic limbs have become increasingly sophisticated, allowing amputees to regain functionality and perform daily activities with greater ease.

Additionally, advancements in medical implants, such as pacemakers and artificial joints, have significantly improved the lives of individuals with chronic conditions, enabling them to live longer and more fulfilling lives.

Genetic Testing

Genetic testing is another area where science has had a significant impact on healthcare. With advancements in DNA sequencing technology, scientists are now able to analyze an individual’s genetic makeup and identify potential genetic disorders or predispositions to certain diseases.

This information can be used for early detection and prevention, allowing individuals to make informed decisions about their health. Genetic testing has also paved the way for personalized medicine, where treatments can be tailored to an individual’s specific genetic profile, leading to more effective and targeted therapies.

Energy and Environment

Renewable energy.

Renewable energy plays a crucial role in reducing our carbon footprint and preserving the environment. Solar power, for example, harnesses the energy from the sun and converts it into electricity, providing a sustainable and clean alternative to traditional fossil fuels.

Wind power is another example, where the kinetic energy of the wind is converted into electricity through wind turbines. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy accounted for 26% of global electricity generation in 2018, and this number is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.

Harnessing the power of renewable energy sources not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also leads to economic growth and job creation in the renewable energy sector.

Water Filtration and Conservation

Science has greatly contributed to improving water filtration systems and promoting water conservation. Advanced technologies such as reverse osmosis and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection are used to remove impurities and pathogens from water, making it safe for consumption.

These filtration systems are essential in areas where access to clean drinking water is limited. Additionally, scientific research has led to the development of water-saving devices and techniques, such as low-flow showerheads and rainwater harvesting systems.

These innovations help conserve water resources and reduce water wastage, ultimately benefiting both the environment and our daily lives.

Weather Forecasting

Weather forecasting relies heavily on scientific advancements to accurately predict and analyze weather patterns. Meteorologists use a variety of tools and technologies, including satellites, radar systems, and computer models, to collect data and make predictions about future weather conditions.

By understanding atmospheric phenomena and analyzing historical data, scientists can provide crucial information regarding upcoming storms, hurricanes, and other weather events. Accurate weather forecasts not only help us plan our daily activities but also play a vital role in disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts, potentially saving lives and minimizing damage.

Recycling and Waste Management

In today’s world, proper waste management and recycling have become essential for the health of our environment. Science has played a significant role in developing efficient recycling processes and waste management systems.

Recycling helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and conserves valuable resources. Through various scientific methods, materials such as paper, plastic, glass, and metal can be recycled and used for the production of new products.

Furthermore, advancements in waste management technologies, such as waste-to-energy systems, enable the conversion of waste materials into renewable energy sources. These innovations not only reduce the environmental impact of waste but also contribute to a more sustainable and circular economy.

Science continues to drive innovations and advancements in the energy and environmental sectors. By embracing renewable energy, implementing efficient water filtration and conservation methods, improving weather forecasting accuracy, and promoting recycling and waste management, we can create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.

Transportation Innovations

Aircraft technology.

Aircraft technology has come a long way since the Wright brothers’ first flight. Today, we have advanced and sophisticated airplanes that allow us to travel to any corner of the world in a matter of hours.

From the use of composite materials to improve fuel efficiency, to the development of quieter engines and advanced navigation systems, science has played a crucial role in revolutionizing air travel. The aerodynamic design of modern airplanes allows them to achieve incredible speeds while maintaining stability and safety.

This not only makes air travel more convenient for passengers but also reduces the environmental impact of aviation.

Automotive Engineering

The field of automotive engineering has witnessed tremendous advancements, making our cars safer, more efficient, and more comfortable. Science has enabled the development of innovative safety features such as airbags, ABS brakes, and collision avoidance systems, which have significantly reduced the number of accidents and saved countless lives.

The use of lightweight materials and aerodynamic designs has made cars more fuel-efficient, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the integration of GPS technology and smart infotainment systems has made navigation and entertainment more convenient for drivers and passengers alike.

Traffic Optimization Systems

With the increasing number of vehicles on the road, traffic congestion has become a major issue in many cities around the world. Science has played a vital role in developing traffic optimization systems that help manage and reduce congestion.

These systems use advanced algorithms and real-time data to analyze traffic patterns and suggest the most efficient routes for drivers. By optimizing traffic flow, these systems not only save time for commuters but also reduce fuel consumption and air pollution.

Examples of such systems include smart traffic lights, intelligent transportation systems, and traffic management apps.

Supply Chain Logistics

Supply chain logistics involves the management and coordination of the flow of goods and services from the point of origin to the point of consumption. Science has revolutionized this field by introducing innovative technologies and processes that improve efficiency and reduce costs.

For example, the use of barcode scanning, RFID tags, and GPS tracking has made inventory management more accurate and streamlined. Advanced analytics and predictive modeling help optimize routing and scheduling, ensuring timely delivery while minimizing transportation costs.

These innovations have transformed the way goods are transported, making supply chains more efficient and responsive to customer demands.

Insights into Our World

Science plays a fundamental role in our daily lives, often in ways we may not even realize. From the stars in the sky to the products we use, science provides us with valuable insights and understanding. Let’s explore some examples of how science impacts our everyday activities.

Astronomy and Space Science

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and marveled at the stars? Astronomy, the study of celestial objects and phenomena, helps us understand the vastness of the universe. Through telescopes and satellites, scientists have made groundbreaking discoveries about galaxies, planets, and even the origins of the universe itself.

Websites like NASA offer a wealth of information and breathtaking images that bring the wonders of space closer to us.

Physics Principles at Work

Physics is the study of matter and energy, and its principles can be found in many aspects of our daily lives. For example, the laws of motion explain why objects fall to the ground, why vehicles move, and why we can ride a bicycle.

Understanding these principles allows us to design safer cars, build sturdy bridges, and even enjoy thrilling roller coaster rides. Physics is not just for scientists in labs; it’s all around us!

Earth Sciences – Climate, Seismology

Earth sciences, such as climatology and seismology, provide us with valuable knowledge about our planet. Climate science helps us understand the changes happening in our environment and the impact of human activities on the Earth’s climate.

Seismology, the study of earthquakes, allows us to monitor and predict seismic activity, helping to save lives and minimize damage. Websites like climate.gov and USGS offer comprehensive information on these topics.

Chemistry in Everyday Products

Chemistry is present in countless products we use every day, from cleaning supplies to personal care items. For instance, the chemical reactions that occur in batteries power our smartphones and other electronic devices.

Additionally, the development of new materials and pharmaceuticals relies heavily on chemical research. Understanding the principles of chemistry allows us to create safer and more efficient products. Websites like American Chemical Society provide valuable resources on the role of chemistry in our daily lives.

Science is an integral part of our lives, providing us with knowledge and improving our understanding of the world around us. Whether it’s exploring the mysteries of space, harnessing the power of physics, studying our planet’s climate, or utilizing chemistry in everyday products, science impacts our daily activities in profound ways.

As this extensive list of examples shows, science fundamentally shapes our daily lives in modern society. Cutting-edge innovations that enhance how we live, work, communicate, travel, stay healthy, and understand the world all stem from scientific discovery.

Fields like physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and engineering create astounding technologies, life-saving medications, and solutions for sustainability. They also unlock deeper insights into our own bodies, the environment, and the universe around us.

So whether you’re video chatting on your phone, cooking dinner, driving your car, or just breathing – you have science to thank! Our modern world simply would not function without the dedicated work of scientists pushing boundaries every day.

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8 Reasons Why Research is Important and Steps to Conduct Research

Research is a vital component of today’s society and significantly impacts our lives. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of research since it gives us important knowledge and insights into various facets of life. 

Research greatly influences our daily lives, from understanding diseases and discovering treatments to creating new technologies and inventions. However, this article will discuss eight factors that make research important and how it affects society. 

So, why is research important? Let’s get into the article to discover the answer to your question.

Table of Contents

Importance of Research

There are several reasons why research is important. In every aspect of our lives, research plays a vital role. These aspects may include:

• Making informed decisions, 
• Advancing technology and innovation, 
• Resolving real-world issues, 
• Enhancing education and learning, 
• Promoting economic growth, and 
• Ensuring that facts support laws and policies. 

Moreover, researchers can find new knowledge that advances our understanding of a particular topic by performing in-depth examinations and experiments. We may use this information to address problems in the real world and apply it to various sectors, including social sciences and medicine. 

We can make wiser decisions regarding our health, finances, and other matters because of the accurate and dependable knowledge we receive through research.

Why Research Matters: Uncovering the Top 8 Reasons

This section will cover the top reasons for the importance of research. Let’s get in to explore!

1. Acquire Knowledge Effectively

Research is a good method of learning about a certain subject. Researchers conduct lengthy studies and experiments to get insightful findings and collect and analyze data. By providing us deeper understanding and knowledge about the topic, this process helps us make better judgments. 

Whether you are a professional, a student, or just someone interested, research is a great way to learn new things and expand your knowledge.

2. Helps in Problem-Solving

Real-world problem-solving heavily relies on research. Researchers perform studies and experiments to determine the underlying causes of a certain problem and create methods to solve it. 

For example, social science research has assisted in addressing challenges like poverty, injustice, and prejudice, while medical research has contributed to discovering vaccinations and life-saving therapies. 

Research aids us in addressing some of the most difficult issues our society is now experiencing by offering answers supported by evidence.

3. Provides the Latest Information

Research gives us the most recent and accurate information about a given subject. Researchers revise their studies to account for changes when new revelations and data are discovered. 

This guarantees that we consistently use the most up-to-date and trustworthy information, enabling us to make better and more informed decisions. In order to succeed, you need to have access to the most recent knowledge, regardless of your line of work, whether it is business, school, or anything else.

4. Builds Credibility

Building credibility in your profession via research is beneficial. You show your knowledge and competence on a subject when you undertake research and publish your results. 

This might offer new professional growth and development prospects by establishing you as an authority in your sector. Furthermore, you demonstrate your dedication to accuracy and dependability by relying on evidence-based information, further boosting your credibility .

5. Helps in Business Success 

Businesses must conduct research if they want to succeed. Companies may find new possibilities, comprehend customer preferences, and create development plans by performing market research . 

Research also aids in spotting emerging trends and technology that might provide companies with a competitive edge. Research enables businesses to remain ahead of the curve and achieve long-term success by investing.

6. Discover and Seize Opportunities

Want to get benefits from new opportunities? Say yes to research. 

Finding and taking advantage of new opportunities is made easier by research. Research may assist you in spotting new trends and potential development areas, whether you are an entrepreneur, a student, or a professional. 

Keeping up with the most recent research will enable you to spot fresh chances for professional and personal growth, which will help you realize your objectives.

7. Introduces You to New Ideas

Another reason for the importance of research is it introduces you to various new ideas. You learn new concepts and methods of thinking through research. 

You can discover multiple theories, thoughts, and problem-solving methods by reading research papers and publications. This can deepen your comprehension of a topic and present fresh professional and personal development opportunities.

Let’s say you are an Instagram influencer and want new content ideas. By thoroughly researching new trends and problems people face nowadays, you will get multiple ideas for your content. 

8. Helps You to Reach People

Research makes reaching people and understanding their thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors possible. Researchers can gather data and use it to analyze it to acquire insights into the beliefs and attitudes of various groups of people by researching a certain issue. 

This information helps in understanding how and why individuals make decisions. Additionally, research can be used to identify consumer needs and preferences, allowing businesses to create targeted marketing campaigns.

Overall, research is a wonderful tool for interacting with people since it allows us to understand them better and make decisions based on their thoughts and feedback.

How to Improve Your Research Skills

As research is vital in every field, it is also an important task to improve your research skills. In this section, we will discover all the tips and tricks for mastering and making the most out of your research skills . 

1. Start with a Big Picture and Make Work Your Way Down

A clear idea of the larger picture is one of the most critical parts of conducting research. This entails having a wide awareness of the issue under consideration and the context in which it exists. 

Beginning with the large picture and working your way down might assist you in identifying the essential concepts and ideas most important to your research issue. Consider the situation where you are researching the impact of social media on mental health. In such a scenario, you may begin by studying the origins and development of social media, as well as its various uses and negative effects. 

You may then focus on certain platforms and their impact on mental health. However, you can find the most relevant sources of information and ensure your research is thorough and well-informed by having a clear awareness of the broader picture.

2. Identify Reliable Sources

Finding trustworthy sources of information is the next step after having a firm grasp of the larger picture. Peer-reviewed publications published by respected publishers and founded on reliable research methodologies are considered reliable. 

There are several methods for locating reliable sources of information. One of the most effective approaches is utilizing academic databases like JSTOR, Google Scholar, and PubMed.

These databases enable you to look for publications that have undergone peer review and have been issued by respectable publishers. To find trustworthy information sources, you may also speak with subject-respective experts, librarians, and other experts in your industry.

3. Validate Information from Multiple Sources

The next step is to validate the data you acquired from multiple sources after identifying your information sources. To make sure the data you’ve obtained from various sources is reliable and consistent, you should compare and contrast it.

Searching for confirming evidence from several sources is one technique to verify the information. Similar findings from several sources increase the likelihood that the data is accurate. 

To confirm that the writers of the sources you are utilizing are competent to write on the subject, you may also verify their qualifications and experience.

4. Take in New Information

Constantly absorbing fresh information is another important component of strengthening your research abilities. This entails staying up-to-date with the most recent findings and advancements inside and outside your profession. 

Reading blogs, signing up for academic journals and newsletters, attending conferences, and taking seminars are all fantastic methods to keep up with the most recent developments and trends in your profession.

5. Stay Organized  

Keeping organized is one of the most important aspects of conducting research. This entails recording the sources you have used, making notes, and putting your thoughts and ideas in a simple structure to find and comprehend.

By making it simple to save and manage sources, create citations and bibliographies, and make notes on the sources you have used, using a citation manager like Mendeley, EndNote, or Zotero may help you keep organized. 

You can also organize your thoughts and ideas to access and comprehend them by generating an outline or mind map. This helps you in staying on course and ensuring that your research is thorough and organized.

Steps to Conduct Research for Beginners

For new researchers, doing research may be a difficult task. However, it can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience with the right approach and mindset. 

Here are some steps that new researchers can take to conduct effective research:

1. Define Your Research Question

Defining your research question is the initial stage in every research project. It must be precise, understandable, and comprehensible. You may stay focused and be guided through the research process using a solid research question.

2. Conduct a Literature Review

It’s very important to perform a literature review before beginning your research. To do this, you must locate and read the relevant literature on the subject of your study. It can support your study and help you find gaps in existing knowledge and possible research avenues.

3. Choose Your Research Methodology

There are various research methodologies you can use in your research. These may include: 

• Interviews, 
• Experiments, and 
• Case studies. 

