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Research vs Reference - What's the difference?

research | reference |

As nouns the difference between research and reference

is that research is diligent inquiry or examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories, applications, etc.; laborious or continued search after truth while reference is a relationship or relation ({{term|to}} something).

As verbs the difference between research and reference

is that research is to search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently while reference is to refer to, to make reference to, to cite.

research

Noun

  • (uncountable) Diligent inquiry or examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories, applications, etc.; laborious or continued search after truth.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
  • , author=Philip E. Mirowski , title=Harms to Health from the Pursuit of Profits , volume=100, issue=1, page=87 , magazine= citation , passage=In an era when political leaders promise deliverance from decline through America’s purported preeminence in scientific research , the news that science is in deep trouble in the United States has been as unwelcome as a diagnosis of leukemia following the loss of health insurance.}}
  • (countable) A particular instance or piece of research.
  • * Macaulay
  • The dearest interests of parties have frequently been staked on the results of the researches of antiquaries.
  • * 1747 , The Scots magazine (volume 9, page 567)
  • The first step I took in this so necessary a research , was to examine the motives, the justice, the necessity and expediency of the revolution

    Synonyms

    * researches * investigation * exploration * examination * study * inquiry * scrutiny

    Derived terms

    * desk research * empirical research * field research * historical research * primary research * proresearch * qualitative research * quantitative research * scientific research * secondary research

    Verb

    (es)
  • To search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently.
  • To make an extensive investigation into.
  • To search again.
  • References

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * * reachers * re-search

    reference

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A relationship or relation ((to) something).
  • *, III.1.3:
  • all these are far more eminent and great, when they shall proceed from a sanctified spirit, that hath a true touch of religion and a reference to God.
  • A measurement one can compare to.
  • Information about a person, provided by someone (a referee) with whom they are well acquainted
  • A reference work.
  • (semantics) A relation between objects in which one object designates, or acts as a means by which to connect to or link to, another object.
  • (academic writing) A short written identification of a previously published work which is used as a source for a text.
  • (academic writing) A previously published written work thus indicated; a source.
  • (programming) An object containing information which refers to data stored elsewhere, as opposed to containing the data itself.
  • (programming, character entity) A special sequence used to represent complex characters in a web page such as ™ or €.
  • (obsolete) appeal
  • * Shakespeare
  • Make your full reference .

    Derived terms

    * * * * * * * *

    See also

    * sense

    Verb

    (referenc)
  • to refer to, to make reference to, to cite
  • Reference the dictionary for word meanings.
  • to mention
  • Usage notes

    * Some authorities object to the use of reference as a verb, preferring "refer to" or "cite".