Research Authority

Recently, I was asked to give a short presentation on the importance of research, specifically on the topic of ‘authority’.  I’m pretty accustomed to presenting my own research, but this is the first time I was asked to get meta when it comes to research itself.  I have a personal rule to accept presentation invites whenever realistically possible; I find it keeps me out of my comfort zone and allows me to delve into new ideas and situations that push me to think about things from a different perspective.  

I never really thought about the importance of research beyond why it’s important to me, the prime reason being that I really enjoy learning.  I also haven’t given much thought to what counts as an authority.  Maybe they asked the wrong person to speak on this topic?

Nonetheless, I agreed to give the talk to a group of undergraduates, and this is how it went!

There are different ways to approach the topic of ‘Authority’ in research.  We could consider what counts as an authority, and we could consider what it takes to become an authority.  Regarding the former, there are certain markers that are generally accepted as trustworthy.

Professional Journal publications generally have a rigorous vetting process in which editors work diligently to prevent unsupported data and invalid results from acquiescing to the point of publication.  Further, those who submit work to professional journals usually understand the level of expertise expected prior to submitting their work.  For these reasons, when doing research, professional journals are regularly considered authoritative instances of reliable information.  While educational background can be important, reliability and repeatability can also carry a significant amount of weight.

Someone who has studied the history of climbing in Yosemite can offer valuable information, but someone who has developed a route and repeated it several times (for example) can offer insight that may not be available from a collection of written data.

Reputable sources and repeatable outcomes should be considered very important concerning reliable authorities, and while considering reliable sources is important, it is equally important to understand what type of sources should not count as authoritative.

Word of mouth and social media should not be considered reliable sources for research, in fact, they should not be considered reliable sources at all.  During the lockdown of 2020, it was remarkable how many folks on Facebook all of the sudden had a background in epidemiology.  If you value truth and you’re relying on social media sites and apps for reliable information, you may come to be sorely disappointed one day.  In addition to word of mouth and social media, recognizable shapes and popular numbers should count as red flags when it comes to research.

Examples like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life come to mind as examples of easily digestible concepts presented in a way that might be useful for selling posters, but they ultimately lack much in the way of credibility.

In terms of becoming an authority, I turn to historian Samuel Eliot Morison: “Book learning alone might be got by lectures and reading; but it was only by studying and disputing, eating and drinking, playing and praying as members of the same collegiate community, in close and constant association with each other and with their tutors, that the priceless gift of character could be imparted.”

The crucial challenge to becoming an authority should start from a point of curiosity rather than dogmatic belief.  Learning to read critically is essential, but analyzing data, and formulating ideas is equally important.  However, from my perspective, enjoying the intellectual adventure will not only make doing research feel easier, it will also bring you back to it again and again.

A colleague once described research as cross-training for the brain! Academic cross-training (research) develops our ability to collect and organize facts and opinions, to analyze them and weigh their value.  Research helps to articulate an argument, and it does it more effectively than nearly anything else.

When preparing for a climb, we tend to work several different muscles in order to attain the best possible outcome once on the wall, but keep in mind that the great majority of our life is spent off the wall, existing in places that don’t require finger strength, the latissimus dorsi, or the transverse abdominis.  Whether we’re on or off the wall, we always engage our encephalon!  It’s one thing to skip leg day, but to ignore the brain is to actively engage in intellectual atrophy.

Becoming an authority takes time, dedication, and recognizing just how little we actually know.  The payoffs however can be life altering.  Research can build character and expand community.  It allows us to acquire discipline of thought, and provides the furniture of the mind!

Building muscle is important for the health of the body, but building character is essential for a life worth living, and research furnishes us with a depth of knowledge conducive to such a life!