Selecting the technique that best suits your research topic is important to guarantee that you gather the data you need to answer your research question.

4. Collect and Analyze Data

Data collection may begin once your research topic has been established, a literature review has been completed, and your methodology has been decided upon. This includes gathering and recording data from various sources, including surveys, interviews, and experiments.

After gathering data, you must analyze it to conclude your research topic. Depending on the data you have gathered, you may need to employ statistical analysis, coding, or other procedures.

5. Interpret Your Results

Following data analysis, it’s critical to interpret your findings. This entails interpreting the information and coming to conclusions that address your research issue. When interpreting your results, it’s crucial to be unbiased and objective.

6. Communicate Your Findings

Sharing your results is the last stage. This entails succinctly and clearly articulating your study topic, technique, data gathering, analysis, and interpretation. To display your findings, you can utilize a variety of forms, including reports, presentations, and articles.

Although it requires patience, focus, and critical thinking, conducting research can be rewarding and interesting.

Why is Marketing Research Important?

Any company that wants to succeed in today’s competitive business environment must invest in marketing research. It entails compiling and evaluating data on customers, rivals, and the market at large. 

This information is utilized to create efficient marketing plans, enhance goods and services, and make wise business decisions.

1. Better Business-Client Understanding  

The ability to better understand clients is one of the main benefits of marketing research for firms. Businesses can discover patterns and trends that might guide their marketing strategy by gathering data on customer behavior, preferences, and attitudes. 

For instance, if a company discovers that a substantial portion of its clients favors eco-friendly items, it may utilize this knowledge to create and promote goods that satisfy this need.

2. It Helps in Staying Competitive

By monitoring the tactics and products of rival companies, marketing research also helps organizations stay competitive. Businesses can find ways to set themselves apart and obtain a competitive edge by examining the strengths and shortcomings of their rivals.

3. It Helps in Identifying Potential Risks

Additionally, marketing research can assist companies in identifying and reducing potential risks. Businesses may foresee prospective market shifts and modify their plans appropriately by gathering data on market trends and customer behavior. 

This can help them avoid expensive errors and adjust rapidly to evolving situations.

In conclusion, research is important in many facets of life, whether for personal or professional reasons. It is impossible to neglect the importance of research since it gives us the knowledge and information we need to solve issues, innovate, and make wise decisions. 

By strengthening our research abilities, we can efficiently acquire and analyze data, maintain organization, and utilize priceless resources like libraries and specialists. 

Moreover, research is useful in marketing because it helps companies understand their customers, assess the success of their marketing campaigns, and spot possible dangers. Research is an effective instrument that we may use to further our objectives and improve the world.

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Measuring everyday life: Talking about research and why it matters

Edited by Brian G. Southwell , Karen Keaton Jackson, Bridget Pittman-Blackwell.

February 02, 2022 Open Access Peer Reviewed

DOI: 10.3768/rtipress.2022.bk.0025.2201

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• Curated from interviews featured on the public radio show, The Measure of Everyday Life, this collection reveals ways that we can ask useful questions.
• The book also offers insights from behind the scenes of social science research, communication campaigns and interventions, and community engagement projects.
• A wide range of audiences—including anyone interested in applying academic research to practical projects, new graduate students, and undergraduate students learning about research—should find useful material in the collection.

“Asking questions, good questions asked the right way, is the basis for so much of the work I do. This book is a timely look at why those questions and the research that propels them matter. We are at precisely the moment when there are so many players in our public discourse that need to take lessons from inside these pages.”

Soledad O'Brien, CEO of SO'B Productions, host of Matter of Fact , and correspondent for HBO and Al Jazeera America

“ The Measure of Everyday Life is a wonderful resource that communicates public health topics and issues in a digestible and conversational way. As an adjunct professor, I have used the podcast episodes for homework and in-class exercises with graduate public health students. Not only do I get positive reviews from the students, but the episodes are a catalyst for a thought-provoking discussion among the class. During a time when misinformation is rampant, it is so great to have this resource (both the podcast episodes and this book) to show the breadth and depth of social science research and practice.”

Dr. Rachel Powell, CDC Foundation and Georgia State University

“This book invites you into truly wide-ranging—and highly accessible—conversations about how researchers work, how they sometimes surprise themselves as they dig into a topic, and what their work tells us about a whole host of pressing issues, ranging from artificial intelligence to end of life, to the language we use to talk to our kids about obesity, to the role of ‘back roads’ in rural Black communities in the south. Fascinating and thought-provoking.”

Joanne Kenen, Commonwealth Fund Journalist in Residence, Johns Hopkins University, and contributing editor for Politico

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10 Practical Uses of Science in Our Daily Life

• Kristina C.
• September 2024
• 17 minutes read
• Correction policy

Science is a fascinating field that impacts our daily lives in countless ways. From the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed, science plays a crucial role in shaping our experiences. It is responsible for the technological advancements and innovations that surround us, making our lives easier, safer, and more enjoyable.

In our daily lives, science is used in various ways. It allows us to communicate instantly with loved ones across the globe, thanks to the wonders of technology. Science is behind the development of medicines and vaccines that help us stay healthy and fight diseases. It enables us to travel faster and more efficiently, whether by car, train, or airplane.

Moreover, science helps us understand and appreciate the world around us. It explains the natural phenomena we witness, such as the changing seasons or the movement of the stars. Science also fuels our curiosity, pushing us to explore the depths of the ocean or the vastness of outer space.

In essence, science is a constant companion in our daily lives, enhancing our experiences and providing us with endless possibilities. It is the driving force behind progress and innovation, making our lives more exciting and fulfilling. So the next time you marvel at the wonders of modern technology or experience the wonders of nature, remember that science is at the heart of it all.

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Health and Medicine

Health and medicine are areas where the daily use of science is invaluable. From diagnosing illnesses to developing new treatments, science plays a vital role in improving our well-being. Medical advancements have led to the discovery of life-saving drugs, the development of surgical techniques, and the implementation of preventative measures.

In addition to treating diseases, science also helps us understand the human body better, aiding in the prevention of illnesses and the maintenance of good health. It allows us to gain insights into the intricacies of our biology, enabling us to make informed decisions about our lifestyles. Science has also contributed to the creation of innovative medical technologies, such as imaging machines, prosthetics, and telemedicine, which have revolutionized healthcare delivery.

Furthermore, scientific research has paved the way for the development of vaccines, which have eradicated or significantly reduced the prevalence of deadly diseases. Science's impact on health and medicine is far-reaching, improving the quality and longevity of our lives.

Communication and Technology

Communication and technology play a crucial role in our daily lives, thanks to science. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, we are constantly surrounded by various forms of communication and technology that have become an integral part of our routines. Whether it's using our smartphones to send text messages, checking emails on our laptops, or even watching television, science has made all of these activities possible.

Not only does science enable us to communicate with others effortlessly, but it also allows us to stay connected with the world around us. Through social media platforms, we can share our thoughts and experiences with friends and family, even if they are miles away. Science has revolutionized the way we communicate by introducing video calls and instant messaging services, making it easier than ever to connect with loved ones in real-time.

Technology has also greatly improved our productivity and efficiency. With the help of science, we now have access to a multitude of devices and gadgets that simplify our daily tasks. From smart home systems that allow us to control our appliances with a single command to navigation apps that guide us to our desired destinations, science has enhanced our lives in countless ways.

Moreover, science has transformed the way we access information and gain knowledge. With just a few taps on a screen, we can find answers to our questions, explore different topics, and educate ourselves on various subjects. The internet and search engines have become our go-to sources of information, empowering us to learn and grow every day.

Science has revolutionized communication and technology, making our lives more interconnected and convenient. With advancements in science, we can stay connected with loved ones, simplify daily tasks, and access a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. The 10 uses of science in our daily lives encompass various aspects, from communication to productivity and beyond, shaping the way we live and interact with the world.

Transportation and Travel

Science plays a crucial role in transportation and travel, impacting our daily lives in numerous ways. Firstly, advancements in science have revolutionized the way we travel, with the invention of various modes of transportation such as cars, airplanes, and trains. These innovations have made it quicker and more convenient for people to commute and explore different parts of the world.

Science has also improved the safety and efficiency of transportation systems. Through the use of advanced technologies like GPS navigation and traffic control systems, science has helped in reducing accidents and congestion on roads, ensuring smoother and faster travel experiences.

Furthermore, science has contributed to the development of fuel-efficient engines and alternative energy sources, enabling us to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainable travel. Electric vehicles and hybrid cars are prime examples of how science is transforming the transportation industry to be more environmentally friendly.

In the realm of travel, science has provided us with tools and resources to explore and understand the world around us. From global positioning systems (GPS) to weather forecasting technologies, science has made it easier for travelers to navigate unfamiliar territories and plan their journeys effectively.

Science plays a vital role in shaping the transportation and travel sector. Through constant advancements and innovations, it has revolutionized the way we commute, improved safety measures, and promoted sustainability. Science continues to drive progress in this field, making travel more accessible, efficient, and enjoyable for everyone.

"Science is the key to unlocking the doors of the future and understanding the world we live in." - Neil deGrasse Tyson

Energy and Environment

Energy and the environment are closely interconnected, with science playing a crucial role in both areas. Science provides us with the knowledge and tools to understand and address the environmental challenges we face, while also helping us harness and utilize energy efficiently.

• Renewable Energy: Science has enabled us to tap into renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. These sustainable alternatives help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate climate change.
• Energy Conservation: Through scientific research, we have gained a deeper understanding of energy conservation techniques. This knowledge has led to the development of energy-efficient appliances, smart grids, and building design strategies that reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability.
• Environmental Monitoring: Science plays a vital role in monitoring and assessing the health of our environment. Scientific techniques and technologies, such as remote sensing and data analysis, allow us to study air and water quality, biodiversity, and the impacts of human activities on ecosystems. This information is crucial for making informed decisions and implementing effective environmental policies.
• Waste Management: Science helps us manage and minimize waste effectively. Scientific advancements have led to the development of recycling technologies, waste treatment methods, and strategies for reducing pollution. By applying scientific knowledge, we can reduce the environmental impact of waste and move towards a more sustainable approach to resource management.

Science is instrumental in addressing the energy and environmental challenges we face. It empowers us to adopt sustainable practices, develop cleaner energy sources, and protect our environment for future generations. By embracing scientific advancements, we can create a healthier, more sustainable world.

💡 Tip: Conserving energy is essential for both our environment and our wallets. Simple changes like turning off lights when not in use, using energy-efficient appliances, and reducing water consumption can make a significant impact. By being mindful of our energy usage, we can contribute to a more sustainable future.

Agriculture and Food

Science plays a crucial role in agriculture and food production, impacting nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Through scientific advancements, we have been able to increase crop yields, improve food quality, and develop sustainable farming practices.

One of the key uses of science in agriculture is the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Through genetic engineering, scientists have been able to enhance crop traits such as pest resistance and drought tolerance, resulting in higher yields and better crop productivity. This has been essential in feeding our growing global population.

Science also helps in the development of fertilizers and pesticides. Through scientific research, we are able to create fertilizers that provide the necessary nutrients for plant growth, improving crop yields. Similarly, pesticides help control pests and diseases, protecting crops and ensuring food security.

In addition, science plays a crucial role in soil management. Through soil testing and analysis, scientists can determine the nutrient content and pH levels of the soil, allowing farmers to make informed decisions about fertilization and irrigation. This helps optimize crop growth and reduces the risk of nutrient deficiencies.

Furthermore, science has revolutionized food preservation and storage. Through techniques such as canning, freezing, and drying, we can extend the shelf life of perishable foods, reducing food waste and ensuring a stable food supply.

Science also contributes to the development of sustainable farming practices. Through research on organic farming methods, crop rotation, and integrated pest management, we can minimize the use of harmful chemicals and promote environmentally friendly farming practices.

Science plays a vital role in agriculture and food production, helping us meet the demands of a growing population while ensuring sustainable and efficient farming practices. By harnessing scientific advancements, we can continue to improve crop yields, enhance food quality, and protect our environment for future generations.

Home and Household

Science plays a crucial role in our daily lives, even within the comfort of our own homes. From the moment we wake up to the time we go to sleep, science is at work, making our lives easier and more convenient.

In the kitchen, science allows us to cook our meals efficiently and safely. The principles of chemistry and physics help us understand how heat is transferred during cooking, ensuring that our food is cooked thoroughly and evenly. Science also helps us preserve our food through refrigeration and freezing, allowing us to enjoy fresh produce and prevent food waste.

In terms of cleaning, science provides us with a range of products and tools that make household chores easier. The chemistry behind detergents and cleaning agents helps us remove stains and sanitize our homes effectively. Science also plays a role in developing efficient appliances, such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines, that save us time and energy.

In home maintenance, science enables us to understand the structural integrity of our homes. Engineering principles guide architects and builders in constructing safe and sturdy houses. Science also helps us maintain our homes by providing knowledge about plumbing, electrical systems, and insulation, ensuring our comfort and safety.

Beyond the kitchen and maintenance, science is also present in our entertainment and relaxation. From television screens and audio systems to gaming consoles and streaming services, science fuels our entertainment devices, enhancing our leisure time.

Science is intertwined with our daily lives, even within the confines of our homes. From cooking and cleaning to home maintenance and entertainment, science contributes to our well-being and convenience. By understanding and appreciating the scientific principles behind these aspects, we can fully maximize the benefits that science brings into our everyday lives.

Education and Learning

Education and learning play a crucial role in our daily lives, and science is an integral part of this process. Science provides us with the tools and knowledge to explore and understand the world around us. It helps us develop critical thinking skills, enhances our problem-solving abilities, and fosters a sense of curiosity and wonder. One of the uses of science in education and learning is through practical experiments and hands-on activities.

By conducting experiments, students can apply scientific principles and theories to real-life situations, allowing them to see the practical applications of what they are learning. This not only helps to reinforce their understanding of scientific concepts but also encourages them to think creatively and develop their own ideas.

Science also plays a vital role in technological advancements, which have revolutionized the field of education. With the help of science, we now have access to online learning platforms, educational apps, and interactive simulations that make learning more engaging and accessible. These technologies provide students with a wealth of resources and opportunities for self-directed learning, allowing them to explore different topics and personalize their educational experiences.

Furthermore, science has contributed to the development of innovative teaching methods and instructional strategies. Educators can now incorporate multimedia materials, such as videos, animations, and virtual reality, into their lessons to enhance students' understanding and engagement. These interactive and visually stimulating resources help to cater to different learning styles and make complex concepts more accessible.

Science also plays a significant role in curriculum development. By integrating scientific principles into various subjects, such as mathematics, language arts, and social studies, students can see the interconnectedness of different disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach not only helps them develop a holistic understanding of the world but also encourages them to think critically and make connections between different concepts.

