When did the word "research" (n.) acquire the sense of "looking up a few things" alongside the meaning of "a major investigation designed to advance knowledge"?

lanfranco

From an academic standpoint: probably once the Internet made "looking up a few things" the gold standard for finding out the answer to a question for most people. Both high school and college students these days seem to think that reading through a few online sites constitutes "research." In fact, quite recently, I read about a professor at an elite university who, after she handed out the syllabus for a course, was told quite firmly by one student that "We don't read whole books anymore." After all, the Internet is quick, you can peruse it from your own home or dorm room. Why should "research" require anything more? Why hang out in a dusty library, figuring out the call numbers? And, I have to admit, despite my own training, I find myself using the word "research" more and more often when what I'm really talking about is just getting a quick, online, answer to a question about what happened when -- as in "I'll have to research that." Mar 29 06, 5:24 PM

bloomsby

Thanks for confirming my worst suspicions and YAY, YAY, YAY! Oh, what a state of affairs! Mar 29 06, 5:29 PM