What do we mean by issues?
Issues are defined as “a vital or unsettled matter” by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. They are problems that affect your life in some way. For example, there are economic issues that are related to unemployment, slow growing wages and rising healthcare costs. There are environmental issues like pollution, deforestation, and the loss of biodiversity. Then there are local issues that combine topics from the previous examples.
Why is learning about different issues important?
Different issues will have differing impacts. Some will affect individuals while others can cause the world to crumble. Researching issues allows you to better understand the problem and how it affects people. It will also teach you to think more about the impact you have on society.
Why research on some issues?
Scientists, politicians, data analysts, economists, doctors, and activists are only a few examples of people who research issues. They do this to have a better understanding of the causes of the issue and how it will affect people in the future.
How to start your own research
There are two easy ways people do research. One way is to look at previous information through articles and past research papers. Find reliable sources on the internet by seeing if the website is backed by a trusted institution (Harvard, New York Times, John Hopkins Hospital) and that the author is named. The other way is to ask people about these issues. It can be as simple as creating a survey to gather information on the people affected by an issue. Something more advanced would be interviewing someone studying the issue in a laboratory and is an expert in the field. There are many different ways to do research.
Learn some strategies of conducting research
There are different ways to research issues. The first step is to observe the world around you and create questions. You notice that the park is dirty so you ask yourself “why is it dirty?” Then you can ask people about the problem. There are two ways to do this. One is by creating a survey and having people fill it out. The second is by interviewing people who know more about the problem. You can also choose to start researching the issue by looking for books or online resources to find more information. If you visit a library, a librarian can help you find the resources to learn more about the issue. If you use Google to research the issue, make sure to use trustworthy sources by checking if the website is backed by a trusted organization and that the author is named.
Prompt: How might you use research?