In addition to these uses, science also promotes lifelong learning. By cultivating a scientific mindset, individuals become lifelong learners who are constantly seeking new knowledge and information. Science encourages us to question the world around us, explore new ideas, and seek evidence-based answers. This mindset of curiosity and inquiry extends beyond the classroom and has numerous applications in our daily lives, from making informed decisions about our health to understanding complex societal issues.

Science plays a vital role in education and learning by providing practical applications, technological advancements, innovative teaching methods, interdisciplinary approaches, and a mindset of lifelong learning. Its impact goes beyond the classroom, empowering individuals to navigate the complexities of the world and make informed decisions. By incorporating science into education, we equip students with the tools and skills they need to thrive in an ever-changing society.

Entertainment and Recreation

Entertainment and recreation play a crucial role in our daily lives, providing us with much-needed relaxation and enjoyment. Science has revolutionized these aspects of our lives, making them more diverse, accessible, and immersive than ever before.

One of the most prominent uses of science in entertainment is the development of virtual reality (VR) technology. Through VR, we can transport ourselves to various virtual worlds, experiencing everything from thrilling adventures to peaceful getaways. This technology is made possible through scientific advancements in computer graphics, optics, and human-computer interaction.

Science has also brought us innovative forms of entertainment, such as 3D movies and augmented reality (AR) games. These technologies combine scientific principles with creative storytelling, allowing us to immerse ourselves in captivating visual experiences.

Beyond virtual realms, science has enhanced traditional forms of entertainment. The development of high-definition televisions and surround sound systems has elevated our movie-watching and gaming experiences, bringing us closer to the action and enhancing our enjoyment.

In the realm of recreational activities, science has provided us with various tools and equipment that enhance our performance and safety. Sports gear, such as advanced tennis rackets and golf clubs, are designed using scientific principles to optimize our performance. Scientific research has led to the development of protective equipment like helmets and padding, ensuring our safety during physical activities.

Science has even influenced the way we enjoy music. From the invention of musical instruments to the advancements in sound recording and production, scientific principles have shaped the way we create, listen, and appreciate music.

Science has revolutionized entertainment and recreation, providing us with immersive experiences, innovative technologies, and enhanced equipment. Through scientific advancements, we can enjoy a wide range of entertainment options and engage in recreational activities safely and with optimal performance. Embrace the wonders of science and let it enrich your daily life through entertainment and recreation.

Safety and Security

Safety and security are paramount in our daily lives, and science plays a crucial role in ensuring our well-being. From the moment we wake up to the time we go to sleep, science is at work, safeguarding us in various ways. One of the key uses of science in ensuring our safety and security is through advanced surveillance systems.

These systems utilize cutting-edge technology, such as facial recognition and motion sensors, to monitor and detect any potential threats or suspicious activities. This helps in preventing crime and protecting public spaces.

Science also contributes to our safety through advancements in the field of medicine. Medical researchers and scientists work tirelessly to develop vaccines, medicines, and treatments that safeguard us from diseases and ailments. From flu shots to life-saving surgeries, science enables us to live healthier and longer lives.

Furthermore, science plays a pivotal role in enhancing transportation safety. Through the development of innovative technologies, such as anti-lock braking systems and airbags, science has significantly reduced the risk of accidents and injuries on the road. Advancements in aviation technology have made air travel safer than ever before.

In the realm of cybersecurity, science is essential in protecting our personal information and digital assets. Scientists continuously innovate and develop robust encryption algorithms and security protocols to safeguard our data from cyber threats and hacking attempts.

Science is indispensable when it comes to ensuring our safety and security in various aspects of our lives. From surveillance systems to medical breakthroughs, transportation safety, and cybersecurity, science empowers us to live in a safer and more secure world.

Research and Innovation

Research and innovation are essential components of our daily lives, contributing to advancements in science that impact our world in numerous ways. Science plays a crucial role in improving technology, healthcare, communication, transportation, and much more. Through research and innovation, scientists and inventors continuously strive to enhance our daily lives.

In the field of medicine, research and innovation have led to the development of life-saving drugs and treatments, prolonging and improving the quality of life for countless individuals. Scientists constantly explore new avenues to combat diseases, inventing innovative techniques and therapies that have revolutionized healthcare.

Moreover, research and innovation have transformed the way we communicate and access information. Through scientific advancements, we now have instant access to vast amounts of knowledge through the internet and various technological devices. This has facilitated global connectivity, allowing us to connect with people from all corners of the world.

Transportation has also greatly benefited from research and innovation. From the invention of automobiles to the development of sustainable energy sources, science has enabled us to travel faster, more efficiently, and in a more environmentally friendly manner. Research in the field of aerospace has led to the exploration of space, expanding our understanding of the universe.

Research and innovation are vital in improving our daily lives. They drive progress in various fields, including medicine, technology, communication, and transportation. Through continuous scientific exploration, we can look forward to even more advancements that will shape the future of our world. So, let's embrace research and innovation as catalysts for a brighter and more prosperous tomorrow.

Given these points

Science is not just a subject taught in schools; it is a fundamental part of our daily lives. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, science influences and improves every aspect of our existence.

Whether it's the advancements in medicine that keep us healthy, the technology that connects us with the world, or the innovations that make our lives more comfortable, science is the driving force behind it all. By understanding and appreciating the practical uses of science in our daily life, we can fully embrace the incredible achievements of human knowledge and continue to push the boundaries of what is possible.

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Relevance Of Research – Why Is It So Important?

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Research is a significant element in academia. It is a tool that helps us solve problems, make new discoveries, and understand the world better in general. During the research process , you can make a difference in people’s lives or in society. For this reason, students must complete research papers as part of any course in higher education. This article discusses the relevance of research in different fields of academic writing .

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 In a nutshell: Relevance of research
• 2 Definition: Relevance of research
• 3 How to conduct research
• 4 Relevance of research in different courses
• 5 Types of relevance in research
• 6 Knowledge and learning
• 7 Issues and public awareness
• 8 A successful business
• 9 Lies and truths
• 10 Opportunities
• 11 Information
• 12 Relevance of research: Exercise for the mind

In a nutshell: Relevance of research

• Many academic fields require students to conduct academic research as part of their studies. Overall, research is also applied heavily by students in learning and the academic writing process.
• The key relevance of research in academia is that it allows students and researchers to find sources to make their arguments on a specific topic. Furthermore, most opinions are conceived through the research process.
• Besides students, trained professionals also recognize the relevance of research.

Definition: Relevance of research

Relevance of research refers to the importance of research in various fields. Here are a few reasons why research is relevant:

• It builds knowledge and promotes learning.
• It helps to increase public awareness.
• Research promotes success in business and other fields.
• It encourages the disapproval of lies and supports facts and truths.
• Research is a means for discovering opportunities and helps build credibility.
• It promotes confidence and passion in reading, sharing information, analyzing, and writing.
• Research nourishes and helps exercise the mind.

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How to conduct research

The relevance of research is not a topic of debate. Therefore, students must learn how to research, so they can enjoy the benefits. The following steps explain how to conduct research.

• Choosing a topic and identifying a problem: Firstly, you must come up with ideas and find a general area of interest. Once you are settled on a topic, you must determine an issue that needs to be addressed in the area and why it matters.
• Formulating research questions and creating a research design: Next, you must create one or more research questions that target what you want to find out through your research. Additionally, create a practical framework for answering your research questions (research design).
• Writing a research proposal: Finally, create a research proposal that outlines the relevance of the research, context, purpose, and your plan. From there, you can start searching for sources and gathering information for your research.

Relevance of research in different courses

The relevance of research stands out in different courses. For this reason, most courses encourage their students to apply research in their studies and academic writing. Universities encourage and engage in research as part of their mission to promote learning and discovery.

Let us look at the relevance of research in different courses:

Types of relevance in research

There are different forms of the relevance of research. Let us look at some of the key ones.

Academic relevance

Societal relevance, practical relevance, scientific relevance.

The academic relevance of research is perhaps the most critical. Research is critical in the promotion of academic knowledge of a subject. Moreover, research helps individuals meet their academic goals. Academic relevance comes from learned information, which is obtained through research.

The purpose of research extends beyond academia and has a significant impact on society. Research generates knowledge that aids in addressing real-world problems and making informed decisions. Research provides a more profound understanding of society and its functions.

The relevance of research is also important in everyday life. Research findings apply in real-life situations to various extents. For instance, research allows entrepreneurs to discover problems and wants in society, and the findings help resolve these problems. Researchers make recommendations for particular industries and promote improved processes in critical organizations.

Research allows practitioners in various fields of science to bridge the knowledge gap in various subjects. Research also helps scientists make new and significant discoveries that help advance different fields. Scientists need research to come up with life-changing inventions.

Knowledge and learning

Research helps facilitate knowledge acquisition and learning. Students, academics, professionals, and non-professionals depend on research as a tool for learning and understanding a subject better. Research also equips individuals with information about the world and skills for survival and life improvement.

Issues and public awareness

Research is a tool for understanding issues and raising public awareness. It helps people understand each other and their world. People use research to understand current issues.

A successful business

Research is critical for business success. Successful companies and individuals rely on market and client research. It helps them understand their clients, their needs, and how to provide them with what they need. Therefore, research helps with targeted marketing. It also helps businesses understand their competition and establish ways to stand out.

Lies and truths

Background research and private investigations are critical in debunking lies and promoting truths. Researchers apply field-testing and peer reviews to validate facts. Therefore, research builds integrity and competence in facts. Fact-checking helps discover research bias, fake news, and propaganda.

Opportunities

Research helps people find, gauge, and seize opportunities. Therefore, it helps individuals nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of opportunities. People can use research to maximize career options and investments.

Information

Research promotes a passion and love for reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing information. It is a tool for critical thinking and comprehension. Sharing research promotes a wider understanding of a subject.

Relevance of research: Exercise for the mind

Research nourishes and exercises the mind. Critical thinking is a tool for promoting mental health. Students earn critical reasoning skills from research, which helps with their learning. Various studies have proven that mentally stimulating activities like research can promote brain health.

What is the meaning of relevance in research?

The relevance of research is the understanding of how studying one thing can affect another. It is the extent to which a specific study or theory is significant.

What are the different types of relevance of research?

The various forms of the relevance of research are:

How does research promote mental health?

Research nourishes and exercises the mind. Critical thinking is a tool for promoting mental health. Students earn critical reasoning skills from research, which helps with their learning.

What is the scientific relevance of research?

Research allows practitioners in various fields of science to bridge the knowledge gap in various subjects. It helps scientists make new and significant discoveries that help advance different fields.

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What Is the Scientific Method?

The scientific method is a systematic way of conducting experiments or studies so that you can explore the things you observe in the world and answer questions about them. The scientific method, also known as the hypothetico-deductive method, is a series of steps that can help you accurately describe the things you observe or improve your understanding of them.

Ultimately, your goal when you use the scientific method is to:

• Find a cause-and-effect relationship by asking a question about something you observed
• Collect as much evidence as you can about what you observed, as this can help you explore the connection between your evidence and what you observed
• Determine if all your evidence can be combined to answer your question in a way that makes sense

Francis Bacon and René Descartes are usually credited with formalizing the process in the 16th and 17th centuries. The two philosophers argued that research shouldn’t be guided by preset metaphysical ideas of how reality works. They supported the use of inductive reasoning to come up with hypotheses and understand new things about reality.

Scientific Method Steps

The scientific method is a step-by-step problem-solving process. These steps include:

Observe the world around you. This will help you come up with a topic you are interested in and want to learn more about. In many cases, you already have a topic in mind because you have a related question for which you couldn't find an immediate answer.

Either way, you'll start the process by finding out what people before you already know about the topic, as well as any questions that people are still asking about. You may need to look up and read books and articles from academic journals or talk to other people so that you understand as much as you possibly can about your topic. This will help you with your next step.

Ask questions. Asking questions about what you observed and learned from reading and talking to others can help you figure out what the "problem" is. Scientists try to ask questions that are both interesting and specific and can be answered with the help of a fairly easy experiment or series of experiments. Your question should have one part (called a variable) that you can change in your experiment and another variable that you can measure. Your goal is to design an experiment that is a "fair test," which is when all the conditions in the experiment are kept the same except for the one you change (called the experimental or independent variable).

Form a hypothesis and make predictions based on it.  A hypothesis is an educated guess about the relationship between two or more variables in your question. A good hypothesis lets you predict what will happen when you test it in an experiment. Another important feature of a good hypothesis is that, if the hypothesis is wrong, you should be able to show that it's wrong. This is called falsifiability. If your experiment shows that your prediction is true, then your hypothesis is supported by your data.

Test your prediction by doing an experiment or making more observations.  The way you test your prediction depends on what you are studying. The best support comes from an experiment, but in some cases, it's too hard or impossible to change the variables in an experiment. Sometimes, you may need to do descriptive research where you gather more observations instead of doing an experiment. You will carefully gather notes and measurements during your experiments or studies, and you can share them with other people interested in the same question as you. Ideally, you will also repeat your experiment a couple more times because it's possible to get a result by chance, but it's less possible to get the same result more than once by chance.

Draw a conclusion. You will analyze what you already know about your topic from your literature research and the data gathered during your experiment. This will help you decide if the conclusion you draw from your data supports or contradicts your hypothesis. If your results contradict your hypothesis, you can use this observation to form a new hypothesis and make a new prediction. This is why scientific research is ongoing and scientific knowledge is changing all the time. It's very common for scientists to get results that don't support their hypotheses. In fact, you sometimes learn more about the world when your experiments don't support your hypotheses because it leads you to ask more questions. And this time around, you already know that one possible explanation is likely wrong.

Use your results to guide your next steps (iterate). For instance, if your hypothesis is supported, you may do more experiments to confirm it. Or you could come up with a hypothesis about why it works this way and design an experiment to test that. If your hypothesis is not supported, you can come up with another hypothesis and do experiments to test it. You'll rarely get the right hypothesis in one go. Most of the time, you'll have to go back to the hypothesis stage and try again. Every attempt offers you important information that helps you improve your next round of questions, hypotheses, and predictions.

Share your results. Scientific research isn't something you can do on your own; you must work with other people to do it.   You may be able to do an experiment or a series of experiments on your own, but you can't come up with all the ideas or do all the experiments by yourself .

Scientists and researchers usually share information by publishing it in a scientific journal or by presenting it to their colleagues during meetings and scientific conferences. These journals are read and the conferences are attended by other researchers who are interested in the same questions. If there's anything wrong with your hypothesis, prediction, experiment design, or conclusion, other researchers will likely find it and point it out to you.

It can be scary, but it's a critical part of doing scientific research. You must let your research be examined by other researchers who are as interested and knowledgeable about your question as you. This process helps other researchers by pointing out hypotheses that have been proved wrong and why they are wrong. It helps you by identifying flaws in your thinking or experiment design. And if you don't share what you've learned and let other people ask questions about it, it's not helpful to your or anyone else's understanding of what happens in the world.

