This is an article that I posted on Medium and, thus far, has been of use to a number of people.

To those who seek intelligence, who value knowledge, reading research content is common sense. Yet many do not know where to begin. Often, people have issues that impact their daily lives and yet they do nothing to alter it.

By its very nature, the research industry is clouded in secrecy. Very few even know about most of the work that is being done. Research that becomes common knowledge, leaked intelligence without the right legally reinforced release documentation, loses its value.

Name a subject in your mind. Now — think of a question concerning it. The chances are, that question has likely been asked by others. There is probably research and freely available papers that hold a vast amount of knowledge, regarding any topic of interest.

HYPOTHETICAL STEPS:

1 — You come up with a problem, challenging scenario or general interest.

2 — Search the current research, using the likes of Google Scholar.

— Most papers can be found online for free.

3 — Scan the paper for the required intelligence.

NOTE: You don’t have to read the entire paper. I have another article on how to extract intelligence from a paper - See Menu.

4 — Take note of the knowledge that you have gained.

— Write it down, in a rephrased form that you understand.

5 — Apply the intelligence to your life.

AWARENESS:

This article is to spread awareness of such knowledge and how to apply it to your everyday life.

When there is so much spent on the pursuit of knowledge, why should everyday people not utilise it? Many feel intimidated, especially if they are not from an academic background. No one should feel this way.

Yet, with a little effort, anyone at all can process research papers and take the intelligence contained. The application of such a technique can change any life drastically.

If you need help, in regards to processing research papers, I have an article aimed at simplification of academic research, which I will link below.

I have a genuine drive and aim to help people and promote the utilisation of intelligence.

ME & MY LIFE:

I have a decent educational history. A Bachelors and Masters from two of the UK’s leading institutes.

However, my own research through academic papers is likely more informative than my education. My own study has benefited my life more than that of 2 structured degree programmes.

Imagine you are developing a new phone, for example. You spend years of time and millions in monetary value, only for the media to leak the intellectual material. In this case, there is still value…luckily. Technically, therelease of just the right amount of details can work in favour of the owner of the intellectual property.

Yet, when it comes to purely intellectual findings, knowledge is indeed power…and valuable.

MORE THAN JUST ‘A SCHOOL’:

Having worked for a number of universities, I have seen behind the ‘curtain’ and discovered the huge businesses that they are. Student fees, course costs, and international studentships — they are little in comparison to the intellectual property that is being produced.

A good way to think of the R&D industry is to think of any great scientific discovery. How about the medical industry and the discovery of so much life-saving and enhancing research? We can’t put a value on some of the discoveries; they are so great, given the amount of lives that are altered andimproved.

Many people do not realise that so much research and hard work is being done, hidden from the world… metaphorically. This industry touches the life of every person, in every country, and from every background.

The R&D industry can be thought of as a series of cogs that fuel every other sector.

Any large organisation or business invests in some form of research. Perhaps it’s their target audience, the industry market and how to optimise their work productivity. Or maybe it’s the development of a new technology and how it could impact the given industry.

Even theoretical research, epiphanies of the philosophical world, has great value. Depending on the quality of the method and findings, research can alter how we see the world, the societal factors we encounter daily, and the future of the human race.

Findings are filtered down into the industries and subjects. They alter that which is taught to the next generation to aid and promote the future growthof humans.

YOUR FUTURE & APPLICATION:

I don’t want the reader of this content to leave this article having gained nothing. My motivation for writing this is to genuinely aid YOU and your life. I know that my life has been enhanced by my utilisation of research. You may think that it only applies to academia. This is not true.

If you have a current interest in your thoughts, or when you next come across an issue that could be resolved with a little knowledge — take action. Get up Google Scholar and type in what you want to know.

If this isn’t something you have done before, you will be amazed. There are papers on literally everything. It’s surprising that there is funding available for some of the topics…but I guess a little variety never hurt.

If you are pondering an issue, chances are that someone else has been in the same situation. After all, humans are a collective, and we have many similar thought patterns and processes. This is how research questions begin.

Yet…we are also highly individual. Partly due to what we know, what we have learnt, and how we apply it to our everyday lives.

I have friends who have taken this advice. They apply it to their lives and genuinely are more intelligent in their lives than people I know with PhDs. So many educated people, those who haven’t seen beyond the student facet of the institute of choice, leave their utilisation of research when they graduate.

Intelligence is when a human can go forward in life with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. If you can’t apply that which you have learnt, even if you have the best education in the world, it is all useless.

The good thing about utilising research is that, by searching for it, you havea genuine desire. The education system often requires the learning of that in which the learner has no interest. Therefore, they do not take in what they should. When you have the drive and desire for knowledge, when you know what you want, it all becomes easy.

So, next time you have an issue — take this article as a call to action.

Keywords: 

#knowledge #intelligence #research #enhance #improve #optimise #self-help #power #life #skills #academic