Dealing with Information Overload while Researching
I like researching a lot and I have done a lot of research so far. I love to research about new things and learn every day. Research is a systematic way of finding out more about a phenomenon or a thing.
However, during my research sessions; especially while on the internet, I get engrossed with plenty information than I can handle. There are so many materials available on the internet and because of this, it is quite easy to get carried away with excess information.
This can lead to a lack of productivity and indecision as loads of information that are constantly trying to grab your attention.
Most times, we all engage in a research intentionally or unintentionally; sometimes we research on what to buy, product reviews, academic research, finding out more about our works and so on.
During research, don’t get carried away by lots of information choose the ones that are vital. Information overload happens when you are faced with unnecessary or too much information than what is needed.
Information overload can also be time-wasting; this is because when we unnecessarily have a lot to check on concerning something we are researching, we waste time by giving attention to things we do not need.
Haven’t discovered the reason you get stuck with information overload? Here are a few reasons:
Not setting clear boundaries of what to research on: when we don’t set the scope or limitations of what we are researching on, information overload might creep in while we research.
Not clearly writing down or specifying what to research on: when we clearly specify or write down what we want to find out about, it is easier to know what things we shouldn’t pay attention to. When we do not we face information overload.
Getting carried away: dwelling on materials/resources that have nothing to do with your research or things that are not within the scope of your research can lead to information overload.
Not knowing what you are looking for exactly: you face information overload when you don’t know what you are looking.
Not knowing when to stop: not knowing when to stop your research can lead to information overload.
So how do we get past this situation of information overload while researching? Here are some ways we can:
Clearly write down what you want to find out about: clearly, specify or write down what you are looking for.
Set a deadline for research: when you set a deadline for researching something, you try to maximize the time you have and find exactly what you need.
Clearly, specify the scope of research: define the things you want to focus on and the things you don’t want to focus on.
Do you constantly deal with information overload? Share with us how you handle it. I look forward to reading your comments.
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