Scientific Method Example

Here's an everyday example of how you can apply the scientific method to understand more about your world so you can solve your problems in a helpful way.

Let's say you put slices of bread in your toaster and press the button, but nothing happens. Your toaster isn't working, but you can't afford to buy a new one right now. You might be able to rescue it from the trash can if you can figure out what's wrong with it. So, let's figure out what's wrong with your toaster.

Observation. Your toaster isn't working to toast your bread.

Ask a question. In this case, you're asking, "Why isn't my toaster working?" You could even do a bit of preliminary research by looking in the owner's manual for your toaster. The manufacturer has likely tested your toaster model under many conditions, and they may have some ideas for where to start with your hypothesis.

Form a hypothesis and make predictions based on it. Your hypothesis should be a potential explanation or answer to the question that you can test to see if it's correct. One possible explanation that we could test is that the power outlet is broken. Our prediction is that if the outlet is broken, then plugging it into a different outlet should make the toaster work again.

Test your prediction by doing an experiment or making more observations. You plug the toaster into a different outlet and try to toast your bread.

If that works, then your hypothesis is supported by your experimental data. Results that support your hypothesis don't prove it right; they simply suggest that it's a likely explanation. This uncertainty arises because, in the real world, we can't rule out the possibility of mistakes, wrong assumptions, or weird coincidences affecting the results. If the toaster doesn’t work even after plugging it into a different outlet, then your hypothesis is not supported and it's likely the wrong explanation.

Use your results to guide your next steps (iteration). If your toaster worked, you may decide to do further tests to confirm it or revise it. For example, you could plug something else that you know is working into the first outlet to see if that stops working too. That would be further confirmation that your hypothesis is correct.

If your toaster failed to toast when plugged into the second outlet, you need a new hypothesis. For example, your next hypothesis might be that the toaster has a shorted wire. You could test this hypothesis directly if you have the right equipment and training, or you could take it to a repair shop where they could test that hypothesis for you.

Share your results. For this everyday example, you probably wouldn't want to write a paper, but you could share your problem-solving efforts with your housemates or anyone you hire to repair your outlet or help you test if the toaster has a short circuit.

What the Scientific Method Is Used For

The scientific method is useful whenever you need to reason logically about your questions and gather evidence to support your problem-solving efforts. So, you can use it in everyday life to answer many of your questions; however, when most people think of the scientific method, they likely think of using it to:

Describe how nature works . It can be hard to accurately describe how nature works because it's almost impossible to account for every variable that's involved in a natural process. Researchers may not even know about many of the variables that are involved. In some cases, all you can do is make assumptions. But you can use the scientific method to logically disprove wrong assumptions by identifying flaws in the reasoning.

Do scientific research in a laboratory to develop things such as new medicines.

Develop critical thinking skills.  Using the scientific method may help you develop critical thinking in your daily life because you learn to systematically ask questions and gather evidence to find answers. Without logical reasoning, you might be more likely to have a distorted perspective or bias. Bias is the inclination we all have to favor one perspective (usually our own) over another.

The scientific method doesn't perfectly solve the problem of bias, but it does make it harder for an entire field to be biased in the same direction. That's because it's unlikely that all the people working in a field have the same biases. It also helps make the biases of individuals more obvious because if you repeatedly misinterpret information in the same way in multiple experiments or over a period, the other people working on the same question will notice. If you don't correct your bias when others point it out to you, you'll lose your credibility. Other people might then stop believing what you have to say.

Why Is the Scientific Method Important?

When you use the scientific method, your goal is to do research in a fair, unbiased, and repeatable way. The scientific method helps meet these goals because:

It's a systematic approach to problem-solving. It can help you figure out where you're going wrong in your thinking and research if you're not getting helpful answers to your questions. Helpful answers solve problems and keep you moving forward. So, a systematic approach helps you improve your problem-solving abilities if you get stuck.

It can help you solve your problems.  The scientific method helps you isolate problems by focusing on what's important. In addition, it can help you make your solutions better every time you go through the process.

It helps you eliminate (or become aware of) your personal biases.  It can help you limit the influence of your own personal, preconceived notions . A big part of the process is considering what other people already know and think about your question. It also involves sharing what you've learned and letting other people ask about your methods and conclusions. At the end of the process, even if you still think your answer is best, you have considered what other people know and think about the question.

The scientific method is a systematic way of conducting experiments or studies so that you can explore the world around you and answer questions using reason and evidence. It's a step-by-step problem-solving process that involves: (1) observation, (2) asking questions, (3) forming hypotheses and making predictions, (4) testing your hypotheses through experiments or more observations, (5) using what you learned through experiment or observation to guide further investigation, and (6) sharing your results.

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Why and How does Research Matter in a Student’s Life?

The essence of student life is lost in the quest to be a class topper. Unfortunately, the world only cares about a report card and top grades. Bereft of choice, students take the easy way out  they lose interest in going above and beyond the academic curriculum. Is a degree just a means to financial independence? What about the fire, the passion for exploring unchartered territory? What about innovations that can change the world?

Only a handful of students understand that research has the power to change the world, to change the very fabric of our being, and to create something innovative and novel.

Every student should go through the journey of research, see why?

Success comes from curiosity, concentration, perseverance and self-criticism  Albert Einstein

The irresistible desire to learn and know new things is the foundation of research. A curious student will observe, question, experiment, and then learn. This will lead him to discover and uncover new things, which may change the face of the world forever.

Research is critical for improving society, sustaining the economy, propelling innovation, and tackling problems that ordinary people confront daily. Studying, analysing, experimenting and discovering teach students about our rich history and help them understand our present context and plan their future.

The research component provides a comprehensive learning experience as students can investigate the impact of implementing new thought processes through research and testing. Discoveries are being made in numerous domains daily, particularly science-related, and research is at its centre.

Research keeps you from lagging or harbouring inaccurate information about a subject. You might utilise the most recent data to expand on ideas or speak eloquently about a topic. This brings us to the second point about establishing credibility.

Research enables us to tackle global challenges and make evidence-based decisions. It sheds light on issues that have remained buried for long and allows people to discuss concerns and answer questions that society does not address.

Let us discuss why and how research matters in a students life.

Research for self-sufficiency: Importance

The benefits of scholarly research in higher education are innumerable. With a more functional deep dive into the subject matter under investigation, students improve their capacity to analyse and discuss any topic. The educational journey of research helps students learn all about current discussions. Developing essential library skills is a huge benefit to becoming self-sufficient. Thus, research aids in evaluating other writing styles and improving one’s reading and writing skills. A thoroughly explained bibliography is often an essential initial step in performing scholarly research. Reviewing, assessing, and synthesising information from multiple sources helps students improve their critical thinking power. Research takes effort and time, but it can yield enormous benefits and help students grow personally & professionally.

Find, measure & grab opportunities

Research is a way to nurture students potential and diversify opportunities and goals. This includes obtaining work, receiving scholarships or grants, project funding, beginning a business relationship, or getting other minor victories. These opportunities can help broaden one’s social network, raise awareness or start a new business or a project. Its a way to help people make the right life-changing decisions. This helps in self-growth and productive living.

Industry & research

When in need, industries inadvertently turn to academics to solve vital issues. The need to share knowledge, explore, innovate, and create is paramount to industrial and research interdependency. Without academic research, it is impossible to plan, strategise, and discover solutions. Thus, global development is dependent on research in higher education institutions .

Encourages research-based practice & knowledge production

In-depth research during higher education motivates students to publish their journals, implement research activities in studies, etc. Thus, educational institutes, colleges, and universities should also understand the significance of research and design their academic curriculum accordingly. This can be achieved if individually assigned professors encourage and mentor students in researching and writing high-impact journal publications.

Start your research journey with Shoolini Universitys elite programs

In the modern age of dynamic globalisation, research cannot be conducted in isolation. As a result, the importance and demand for research-driven universities have grown exponentially.

Shoolini, India’s No.1 Research University , has always been at the forefront of research-based education. Shoolini University is ranked first in India and 9th in Asia for citations per paper by QS World University Rankings Asia 2023 .

The institution is located in the foothills of the Himalayas and is well-known for its treasure trove of herbs. The infrastructure is designed to foster cutting-edge research in various fields such as science , engineering , yoga , management , and liberal arts .

Shoolini University is also well-known for its elite research programs. To make these programs more impactful, students are given hands-on experience with cutting-edge research and are guided to create technical articles. Personal mentoring elevates the curriculum to a new level, transforming it into a research-based Shoolini University innovation.

Shoolini has maintained an H-index (index used to assess Research Output and Quality) of 100, the highest for any university created after 2009. The FWCI is 2.22, which is equivalent to the top 10 worldwide colleges. Students and professors have submitted over 1200+ patents , making it the top research institution in India.

Artificial intelligence, bioenergy, biofuels, ageing and nutrition, drug discovery for cancer, genomics, water purification, probiotics, and other fields are being researched broadly at Shoolini university.

Shoolini has been placed third in patent filings (2019), joining the ranks of research institutions such as IITs and IIMs.

Shoolini’s dedicated research centres aid in achieving these goals. These centres offer comprehensive research facilities for producing qualitative research findings. Recognition from major institutes such as SCIMAGO and QS Rankings validate that Shoolini Research Centres have performed splendidly.

Benefits of taking part in Shoolini research programs:

• You can work closely with a faculty mentor and have the opportunity to network with academic and student researchers in your field.
• You can earn academic credit, scholarships, stipends, and/or other awards for research efforts.
• You can hone leadership and teamwork skills.
• You can acquire academic credentials to build a well-rounded resume by publishing works and collaborating with a research team.
• You can learn essential skills, such as how to use online research tools.
• You can learn vital life and classroom skills (professionalism, time management, multi-tasking).
• You can learn how to effectively communicate thoughts while analysing and criticising the work of others.
• You can better grasp scientific processes as you design research questions, form hypotheses, and test them.
• You can learn to work in a lab, plan studies, write grants, and report findings.
• You may be compensated, sometimes as an employee, sometimes as a scholarship recipient.
• You have the option to publish your work. If you assist a faculty member, they may acknowledge your work, or you may mention your work.
• This is an excellent opportunity to meet faculty members who work in your field of interest and network with fellow researchers. After developing a solid working relationship with them, you can request a letter of recommendation from a faculty mentor.

Also read: Benefits of Conducting Research at Indias No.1 Research University

Realising the need to promote research that can develop solutions to world problems and issues, Shoolini University has risen to the top. Its support for researchers and sustained research activities have resulted in ground-breaking innovation and the filing of more than 1200 patents. No wonder Shoolini researchers have featured in the World’s Top 2% Scientists List released by Stanford University.

Impactful research that can change the world is in high demand. You can join this exclusive group of scholars by enrolling in any research program at Shoolini University!

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https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/keepers-right-answer-why-measurements-nist-are-important-nation-and-world

Taking Measure

Just a Standard Blog

Keepers of the Right Answer: Why Measurements at NIST Are Important for the Nation and the World

Practically everything you use in your everyday life works because of measurement science. Without precise measurements, your car wouldn’t run, your phone wouldn’t work, hospitals couldn’t function, and the ATM would fail.  

NIST is the national measurement institute of the United States. Most people in the U.S. have no idea that there is a single organization within the federal government that makes sure all measurements in the U.S. are correct and trustworthy — and that they are accepted by other governments worldwide.

What does that look like in practice? Here’s an example.

More than 40 million mammograms are done in the U.S. each year. Each one is a chance to save a life.  

Those mammograms have to be both safe and effective, so mammography machines must expose patients to the smallest amount of radiation needed to get a good image, thereby minimizing any harmful effects. Careful measurements ensure that the benefits of the test far outweigh the impact of a minuscule exposure. We know that U.S. hospitals achieve this balance because they trace that radiation amount back to one of our labs here at NIST. 

Traceability is a complex scientific concept, but it essentially means that in comparison to precise standards calibrated at NIST, the mammography machine accurately delivers the exact amount of radiation allowed. We know this because the chain of calibration — or all the steps it took to test and check that machine — can be linked all the way back to one of our radiation physics labs here in Gaithersburg, Maryland.  

This is one of many hundreds of examples of how measurement science, also known as metrology, affects daily life — whether you think about it or not.  

Some of these examples are obvious. When you fill up your car’s gas tank or buy deli meat, you know exactly how much you’re buying because the state weights and measures offices check the pumps and scales for accuracy, based on the volume and mass standards from NIST.  

Perhaps less obvious is that the values on the nutrition labels on food packaging are determined by comparing the values to the food standards that NIST produces . Even less obvious is the fact that your GPS works because of the atomic clocks inside the satellites. NIST created the world’s first atomic clock and remains a world leader in making these ultraprecise timekeepers. 

Why Measurement Science Matters 

These examples — and many more complicated ones — are why we have a national organization focused on metrology. We have thousands of researchers, known as metrologists, constantly figuring out how to measure things better.  

Why such dedication? Well, everything in science and technology is based on measurement. In science, the ability to measure something and determine its value — and to do so in a repeatable and reliable way — is essential.  

For example, precision measurements enable weather forecasting to happen. While you may notice it more when the weather forecasts aren’t quite right, five-day weather forecasts are now accurate about 90% of the time .  

One tool meteorologists (as opposed to metrologists) use to predict the weather is measuring the energy — or radiation — that’s coming from Earth. Recent advances in our ability to make these measurements more accurately have contributed to our ever-improving ability to predict what your weekend weather will be like.   

Additionally, the more science and technology advance, the trickier the measurements become. 

For example, when scientists in the late 1940s created transistors — which have become the building block of computers and virtually all modern electronics — they had to measure them on the scale of the millimeter, which is about the thickness of a dime.   

As semiconductor technology has advanced, we now have to measure computer chips at the scale of nanometers — one billion times smaller than the width of that dime. So, if measurement science didn’t improve, technology couldn’t advance. Without it, we would not have the latest smartphones we take for granted today.  

An additional challenge is that we’re now in a world where day-to-day measurements are tied to physical constants in nature , not to things. This makes measurements more universal and consistent and also more complicated for scientists to define.  

For example, before 2018, all mass measurements were traceable to a metal cylinder held in a vault in France. Now, mass is determined by a physical constant in nature — known as the Planck constant . While this new approach has many benefits, it’s also more complex. In fact, researchers here at NIST are collaborating with our counterparts in Germany to work out some of the remaining challenges with this particular measurement. 

One of the things I love about working in metrology is that there is a correct answer to any measurement question. If we are careful enough and understand the science well enough, then we will get a reliable answer. We will also be able to know how sure we are of the accuracy or correctness of the answer, which we call “uncertainty.”  

One of the roles we play at NIST is to provide those answers in a trustworthy way; that’s why I call us the “keepers of the right answer.” If someone needs to know a temperature, what time it is , how pure something is, or how small something is, they know they can trust the science that comes out of NIST.  

 I’m proud to be a part of that process and to have helped lead the organization that inspires trust across the world.  

From Physicist to Global Metrologist  

In school, I studied atomic and molecular physics, and I knew I wanted to work in a laboratory.  

When I drove up to my first day at NIST a few decades ago and parked outside of the metrology building, I realized I had no idea what the word “metrology” meant.  

I went to my office and looked up the word in the dictionary. I learned it meant the science of measurement. That’s interesting, I thought. 

I went on to do physics research in my lab in support of the semiconductor and electricity industries. These experiments obviously involved measurements, as all science does, but honestly, they were not the focus of my thinking.  

It wasn’t until I was asked to work on calibrations that the importance and beauty of measurements became clear to me. Working on calibrating electrical transformers and capacitors (devices that store energy), I delved into the world of traceability. I saw how important and universal the world of metrology was. 

One of the most exciting outcomes of my engagement with calibrations was that I became involved in the international world of metrology. Other countries have their own versions of NIST — other national metrology institutes — that handle their own weights, measures, timekeeping and related areas of science.  

There’s an enormous international infrastructure among the countries of the world and their national metrology institutes to make sure the way things are measured in the U.S. is acceptable in other countries and vice versa. This is essential for issues like repairing airplanes or buying materials for your company across the globe.  

As the chief metrologist for the United States, I personally get to see the importance of this global cooperation and to be a part of a worldwide community of metrologists. While to many this world of measurements may seem mundane or even boring, there are so many exciting things happening.   

The redefinition of the second is expected to come in a few years. (This will be big for metrologists, but don’t worry, you’re unlikely to notice.) New measurements to monitor the climate are being developed and deployed. Techniques to unravel the mysteries of bioengineering are advancing. Ways to accurately measure the presence and impact of microplastics are being developed, and so much more.  

As technology advances and demands more from measurement science, we will be here to provide it. It is really an exciting time to be a metrologist! 

Be a Metrologist

Since it’s an exciting time to be a metrologist, come join us here at NIST:  

• NIST Careers  
• NIST Internships  

About the author

James K. Olthoff

James K. Olthoff is NIST’s first chief metrologist and serves as the primary representative both nationally and internationally of NIST’s role as the national metrology institute of the United States. He works with NIST leadership to ensure that NIST’s core measurement capabilities remain among the best in the world. Dr. Olthoff has served in many leadership positions at NIST including the associate director for laboratory programs and acting NIST director. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland and did postdoctoral research at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine before coming to NIST almost 40 years ago. 

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Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life

Having a purpose in life is one of the most fundamental human needs. However, for most people, finding their purpose in life is not obvious. Modern life has a way of distracting people from their true goals and many people find it hard to define their purpose in life. Especially at younger ages, people are searching for meaning in life, but this has been found to be unrelated to actually finding meaning. Oftentimes, people experience pressure to have a “perfect” life and show the world how well they are doing, instead of following up on their deep-felt values and passions. Consequently, people may need a more structured way of finding meaning, e.g., via an intervention. In this paper, we discuss evidence-based ways of finding purpose, via a process that we call “life crafting.” This process fits within positive psychology and the salutogenesis framework – an approach focusing on factors that support human health and well-being, instead of factors that cause disease. This process ideally starts with an intervention that entails a combination of reflecting on one’s values, passions and goals, best possible self, goal attainment plans, and other positive psychology intervention techniques. Important elements of such an intervention are: (1) discovering values and passion, (2) reflecting on current and desired competencies and habits, (3) reflecting on present and future social life, (4) reflecting on a possible future career, (5) writing about the ideal future, (6) writing down specific goal attainment and “if-then” plans, and (7) making public commitments to the goals set. Prior research has shown that personal goal setting and goal attainment plans help people gain a direction or a sense of purpose in life. Research findings from the field of positive psychology, such as salutogenesis, implementation intentions, value congruence, broaden-and-build, and goal-setting literature, can help in building a comprehensive evidence-based life-crafting intervention. This intervention can aid individuals to find a purpose in life, while at the same time ensuring that they make concrete plans to work toward this purpose. The idea is that life crafting enables individuals to take control of their life in order to optimize performance and happiness.

The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins . —Bob Moawad

Introduction

Whether you love him or hate him, Arnold Schwarzenegger is an example of a person who has been planning his life and setting goals throughout. Given that he came from a small town in Austria, the chances of him becoming the person he is today were very slim. Although even his parents thought that his ideas of becoming a great body builder were outrageous and his fellow cadets made fun of him when he put in extra hours of training while he was in the military, holding on to his vision and dreams paid off in the end (see Schwarzenegger and Hall, 2012 ). So even though it was not obvious that he would achieve the goals he had set for himself, he made a plan and stuck to his plan to achieve his goals.

Now consider this story: Brian is CEO of a large bank, and seems by all standards to be living a fulfilling live. Although he is overseeing 1,200 employees, earns a good salary, has a nice house at the beach, and a wife and kids, he feels very unhappy with his current life. One day he decides that he does not want to live this life anymore and quits his job. He becomes a consultant (and his wife divorces him) but still struggles to find his passion. As he knows that the job he is doing is not his passion, he starts exploring what he would like to do. Unfortunately, having done things for so long that have not brought him satisfaction, only status and money, he seems to have trouble connecting to his “inner self.” In his search for why he has ended up this way, he realizes that he has been living the life his father had in mind for him. This leads him to think that, if it had not been for his father, he would probably have studied psychology instead of management.

These two, seemingly unrelated anecdotes, tell something very important: no matter how successful a person is in life, self-endorsed goals will enhance well-being while the pursuit of heteronomous goals will not (for a review see Ryan and Deci, 2001 ). This is an important statement and key to self-determination theory (SDT, Ryan and Deci, 2000 ), a macro-theory of human motivation, stressing the importance of self-motivated and self-determined goals to guide behavior for well-being and happiness. Goal attainment from self-concordant goals, or goals that fulfill basic needs and are aligned with one’s values and passions, has been related to greater subjective well-being ( Sheldon, 2002 ), higher vitality ( Nix et al., 1999 ), higher levels of meaningfulness ( McGregor and Little, 1998 ), and lower symptoms of depression ( Sheldon and Kasser, 1998 ). Self-concordant goals satisfy basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, key attributes of SDT ( Ryan and Deci, 2001 ), and have been found to be important across cultures (see Sheldon et al., 2004 ). With an increasing number of young people experiencing mental health problems, increasing health care costs and an aging society, the interest in cost-effective behavioral interventions that can improve mental and physical health is burgeoning (e.g., Oettingen, 2012 ; Fulmer et al., 2018 ; Chan et al., 2019 ; Wilson et al., 2019 ; for reviews see Wilson, 2011 ; Walton, 2014 ). Especially promising is the research on the topic of meaning and purpose in life ( Steger, 2012 ). People with a purpose in life are less likely to experience conflict when making health-related decisions and are more likely to self-regulate when making these decisions and consequently experience better (mental) health outcomes ( Kang et al., 2019 ). Furthermore, having a purpose in life can aid in overcoming stress, depression, anxiety, and other psychological problems (see Kim et al., 2014 ; Freedland, 2019 ). Finally, purpose in life has been related to a decrease in mortality across all ages ( Hill and Turiano, 2014 ). It thus appears that many benefits may be gained by enhancing meaning and purpose in life. However, even if people realize they are in need of a purpose, the search for meaning does not automatically lead to its presence, and people searching for meaning are no more or less likely to plan for and anticipate their future ( Steger et al., 2008b ). This somewhat counterintuitive finding, showing that among undergraduate students the search for meaning is even inversely related to presence of meaning, points to the fact that the strategies people use to find meaning may not be very effective ( Steger et al., 2008b ). Early in life, the search for meaning is not negatively related to well-being, but the relationship between search for meaning and well-being becomes increasingly negative in later life stages ( Steger et al., 2009 ). This means that even if people search for meaning, they may not find it, unless they are prompted to do so in an evidence-based manner, e.g., via a positive psychology intervention. Especially adolescents and young adults should be stimulated to search for meaning in an organized manner in order to experience higher levels of well-being early in life so that they can be more likely to have an upward cycle of positive experiences. An intervention to bring about purpose in life may be a promising way to achieve this. Recent research suggests that interventions aimed at enhancing purpose in life can be particularly effective if they are done early on, during adolescence and/or as part of the curriculum in schools ( Morisano et al., 2010 ; Bundick, 2011 ; Schippers et al., 2015 ).

These interventions address an important contemporary problem, as illustrated by the two anecdotes above, namely that, many people drift aimlessly through life or keep changing their goals, running around chasing “happiness” ( Donaldson et al., 2015 ). Others, as in the example of Brian above, live the life that their parents or significant others have in mind for them ( Kahl, 1953 ). Several authors have indeed noted that the role of parents in students’ study and career choices has been under-researched ( Jodl et al., 2001 ; Taylor et al., 2004 ), but choosing one’s study and career path according to one’s own preferences is likely to be more satisfying than living the life that others have in mind for one. Recently, it has been noted that especially “socially prescribed” perfectionism where people try to live up to the standards of other and also seek their approval is related to burn-out, depression and a lack of experienced meaning ( Suh et al., 2017 ; Garratt-Reed et al., 2018 ; Curran and Hill, 2019 ). In our society, education is highly valued, but less emphasis is placed on structured reflection about values, goals, and plans for what people want in life. Oftentimes, education fosters maladaptive forms of perfectionism, instead of adaptive forms ( Suh et al., 2017 ). Even if parents and educators do ask children what they want to become when they grow up, this most important question is not addressed in a consistent way that helps them to make an informed choice ( Rojewski, 2005 ). Parents and educators tend to look at the children’s competences, rather than what they want to become and what competences they would need to develop in order to become that person ( Nurra and Oyserman, 2018 ). Consequently, many people only occupy themselves with the daily events in their lives, while others try to keep every aspect of their lives under control and live the life that others have in mind for them. Some have an idea of what they want but have not thought about it carefully. Others may have too many goals, or conflicting goals, which is also detrimental to health and well-being ( Kelly et al., 2015 ). Finally, parents and others with the best of intentions sometimes have goals in mind for children to pursue ( Williams et al., 2000 ; Tamis-LeMonda et al., 2008 ).

A study by Nurra and Oyserman (2018) showed that children that were guided to experience connection between their current and adult future self, worked more and attained better school grades than children guided to experience low connection. Importantly, this was moderated to the extent that children saw school as the path to one’s adult future self. It seems important that people formulate and think about their (ideal) future self and that the present and future self are connected, e.g., by means of a goal-setting intervention. Studies among students also showed the importance of goal congruence. For instance, Sheldon and Kasser (1998) found that although students with stronger social and self-regulatory skills made more progress in their goals, and goal progress predicted subjective well-being (SWB), while the increase in well-being depended on the level of goal-congruence. Similarly, Sheldon and Houser-Marko (2001) found that entering freshman students with self-concordant motivation had an upward spiral of goal-attainment, increased adjustment, self-concordance, higher ego development, and academic performance after the first year. This points to the importance of making sure people reflect on and develop self-concordant goals ( Locke and Schippers, 2018 ). If people have not formulated their own goals, there is a chance that they will lose contact with their core values and passions,” ( Seto and Schlegel, 2018 ) as was the case in the anecdote of Brian. It may even feel as if they are living someone else’s life. For several reasons, it is important that people take matters into their own hands and reflect on and formulate their own goals in important areas of life ( Williams et al., 2000 ). Indeed, people may have more influence on their own life than they think. Studies have already shown the beneficial effects of both job crafting—where employees actively reframe their work physically, cognitively, and socially (e.g., Wrzesniewski and Dutton, 2001 ; Demerouti, 2014 ; Vogt et al., 2016 ; Wessels et al., 2019 )—and leisure crafting ( Petrou and Bakker, 2016 ; Vogel et al., 2016 ; Petrou et al., 2017 ). A recent study by Demerouti et al. (2019) suggested that the beneficial implications of job crafting transcend life boundaries, which the authors state have also consequences in terms of experiencing meaning in life.

Building on the above, we suggest that the conscious process of “life crafting” could be similarly beneficial in helping people to find fulfillment and happiness (see Berg et al., 2010 ; Schippers, 2017 ). Importantly, life crafting is related to the most important areas of life, and thus allows for a more holistic approach in terms of shaping one’s life. We formally define life crafting as: a process in which people actively reflect on their present and future life, set goals for important areas of life—social, career, and leisure time—and, if required, make concrete plans and undertake actions to change these areas in a way that is more congruent with their values and wishes.

The process of life crafting fits with positive psychology and specifically the salutogenesis framework, which states that the extent to which people view their life as having positive influence on their health, explains why people in stressful situations stay well and may even be able to improve adaptive coping ( Antonovsky, 1996 ). Salutogenesis focuses on factors that can support health, well-being, and happiness, as opposed to factors that cause disease (pathogenesis). The salutogenetic model with its’ central element “sense of coherence” is concerned with relationships around health, stress, and coping ( Johnson, 2004 ). In his approach, Antonovsky views health and illness as a continuum, rather than a dichotomy ( Langeland et al., 2007 ). Importantly, the framework assumes that people have resources available (biological, material, and psychosocial) that enable them to construct coherent life experiences ( Mittelmark et al., 2017 ). The idea of salutogenesis is also closely tied to the literature on human flourishing that states that health defined as the absence of illness or disease does not do justice to what it means to be well and thriving ( Ryff and Singer, 2000 ). Broaden-and-build theory can be used to make sense of how this may work out in practice: if people imagine a better future, they will be on the lookout for resources, because they have developed a more positive and optimistic mindset ( Fredrickson, 2001 ; Meevissen et al., 2011 ). Over time, this broader mindset helps them to acquire more skills and resources and this may in turn lead to better health, happiness, and performance ( Garland et al., 2010 ). When people have a purpose in life and are more balanced, this may have positive ripple effects on the people around them ( Barsade, 2002 ; Quinn, 2005 ; Quinn and Quinn, 2009 ). Recent research suggests that health benefits of having stronger purpose in life are attributable to focused attention to and engagement in healthier behaviors ( Kang et al., 2019 ). Indeed, stronger purpose in life is associated with greater likelihood of using preventative health services and better health outcomes ( Kim et al., 2014 ). Importantly, the process through which purpose leads to health outcomes seems to be that people with a purpose in life are better able to respond positively to health messages. They showed reduced conflict-related neural activity during health decision-making relevant to longer-term lifestyle changes. Thus, having a purpose in life makes it easier for people to self-regulate ( Kang et al., 2019 ). These results are very promising, as it seems that having a purpose in life can have both mental and physical health benefits, and behavioral interventions to increase purpose in life have been shown to be very cost-effective (e.g., Wilson et al., 2019 ). Importantly, purpose in life by writing about personal goals has been associated with improved academic performance ( Morisano et al., 2010 ; Schippers et al., 2015 , 2019 ; Travers et al., 2015 ; Schippers, 2017 ; Locke and Schippers, 2018 ).

Even so, thinking about how to attain a purpose in life via a process of life crafting can raise many questions. These include: what is the best way to set personal, self-congruent goals and start the process of life crafting? How does it work? Does the type of goal matter? Does the act of writing the goals down make a difference? Does it increase resourcefulness, self-efficacy, and self-regulation?

Research suggests that reflecting on and writing down personal goals is especially important in helping people to find purpose and live a fulfilling life ( King and Pennebaker, 1996 ; King, 2001 ), and that in general writing sessions longer than 15 min have larger effects ( Frattaroli, 2006 ). Indeed, the research on writing about life goals has been noted by Edwin Locke as a very important future development of goal-setting theory ( Locke, 2019 ). Recent research shows that goals need not be specific, as long as plans are, and that writing about life goals and plans in a structured way is especially effective ( Locke and Schippers, 2018 ; for a review see Morisano et al., 2010 ; Morisano, 2013 ; Schippers et al., 2015 ; Travers et al., 2015 ). As goal-relevant actions may be encouraged by embodied cognition, and embodied cognition has been related to (dynamic) self-regulation, this may be the process through which written goals lead to action (see Balcetis and Cole, 2009 ). Specifically, through the link between cognition and behavior, it can be seen as beneficial to write down intended actions as this will lay the path to act out the intended actions. The processing of the language facilitates the actions, as it consolidates the imagined actions ( Addis et al., 2007 ; Balcetis and Cole, 2009 ; Peters et al., 2010 ; Meevissen et al., 2011 ). It has been suggested that goal-relevant actions may be encouraged by embodied cognition, through the process of self-regulation ( Balcetis and Cole, 2009 ). Writing about actions one wants to take and very detailed experience in how it would feel to reach those goals, may make it much more likely for people to subtly change their behavior and actions into goal-relevant ones (e.g., looking for opportunities to reach ones goal, thinking more clearly if one wants to spend time on certain activities or not, etc.). Also, the writing can make sure that people realize the gap between actual and desired states regarding goals, and act as a starting point for self-regulatory actions (see King and Pennebaker, 1996 ). According to Karoly (1993 , p. 25), “The processes of self-regulation are initiated when routinized activity is impeded or when goal-directedness is otherwise made salient (e.g., the appearance of a challenge, the failure of habitual action patterns, etc.). Self-regulation may be said to encompass up to five interrelated and iterative component phases of (1) goal selection, (2) goal cognition, (3) directional maintenance, (4) directional change or reprioritization, and (5) goal termination.” We believe that the process of writing about self-concordant goals makes (1) the necessity of goal-directed action salient, (2) starts a process of embodied cognition and dynamic self-regulation, and (3) starts an upward spiral of goal-congruence, goal attainment, and (academic) performance. Dynamic self-regulation is needed in the context of multiple goal pursuits where people manage competing demands on time and resources ( Iran-Nejad and Chissom, 1992 ; Neal et al., 2017 ). In short, although goals are an important part of any intervention involving life crafting, the intervention and its effects are much broader. Such an intervention may be especially beneficial for college students, as it has been shown that students have lower goal-autonomy than their parents and parents reported higher levels of positive affect, lower levels of negative affect, as well as greater life-satisfaction ( Sheldon et al., 2006 ).

In the interventions to date, which have been mainly conducted with students, individuals write about their envisioned future life and describe how they think they can achieve this life, including their plans for how to overcome obstacles and monitor their goals (i.e., goal attainment plans or GAP; e.g., Schippers et al., 2015 ). Both goal setting and goal attainment plans have been shown to help people gain a direction or a sense of purpose in life. Research in the area of positive psychology explains that people with a purpose in life live longer, have a better immune system, and perform better, even when one controls for things such as lifestyle, personality, and other factors relating to longevity (for a review see Schippers, 2017 ). At the same time, it has been suggested that relatively small interventions can have a huge impact on people’s lives ( Walton, 2014 ). Writing about values, passion, and goals is an example of such an intervention, and we claim that having a purpose in life is fundamental and has ripple effects to all areas of life, including health, longevity, self-regulation, engagement, happiness, and performance ( Schippers, 2017 ).

In order to provide a stronger theoretical foundation for this claim, we will describe the development of a comprehensive evidence-based life-crafting intervention that can help people find a purpose in life. The intervention shows very specific actions people can take to fulfill that meaning. We start by assessing existing interventions aimed at setting personal goals and will explore the theoretical and evidence-based foundation for those interventions. After that, we describe what a life-crafting intervention should ideally look like. We end with various recommendations for to how to ensure that many people can profit from this intervention (see also Schippers et al., 2015 ).

Ikigai, Meaning in Life, and Life Crafting

The meaning of life used to be an elusive concept for scientists, but in the last couple of years much progress has been made in this area. According to Buettner and Skemp (2016) , ikigai—a Japanese term for purpose in life—was one of the reasons why people in certain areas of the world, known as “longevity hotspots,” had such long lives (see also Buettner, 2017 ). As our medical knowledge of longevity is increasing (e.g., Oeppen and Vaupel, 2002 ; Menec, 2003 ; Kontis et al., 2017 ), so too is our understanding of the associated psychological factors. These days, we have more knowledge of how people can live a meaningful life. Research has shown that ikigai, or purpose in life is related to increases in health and longevity across cultures, sexes, and age groups ( Sone et al., 2008 ; Boyle et al., 2009 ). This relationship has been found even when things such as lifestyle, positive relationships with others, and general affect were controlled for in the analyses ( Hill and Turiano, 2014 ). Note that, although a purpose in life sounds rather unclear or undefinable, people can derive a purpose in life from many different activities. It has been found that these activities can range from volunteering to giving social support to the elderly or even taking care of pets, and all of these have been shown to be related to an increase in happiness, better health outcomes, and greater longevity (for a review see McKnight and Kashdan, 2009 ). Indeed, in a study of 43,391 Japanese adults, it was found that, over a seven-year follow-up period, mortality was lower among those subjects who indicated that they had found a sense of ikigai or purpose in life (see also Sone et al., 2008 ; Schippers, 2017 ). Research among Japanese students has shown that enjoyable and effortful leisure pursuits can enhance student’s perception of ikigai. Ikigai was defined by the authors as “the subjective perceptions that one’s daily life is worth living and that it is full of energy and motivation” ( Kono et al., 2019 ). They also found that leisure activity participation, general satisfaction with leisure activities, and the positive evaluation of leisure experiences were related to higher perception of ikigai ( Kono, 2018 ; Kono and Walker, 2019 ). ( Martela and Steger, 2016 ) suggested that meaning in life has three components: coherence, purpose, and significance. They state that “meaning in life necessarily involves (1) people feeling that their lives matter, (2) making sense of their lives, and (3) determining a broader purpose for their lives” ( Martela and Steger, 2016 ). Also, Heintzelman et al. (2013) note that there are numerous positive physical and mental outcomes associated with self-reported meaning in life, such as health, occupational adjustment, adaptive coping, lower incidence of psychological disorders, slower age-related cognitive decline, and decreased mortality. Both the theory of ikigai and salutogenesis stress the coherence and purpose part, and other researchers have also picked up on these important elements (e.g., Urry et al., 2004 ; Martela and Steger, 2016 ). A review by Martela and Steger (2016) distinguished coherence, purpose, and significance as defining elements of meaning in life. Relatedly, theorizing around ikigai has shown that a sense of coherence develops around three distinct mechanisms, (1) valued experiences, (2) authentic relationships, and (3) directionality ( Kono, 2018 ).

Practically, the importance of happiness to cultures and nations across the world has been indicated clearly by the value placed on it by the United Nations (UN). In 2012, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commissioned the first World Happiness Report, ranking countries according to people’s level of happiness. The UN’s 2016 Sustainable Development Goals Report included the goal of ensuring sustainable social and economic progress worldwide. In the UN’s 2017 happiness report, “eudaimonia,” a sense of meaning or purpose in life similar to ikigai, is mentioned as an important factor. This is based on research showing the importance of eudaimonic well-being. Indeed a review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being concluded that autonomy and the integration of goals are important predictors of vitality and health ( Ryan and Deci, 2001 ; Huppert et al., 2004 ) see also ( Ryff, 2014 ). Self-determination theory, a macro theory of human motivation and personality, proposes that only self-endorsed goals will enhance well-being ( Ryan and Deci, 2000 ). This pattern of findings is congruent with the examples we started with (i.e., the self-endorsed goals of Schwarzenegger and the heteronomous goals of Brian) and has also been supported in cross-cultural research, showing that the autonomy of goal pursuit matters in collectivistic and individualistic cultures, and for males and females ( Hayamizu, 1997 ; Vallerand et al., 1997 ; Chirkov and Ryan, 2001 ; Ryan and Deci, 2001 ). As Ryan and Deci (2001 , p. 161) conclude: “It is clear that, as individuals pursue aims they find satisfying or pleasurable, they may create conditions that make more formidable the attainment of well-being by others. An important issue, therefore, concerns the extent to which factors that foster individual well-being can be aligned or made congruent with factors that facilitate wellness at collective or global levels.”

The above shows that finding a purpose in life can have far-reaching consequences for individual happiness and performance but also for the well-being and happiness of people around them ( Ryan and Deci, 2001 ). However, finding a purpose in life often requires a lengthy search, and some people never manage to find purpose in life ( Schippers, 2017 ). The developments in terms of ensuring people find their true passion and at the same time help make the world a better place coincide with exciting developments in the area of social psychology. Positive psychology, or the scientific study of human flourishing that aims to optimize human functioning within communities and organizations, has become very influential both within and outside the scientific community ( Gable and Haidt, 2005 ; Donaldson et al., 2015 ; Al Taher, 2019 ). It should be noted, however, that this area of study has also faced some criticism, as positive psychology behaviors such as forgiveness may not be functional in all contexts and circumstances ( McNulty and Fincham, 2012 ). Nevertheless, several studies have shown that human flourishing is related to mental and physical health (e.g., Park et al., 2016 ), and reviews and meta-analyses have shown that positive psychology interventions work in terms of improving well-being and (academic) performance ( Sin and Lyubomirsky, 2009 ; Durlak et al., 2011 ; Mongrain and Anselmo-Matthews, 2012 ; Waters, 2012 ). Thus, making sure that people receive positive psychology interventions, especially those relating to purpose in life, seems a viable and inexpensive way to help millions of people to have a better and healthier life ( Menec, 2003 ; Seligman et al., 2005 ). Personal goal setting and life crafting seem the best way forward in this respect.

Values, Passion, and Personal Goal Setting

Life choices can be seen as crucial turning points in someone’s existence. Yet, most people find it difficult to make such important decisions. In particular, young adults struggle with the important life decisions they are expected to make as they move into early adulthood ( Sloan, 2018 ). Recent research has shown that people with a purpose in life are less likely to experience regulatory issues during health decision-making and find it easier to make positive health-related lifestyle decisions ( Kang et al., 2019 ), and it may be especially important to find a purpose in life for young adults ( Schippers, 2017 ). Without such a purpose in life, a lot of time and energy is often “fretted away” on social media and on “busyness,” for instance ( Bruch and Ghoshal, 2002 , 2004 ; for a review see Schippers and Hogenes, 2011 ). At the same time, many people complain of having a lack of time, and it seems that it is more and more important to make conscious decisions on what to spend time on ( Menzies, 2005 ). Life crafting using a personal goal setting intervention seems an important prerequisite in making these decisions. While in the past goal-setting theory has always stressed the importance of specific measurable goals ( Locke and Latham, 2002 ), the act of writing about personal goals seems to be effective by defining very broad goals and linking these to specific goal-attainment plans. Research on the act of writing about personal goals started with Pennebaker’s research on traumatic writing ( Pennebaker, 1997 ; Pennebaker and Chung, 2011 ). It was shown that writing about traumatic events was related to a decrease in depression and an increase in mental health ( Gortner et al., 2006 ; Pennebaker and Chung, 2011 ). King (2001) suggested that future-oriented writing about one’s “best possible self” has a similar positive effect on an individual’s well-being, without the short-lived negative effect on mood that occurred after writing about traumatic events. Indeed, it has been shown that imagining one’s best possible self increases optimism and lowers depression (for a meta-analysis see Peters et al., 2010 ; Malouff and Schutte, 2017 ). Oyserman et al. (2006) found that a brief intervention that connected the positive “academic possible selves” of low-income minority high-school students with specific goal-attainment strategies improved their grades, standardized test scores, and moods.

Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who had survived the holocaust, used his experience to formulate a theory on the meaning of life. He concluded that life can have meaning even in the most impoverished circumstances ( Frankl, 1985 , 2014 ). This is interesting, since this also means that good conditions are not an absolute prerequisite for formulating a goal in life. In contrast, it seems that having a goal in life can make people more resilient in terms of surviving harsh conditions. Wong (2014) described the logotherapy developed by Frankl as consisting of five testable hypotheses, including the self-transcendence hypothesis, the ultimate meaning hypothesis, and the meaning mindset hypothesis. These predict among other things that belief in the intrinsic meaning and value of life, regardless of circumstances contributes to well-being, and that a “meaning mindset,” as compared to a “success mindset,” leads to greater eudaimonic happiness and resilience ( Wong, 2014 ). While this is important in terms of knowing what works for well-being and happiness, when people do not have a clear sense of purpose in life or know what they value in life and why, writing down their thoughts and formulating a strategy for their life is important. That does not have to be a lengthy process, but spending a few hours every couple of years might be enough (and is more than most people do).

People who keep searching for meaning without finding it, or who have conflicting goals, are often dissatisfied with themselves and their relationships ( Steger et al., 2009 ). It is quite natural that in earlier stages of their life, people are often still searching for a sense of purpose or meaning in life. However, as stated before, later in life the search for meaning is related to lower levels of well-being ( Steger et al., 2009 ). There is some evidence that having a sense of purpose is associated with organized goal structures and pursuit of goals and provides centrality in a person’s identity ( Emmons, 1999 ; McKnight and Kashdan, 2009 ). It is thus important that people start thinking about their purpose in life as early as possible and repeat this process at all stages of life when they feel they should readdress their goals, such as when going to college, starting a new job, etc.

Warding Off Anxiety and Having a Fulfilling Life—Two Side of the Same Coin?

Another line of research has focused on the role of purpose as a protective mechanism against various types of psychological threat, such as mortality salience, or the awareness of an individual that death is inevitable, causing existential anxiety (for a meta-analysis see Burke et al., 2010 ). These are anxiety-provoking experiences and are common for most people. Ways of coping include having a purpose in life and striving for and accomplishing goals as well as strengthening close relationships ( Pyszczynski et al., 2004 ; Hart, 2014 ). In line with this, research in the area of terror management has shown that self-esteem as well as a worldview that renders existence meaningful, coherent and permanent buffers against existential anxiety resulting from mortality salience ( Burke et al., 2010 ; Pyszczynski et al., 2015 ). Indeed, death reflection, a cognitive state in which people put their life in context and contemplate about meaning and purpose, as well as review how others will perceive them after they have passed ( Cozzolino et al., 2004 ), has been proposed as an important prerequisite for prosocial motivation sometimes influencing career decisions ( Grant and Wade-Benzoni, 2009 ). Reducing anxiety and living a fulfilling and meaningful life are two sides of the same coin, since having a purpose in life gives people the idea that their life will continue to have meaning, even after their death ( Ryan and Deci, 2004 ; McKnight and Kashdan, 2009 ).

The Science of Wise Interventions

Starting with the work of Kurt Lewin (e.g., Lewin, 1938 ), and after decades of research and testing, we now have a much better sense of what works and what does not in terms of psychological interventions. Most of these interventions aim to change behavior and improve people’s lives. In general, these work by changing people’s outlook on life: by giving them a sense of purpose. This is the basis of most interventions that also deal with coping with stressors and life transitions, for instance. Goal setting with the aim of formulating a purpose in life is one of the psychology’s most powerful interventions, and it has been shown that even a short and seemingly simple intervention can have profound effects ( Wilson, 2011 ; Walton, 2014 ). In his review, Walton (2014) describes the “new science of wise interventions”: precise interventions aimed at altering specific psychological processes that contribute to major social problems or prevent people from flourishing. These “wise” interventions are capable of producing significant benefits and do so over time ( Walton, 2014 ). These interventions are “psychologically precise, often brief, and often aim to alter self-reinforcing processes that unfold over time and, thus, to improve people’s outcomes in diverse circumstances and long into the future” ( Walton, 2014 , p. 74). Writing down personal goals in a guided writing exercise seems to constitute such an intervention.

How and Why Does It Work?

Narrative writing has been shown to help people in transition phases cope with life stressors ( Pennebaker et al., 1990 ). Students writing about their thoughts and feelings about entering college showed better health outcomes and improved their grades more significantly than students in a control condition. Also, the experimental group had less home-sickness and anxiety 2–3 months after the writing exercise.

Locke (2019) notes that “…writing about goals in an academic setting for two hours or more would connect with grade goals by implication even if the students did not mention them. The writing process would presumably have motivated them to generalize, to think about what they wanted to achieve in many aspects of their lives and encouraged commitment to purposeful action in more domains than were mentioned” (p. 3). On the same page, he also states that “The above issues could occupy interested researchers for many years.”

Broaden-and-build theory suggests that thinking about an idealized future will be associated with positive thoughts about this future, leading to increased levels of self-regulation, resilience, self-efficacy, and in turn engagement (e.g., Tugade et al., 2004 ; Tugade and Fredrickson, 2004 ; Ceja and Navarro, 2009 ; Fay and Sonnentag, 2012 ). Self-regulation is defined as “self-generated thoughts, feelings, and actions that are planned and cyclically related to the attainment of personal goals” ( Boekaerts et al., 2005 , p. 14). Many authors contend that goal setting enhances self-regulation and agree that this is the mechanism by which goals are related to action ( Latham and Locke, 1991 ; Oettingen et al., 2000 ; Hoyle and Sherrill, 2006 ).

Next to this, the intervention itself may be a form of embodied writing, an act of embodiment, entwining in words our senses with the senses of the world ( Anderson, 2001 ), stimulating what has been written down to act out in real life. However, theorizing around embodied writing and the act of writing as a form of embodied cognition is still in an embryonic stage. Especially research around the effect on writing on our daily actions is lacking in evidence. There is plenty of evidence that these small, written interventions have an effect and can even play a role in redirecting people (e.g., Wilson, 2011 ) and that these interventions can have a powerful effects in terms of behavioral change ( Yeager and Walton, 2011 ; Walton, 2014 ). At the same time, it should be noted that these psychological interventions are powerful but context-dependent tools that should not be seen as quick fixes ( Yeager and Walton, 2011 ). However, in the intervention described in the current paper, people are asked to think about their deepest feelings and motivations and write them down, and embodied cognition may very well play a role in the upward spiral resulting from such an intervention.

Goal Domain

An important discussion in the literature is whether having a self-serving purpose ( hedonistic , focused on attainment of pleasure and avoidance of pain) or one that is oriented toward helping others ( eudaimonic , focused on meaning and self-realization) is more beneficial for happiness ( Ryan and Deci, 2001 ; Keyes et al., 2002 ). Hedonistic and eudaimonic well-being seem to represent two different kinds of happiness ( Kashdan et al., 2008 ). Although recent research has confirmed that both are related to well-being ( Henderson et al., 2013 ), it is also conceivable that a purely hedonistic lifestyle may be unrelated to psychological well-being in the long run (see Huppert et al., 2004 ; Anić and Tončić, 2013 ; Baumeister et al., 2013 ). According to Schippers (2017 , p. 21), “prior research has shown that altruistic goals may be particularly helpful in terms of optimizing happiness. Studies on ‘random acts of kindness’—selfless acts to help or cheer up other people—have shown that these acts strengthen the well-being at least of the person performing that act ( Otake et al., 2006 ; Nelson et al., 2016 ).” Other research has shown that helping others is better for one’s well-being than giving oneself treats ( Nelson et al., 2016 ). A study by ( Steger et al., 2008a ) suggested that “doing good” may be an important avenue by which people create meaningful and satisfying lives. Also, it has been found that pursuing happiness through social engagement is related to higher well-being ( Ford et al., 2015 ).

Toward an Integrated Life-Crafting Intervention

The elements discussed above provide the context for developing a potentially effective life-crafting intervention. Although most agree that describing an ideal vision of the future would be a key element of such an intervention, below we identify other elements that should be included, whether the intervention is designed to improve well-being, happiness, performance, or all of these. According to McKnight and Kashdan (2009) , “the creation of goals consistent with one’s purpose may be critical to differentiating between real purpose and illusory purpose” (p. 249). Recent research also showed that it is better to have no calling than an unfulfilled calling (see Berg et al., 2010 ; Gazica and Spector, 2015 ), making it also a boundary condition that people follow through on this. The importance of following through was shown in a 15-week study aimed at finding out whether engaging in trait-typical behaviors predicted trait change ( Hudson et al., 2018 ). In this study, students provided self-report ratings of their personality and were required to complete weekly “challenges”—prewritten behavioral goals (e.g., “Before you go to bed, reflect on a positive social experience you had during the day and what you liked about it”). These challenges were aimed at aligning their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with their desired traits (in case of the example this was extraversion). Importantly, results indicated that the mere acceptance of challenges was unrelated to trait changes. Only actually completing the challenges and performing these behaviors predicted trait change ( Hudson et al., 2018 ). This may also hold true for the intervention described below and may be an important boundary condition. Although we have not found any negative effects of the intervention so far, theoretically it is possible that students formulate an “unanswered calling” which may impact happiness, well-being, and performance negatively. So far, only one study did not find the positive effects of a goal-setting intervention on academic outcomes ( Dobronyi et al., 2019 ). This might indicate that for some groups (in this case economy students) the (brief) intervention is not effective in bringing about behavioral change and increasing academic achievement. Other studies showed a positive effect among management students ( Schippers et al., 2015 ) and self-nominated struggling students ( Morisano et al., 2010 ).

Below we provide broad outlines of one such evidence-based intervention, having first set out in brief the case for this particular intervention. Aligning itself to the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs), which relate to economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection ( Stafford-Smith et al., 2017 ), Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) changed its mission to being a force for positive change in the world ( Rood, 2019 ). As RSM is educating future leaders, in 2011, it introduced a goal-setting intervention so that first-year students could reflect on their personal goals and values. This is a three-stage intervention. In the first part, students write about their values and wishes as well as their ideal life and the life they wish to avoid, and in the second, they describe their specific goals and goal plans. The third part involves a photoshoot with a professional photographer, where students formulate a statement starting with “I WILL…,” (e.g., I WILL pursue my goal, I WILL inspire and facilitate sustainable development, I WILL create healthier businesses for a healthier world, and I WILL lead by example and inspire others to reach their goals). 1 This statement and the photo are then put on social media and displayed throughout the school.

The evidence-based goal-setting intervention has had a positive effect on study success, as has been shown by higher academic achievement and decreased dropout rates ( Locke et al., 2014 ; Locke and Schippers, 2018 ). This was particularly true for ethnic minority and male students, who had underperformed in previous years ( Schippers et al., 2015 ; for an elaborate description of the intervention see the supplementary material). In the meantime, plans have been made to make sure that the intervention is an integral part of the curriculum, so that students will develop skills for self-management and management of others and will consider what impact they can have on the world.

Elements of the Life-Crafting Intervention

Although developed for students, this intervention could also be useful for people who wish to discover a meaning in life and write down their goals. In the first part of this intervention, people discover what is important to them in all areas of life and write about what they feel passionate about. While this part is aimed at making sure they discover their values and passions, the second part is designed to enable them to put those values and passions into a number of goals and to ensure they formulate plans and back-up plans for achieving those goals ( Schippers et al., 2015 ). In terms of the intervention in this paper, the practical questions that address these issues are shown in section 3 of Table 1 .

Elements and description of a life-crafting intervention.

Discovering Values and Passion

Discovering one’s passion has two sides: Doing what you “like” is often said to be important, but it seems that discovering what you find “important” is more helpful in igniting passion, as this is more values-based and will contribute to self-concordance ( Sheldon and Houser-Marko, 2001 ; Ryff and Singer, 2008 ). Recent research (e.g., Jachimowicz et al., 2017 ) has shown that it is important that people pursue a career that is in line with what they find to be “important,” rather than engaging in activities that they “like”; it found that those who engaged in activities that they liked (feelings-oriented mindset) exhibited less passion than those who engaged in activities that they thought were important (values-oriented mindset). Thus, while it is important that people discover what they feel passionate about, ideally this passion should also be aligned with values that they hold dear, such as collaboration, equality, and honesty ( Sheldon, 2002 ).

There is, however, also a difference between harmonious and obsessive passion (for a meta-analysis, see Vallerand et al., 2003 ; Curran et al., 2015 ). People with an obsessive work passion experience more conflict between work and other areas of life, and work is more related to their self-worth ( Vallerand et al., 2003 ). Harmonious passion was shown to be related to positive outcomes such as flow and enhanced performance, whereas obsessive passion was related more to negative outcomes, such as excessive rumination and decreased vitality ( Curran et al., 2015 ). Discovering a (harmonious) passion is not always easy.

In a life-crafting intervention, questions on this area could be similar to those listed in section 1 of Table 1 , involving also life style choices. In particular, choosing a lifestyle that involves physical activity seems to be a powerful way not only to increase self-regulation and self-control (for a review see Baumeister et al., 2006 ; Oaten and Cheng, 2006 ), but also to prevent mental illness, foster positive emotions, buffer individuals against the stresses of life, and help people thrive when they have experienced adversity ( Faulkner et al., 2015 , p. 207).

Gap Between Current Versus Future State: Current and Desired Competencies and Habits

In order to achieve a match between values and passion, it is important to become aware of one’s current habits and competencies as a first step in changing/adapting (cf., Schippers et al., 2014 ). Being aware of the habits you would like to change is important in promoting positive behavioral change ( Holland et al., 2006 ; Graybiel and Smith, 2014 ). Since most of our daily behavior is habitual, and this is usually functional in that it allows us to perform many tasks with minimum cognitive effort, but this same mechanism also makes habits hard to break ( Jager, 2003 ). Being aware of our habits and reflecting on them can be a first step in breaking them ( Schippers and Hogenes, 2011 ; Schippers et al., 2014 ); implementation intentions (i.e., if-then plans: “If situation Y is encountered, then I will initiate goal-directed behavior X!”) have also been shown to help in breaking old habits and forming new ones ( Holland et al., 2006 ). Many people have habits they would like to change (relating, for example, to eating behaviors, physical health, or substance use). However, it has been shown that the effect of good intentions such as New Year’s resolutions is very minimal ( Marlatt and Kaplan, 1972 ; Pope et al., 2014 ) and that it is the extent to which people have self-concordant goals, coupled with implementation intentions, that leads to successful changes in behavior ( Mischel, 1996 ; Koestner et al., 2002 ). Self-concordant goals are personal goals that are pursued out of intrinsic interest and are also congruent with people’s identity. Research has shown that if people pursue goals because they align with their own values and interests, rather than because others urge them to pursue them, they typically exhibit greater well-being ( Sheldon and Houser-Marko, 2001 ). This was shown to be true across many cultures ( Sheldon et al., 2004 ). In a life-crafting intervention, questions on this area could be similar to those listed in section 2 of Table 1 .

Present and Future Social Life

Research shows that people with a strong social network live longer and are healthier and happier ( Demir et al., 2015 ; Haslam et al., 2016 ). This network does not necessarily have to be very big, and it seems that, as one grows older, the quality of the relationships in this network becomes more important than the quantity ( Carmichael et al., 2015 ). Recent research places more emphasis on the quality of relationships, specifically showing that quality in terms of the social and emotional dimensions of relationships is related to mental well-being ( Hyland et al., 2019 ). The quality of the network has also been shown to be helpful during a transition to college ( Pittman and Richmond, 2008 ). Although at first sight it may seem odd to think about what kind of acquaintances and friends one would like to have, it may pay off to think about this carefully. Certain kinds of relationships, so called high-maintenance relationships, require a lot of time and energy ( Schippers and Hogenes, 2011 ; Fedigan, 2017 ) and often are characterized by negative interactions that can even influence self-regulation ( Finkel et al., 2006 ). It seems important that in general people seek out interaction with others who are supportive and from which they receive energy rather than those that cost energy. In a life-crafting intervention, questions on this area could be similar to those listed in section 3 of Table 1 . Practical questions in the intervention in this respect could be: think about your current friends and acquaintances. What kind of relationships energize you? What kind of relationships require energy? Why is that? What kind of friends and acquaintances do you need? What kind of friends and acquaintances would you like to have in the future? What does your ideal family life and broader social life look like?

Future Life: Career

Work is an important part of life. For many it is important to have a job that suits them, and a job which they feel passionate about and from which they can get energy (see Werner et al., 2016 ; Downes et al., 2017 ). However, research on mental illness prevails the literature in occupational health psychology, despite a call for a shift toward more research into positive psychology as antipode for work-related health problems such as job burnout. Especially in times where employees are required to be proactive and responsible for their own professional development, and to commit to high quality performance standards, it is important to think about activities that energize people and make them feel engaged with their work ( Bakker et al., 2008 ; Schippers and Hogenes, 2011 ). Relatedly, research on job crafting shows that people can actively enhance the personal meaning of their work and make it more enjoyable by changing cognitive, task, or relational aspects to shape interactions and relationships with others at work ( Wrzesniewski and Dutton, 2001 ). Consequently, it is not always the job itself but the meaning you give to it that is important ( Demerouti et al., 2015 ). It is also important to think about when and where you do each particular task, in order to manage your daily energy ( Wessels et al., 2019 ).

It should be noted, however, that it is also important to see work in relation to other areas of life. Christensen (2010) noted that many of his contemporaries ended up working 70-h working weeks and also were often divorced and estranged from their children over time. They could not imagine that this end result was a deliberate choice, so it seems important to choose the kind of person you want to become not only in your career but also in other areas of life ( Christensen, 2010 ). This also means making strategic decisions about how to allocate your time and energy, instead of letting daily hassles make these decisions for you ( Christensen, 2017 ). In a life-crafting intervention, participants could be asked to think about what they would ideally like to do in their job, and what kinds of people they might be working with, either directly or indirectly. They could be asked to reflect on their education and their career, and to consider what they feel to be important in a job and what their ideal colleagues would be like. The questions would thus be similar in nature to those shown in section 4 of Table 1 .

Of course, some people choose a job that they do not necessarily like a lot but then make sure their leisure time is filled with meaningful activities ( Berg et al., 2010 ), and leisure crafting has been shown to make up to a certain extent for having few opportunities for job crafting. So weighing up the balance between work life and leisure activities and making conscious decisions in this respect seems very important.

Key Element: Ideal Future Versus Future If You Do Not Take Action

As people are able to think about and fantasize a future ( Oettingen et al., 2018 ), it is key that the future they envisage is one that is attractive to them. Likewise it is vital they formulate plans of how to achieve their desired future (implementation intentions) and contrast this in their minds with an undesired future ( Oettingen and Gollwitzer, 2010 ; Oettingen et al., 2013 ). In a university context, and more generally in order to stay engaged, it is important that people choose goals that are self-concordant. It has been shown that if people formulate such goals implicitly by visualizing their best possible self, this can be very powerful and has a stronger effect on well-being than exercises such as gratitude letters ( Sheldon and Lyubomirsky, 2006 ). Other research has shown that writing about the best possible self in three domains—personal, relational, and professional—leads to increased optimism ( Meevissen et al., 2011 ). A meta-analysis showed that best possible self was a particularly powerful intervention in terms of enhancing optimism ( Malouff and Schutte, 2017 ). If this optimism is also turned into concrete plans for the future, there is an increased chance that this positive envisioned future will become a reality (cf., Schippers et al., 2015 ).

Based on the theorizing above, it should be stressed that in the intervention students formulate goals that they find important, not ones that others (parents, peers, or friends) find important or that are pursued solely for reasons of status. In the instructions in the intervention, the students are advised to choose goals that they think are important and want to pursue and not to choose goals that others (parents, peers, and friends) think are important. Otherwise, they will live someone else’s life. In order to make sure that they do not choose goals that will be detrimental to themselves or others, they are also advised to not describe an ideal life that includes harming themselves or others.

Additionally, it is also important that people imagine the future they are likely to face if they do not do anything . This represents a goal-framing effect, or the finding that people are more likely to take action when they are confronted with the possible consequences of not doing so ( Tversky and Kahneman, 1981 ). It might be useful to ask participants to visualize both a desirable and an undesirable future and to get them to contrast the two (see Oettingen, 2012 ; Brodersen and Oettingen, 2017 ). This would be a form of “metacognitive self-regulatory strategy of goal pursuit” ( Duckworth et al., 2013 , p. 745; cf. Schippers et al., 2013 ; see also Schippers et al., 2015 ). Other research has shown that positive “deliberate mental time travel” (or MTT) was related to a significant increase in happiness but not when the MTT was negative or neutral. However, neutral MTT was related to a reduction in stress ( Quoidbach et al., 2009 ). In the intervention (see also Table 1 , section 5), participants are asked what their future would look like if they did not change anything. What would their life look like 5–10 years down the road?

Goal Attainment Plans

After finishing the elements as described above, it is important for intervention participants to formulate concrete goals and plans. In the meta-analysis undertaken by Koestner et al. (2002) , it was concluded that it is important for personal goal setting to be combined with if-then plans. Self-concordance—the feeling that people pursue goals because they fit with their own values and interests—and goal attainment plans are important for goal progress ( Locke and Schippers, 2018 ). Since the rewards that come from achieving a significant life goal are often attained in the future, it is important to formulate concrete goals and also to identify the small steps toward them (see Trope and Liberman, 2003 ). While the first part of the student intervention is aimed at discovering their passions and ideas about their ideal life, the second part is much more concrete and follows the steps set out in research on goal setting, SMART goals, and if-then plans ( Oettingen et al., 2013 , 2018 ). The idea is that by making concrete plans and identifying obstacles (if-then plans), people are better able to visualize their desired future and will be less tempted to engage in activities that distract them from their goal ( Mischel, 1996 ; Mischel and Ayduk, 2004 ).

In this part of the intervention, ideally any obstacles to the plans will also be identified. In addition to the research on mental contrasting, which generally indicates that one should visualize both the goal and the obstacles to it (e.g., Sevincer et al., 2017 ), it is important that one should also visualize a way of overcoming those obstacles. This may be a vital element, as research has shown that mental contrasting works best for people who are very confident about succeeding ( Sevincer et al., 2017 ). The elements are outlined in Table 1 , section 6. The idea is that, based on what participants write when describing their ideal future, they then identify a number of goals (usually about six to eight), which could be personal, career, and/or social goals (e.g., Morisano et al., 2010 ; Schippers et al., 2015 ; Locke and Schippers, 2018 ). As detailed implementation plans have been shown to aid progress toward goals ( Gollwitzer, 1996 ), it is vital for participants to set down a detailed strategy for how they will achieve their goals. This part of the intervention asks participants about their motivations for their goals and gets them to consider the personal and social impact of those goals. They should also be asked to identify potential obstacles and how to overcome them and monitor progress toward the goals they have set. Participants should be instructed to be specific and concrete—for instance, to write down things that they will do weekly or daily to further their goals ( Morisano et al., 2010 ; Schippers et al., 2015 ). It may also be useful to get participants to make a concrete plan of action for the upcoming week and to make them specify for each day the hours they will spend working on the goal they have in mind.

Public Commitment

In this part of the intervention, participants can either write down a number of goals and make them public (read them out to others) or have a photo taken to accompany a public (“I WILL…”) statement, as was the case in the RSM intervention (see the examples mentioned earlier). Prior research has found that public commitment can enhance goal attainment ( Hollenbeck et al., 1989 ). This part seems to be related to enhanced commitment to goals as a result of self-presentation ( Schienker et al., 1994 ). Shaun Tomson, a former surfing champion and inspirational speaker, invites audiences to come up with goals and 12 lines, all starting with: “I will…” These lines are spoken aloud in a group as a form of public commitment ( Tomson and Moser, 2013 ). This makes it more likely that people will be more self-regulating toward goal-attainment and will put more effort into reaching their goals, especially if they are highly committed to reaching this goal ( McCaul et al., 1987 ).

Formulating clear goals has been shown to contribute to student well-being and academic success ( Morisano et al., 2010 ; Schippers et al., 2015 , 2019 ; Locke and Schippers, 2018 ). However, this has been often neglected in education and work settings resulting in a lack of evidence based tools. The effects of goal setting on the well-being of students have hardly been tested. Recently, calls have been made for positive psychology interventions to be made part of the educational curriculum in order to teach students life skills and to combat the rising number of mental health problems such as depression (e.g., Clonan et al., 2004 ; Seligman et al., 2009 ; Schippers, 2017 ).

Informed by the theoretical frameworks of salutogenesis, embodied cognition, dynamic self-regulation, and goal-setting theory, in this paper, we outlined a life-crafting intervention in which participants complete a series of online writing exercises using expressive writing to shape their ideal future. Important elements of such an intervention that were covered are: (1) discovering values and passion, (2) reflecting on current and desired competencies and habits, (3) reflecting on present and future social life and (4) future career, (5) writing about the ideal future, (6) goal attainment plans, and finally (7) public commitment to goals.

The idea is to use the fantasized ideal future to deduce goals and formulate a strategy to reach these goals. Finally, participants commit to their intentions by having a photo taken to accompany their goal statement, which is then made public. We described the key elements of this intervention and outlined the theoretical rationale for each of these elements. As previous research has shown that developing life skills, such as being able to set goals and make plans to achieve them (i.e., goal setting), increases the resilience, well-being, and study success of students ( Schippers et al., 2015 , 2019 ; Locke and Schippers, 2018 ), it may be important to make this intervention available to a wider population.

Future Research and Developments

As research shows that students in higher education are increasingly experiencing psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, and burn-out ( Gilchrist, 2003 ; Snyder et al., 2016 ), an add-on to the goal-setting program as described above is recommended. Rapid developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), especially areas such as emotion recognition, natural language processing, and machine learning have great potential to aid students experiencing study-related mental health problems ( Kavakli et al., 2012 ; Oh et al., 2017 ). For example, a goal-setting exercise could be enhanced by incorporating a digital coach in the form of a goal-setting chatbot. With this type of intervention, students are given immediate, personalized feedback after their writing assignments. After two longer writing assignments, which are part of the curriculum, the chatbot can help students to by asking questions on specific topics ( Fulmer et al., 2018 ). For instance, through personalized questions and feedback the chatbot could stimulate students to regularly reflect on their progress toward reaching a certain goal (“Did I invest enough time into my goals? What could I do to improve this? Which smaller sub-goals could help me to achieve my objective? What obstacles do I face? What ways do I see to overcome them?”). Depending on the answers the chatbot could also provide the students with different strategies. In addition, the chatbot can remind students of their goals and objectives during the year.

The expectation is that this addition to the intervention will allow students to reflect better on their own goals, so that a positive effect on student well-being can be expected and more serious problems can be prevented. What is also innovative is that the chatbot can ask additional questions about the students’ well-being. This gives the chatbot an important role in identifying possible problems. For students who have no problems or whose problems are minor, setting goals and receiving online feedback and coaching will be sufficient. In cases of more severe problems, the chatbot can offer more intensive coaching, or can refer them to the university’s psychological support or other professional services if necessary. In summary, the chatbot could provide a better connection between goal setting and the needs of the individual student and could help to integrate the life-crafting intervention into early stages of students’ academic career and can also deliver mental health care for students. Moreover, it could help integrate the life-crafting intervention with interactional forms of mental health care provided by the chatbot, thereby possibly increasing its effectiveness. In addition, goal diaries might form a way to provide insights into whether students are able to achieve important goals. Such diaries could also be used to assess their level of happiness and well-being and might be easily integrated into the interaction with the chatbot.

Next to examining how promising the intervention is in terms of its effects on students, future research could look at the effects of the life-crafting intervention in organizations. Prior research has shown that the effects from positive psychology interventions in organizations are promising ( Meyers et al., 2012 ). The relationship between different areas of life and decision making with regard to how to spend one’s time seems to be key ( Menzies, 2005 ; Schippers and Hogenes, 2011 ). Researchers could also examine what role life crafting might play at the team level.

Despite the obvious upside of experiencing meaning in life and having life goals as described in this paper, many people have difficulty choosing between the seemingly endless number of possibilities. The good news is that it is in principle never too late to find a purpose in life, although recent research suggests that it may be most beneficial to find a direction in life earlier rather than later (see Steger et al., 2009 ; Bundick, 2011 ; Hill and Turiano, 2014 ). It seems that interventions of the kind we have described above may be particularly helpful when one is entering into a new phase of life, such as when starting one’s study or just before entering the job market (see Kashdan and Steger, 2007 ).

The problem so far has been that most interventions are not easily taken to scale (for an exception see Schippers et al., 2015 ). Given the relatively low amount of costs and administrative work that the implementation of the outlined life crafting intervention entails, especially when compared to the potential benefits, we recommend its inclusion in student’s curriculums. Getting many (young) people to take part in an online life crafting intervention may be an important step in achieving not only higher academic performance, but also better well-being, happiness, health, and greater longevity (see Schippers et al., 2015 ). Using technology to assist with life crafting via a goal-setting intervention seems to be a particularly promising avenue as this is an approach that can be easily scaled up. Ideally then, these scalable and affordable interventions should not be regarded as an extra-curricular activity; it would be advisable to make them a formal part of the curriculum for all students. In a work context, employees could also benefit as this type of activity might be something that companies could easily offer. In short, life-crafting is about (1) finding out what you stand for (i.e., values and passions), (2) finding out how to make it happen (i.e., goal-attainment plans), and (3) telling someone about your plans (i.e., public commitment). Concluding, it seems that life crafting is about taking control of one’s life and finding purpose. Based on recent findings, it would be well-advised for many of us to carve out time to do an evidence-based life-crafting intervention.

Author Contributions

MS has written the draft of the manuscript. NZ provided important intellectual input at all stages and helped to develop, review, and revise the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the members of the Erasmus Centre for Study and Career Success ( https://www.erim.eur.nl/erasmus-centre-for-study-and-career-success/ ) and Christina Wessels for their useful comments on an earlier version of this paper.

1 see https://www.rsm.nl/iwilleveryone/ .

A student, participating in the intervention, described its effect on him as follows (see also Singeling, 2017 ).

“I studied, or at least I attempted to study, a lot of different things before I came here. But usually I stopped halfway through. And then I ended up here and I liked the courses well enough, but once again it was completely unplanned. I came here because, well, it was expected of me to finish some kind of university course.

When I got here, and all the “I WILL” stuff [life crafting/goal setting] happened, I thought it was a complete and utter joke. I thought: who needs this kind of stuff? Between the second and the third [trimester], so towards the end of the second really, I started to realize that: you know those silly goals I put down? I’m actually close to completing some of those. That got me inspired to apply for the position of mentor for the BA business skills course. And in the third year, for my minor, I took a teaching class. A few of my students who started off basically slacking through everything, they are taking their assignments more seriously. Instead of doing everything the evening beforehand, they are dedicating a week beforehand. It’s tiny steps, but they are tiny steps that would not have happened without the goal setting.

Quite simply, I’m proud of the things that I have been doing, such as teaching, and I’m proud that it came through goal setting. It’s why in the end I have changed my I WILL statement: “I will help the next generation to be better.”

From this extract, it can be seen that the intervention seemed to inspire the student to be clearer about his goals, to dedicate time to them, and also to use them to help other students. Furthermore, it serves to illustrate the concept of an upward spiral ( Sheldon and Houser-Marko, 2001 ; Sekerka et al., 2012 ), where trough tiny steps (starting to study for an exam earlier) goals are attained.

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