im a fossil since i was researching back when a net was something you caught minnows with. Real research is going to interview witnesses, reading publications such as law books... note how i didnt say encyclopedias, studying photos, compiling info and drawing a conclusion based on the best available evidence, preferrably without a pre concieved agenda. ect. ect.
this business of cut and paste is just forwarding someone elses research, which by its very nature is usually biased to some degree.

I agree. However, you can also look up a lot of information online presented by a variety of legitimate organizations. Sad thing is, most people just look at mainstream media and assume it's right about everything.

It is funny how there are those who criticize the cut and paste but it seems everyone has done it at one time or another, either to post a joke, a headline, etc.... Information is information, everyone gets it from one place or the other, I have yet to see a fully self researched, formatted and published work on here yet apart from the poetry section so people really need to get a grip, this is frivolous.

True research is when you gather information directly from sources such as people, organization, etc.

Research is not reading a bunch of information. It is always good to do a literature review, however true research seeks to find new information.

what she said.

Research is a human activity based on intellectual investigation and is aimed at discovering, interpreting, and revising human knowledge on different aspects of the world. Research can use the scientific method, but need not do so.


Basic research (also called fundamental or pure research) has as its primary objective the advancement of knowledge and the theoretical understanding of the relations among variables (see statistics). It is exploratory and often driven by the researcher’s curiosity, interest, and intuition. It is conducted without any practical end in mind, although it may have unexpected results pointing to practical applications. I. E. Copy and Paste!!!!!!!

Still haven't seen it done once on here yet by anyone other than the poets who write their own.

Research papers are for college. I don't expect people to do that on a social/dating site. I like the sharing of information and expressing one's opinion regarding the information.

I agree winx

and if that information is from a dubious source..... what then?

i keep saying the media slants things on all sides....no one listens. the cut/paste...i agree with winx for this site. but people take one side as the gospel

Regardless of whether information is cut and paste or truly researched it will be debated. Do you really want to research everything to just have an audience argue your motive/intent on the research and turn around to come up with their own valid argument? I see no problem with cut and paste as it is no different than if someone were to go out and do actual research on the issue, the only difference is the argument will fall down to "you cut and paste this blah blah blah" instead of "this is my argument blah blah blah".

but but but but...it was on "IHateEverythingAboutNazisAndBush.org" on the Interweb!!!

How could it not be truthful and unbiased ?!?!?!?!


<sarcasm mode off>

Actually yes - I want exactly that. If I take the time to research (learn) about an issue *personally* then I have increased my personal knowledge. If I have learned it with a slant in direction A, and someone can present me a logical, concise argument on Direction B - I want to hear it.

Cut/Paste means you put what I wrote into Google, and regurgitated what it put forth. You haven't learned a thing. You especially have not learned to debate a topic based upon what is bouncing around in your own brain cells. I "win" more debates in my profession on how to do things, just because I can present things IN MY OWN WORDS, in a logical fashion.

Any monkey can be taught to cut/paste. It takes an intelligent reasoning being to attempt to learn on their own.

.....Coming from the Queen of Cut/Paste........

Dragon - I have watched you cut/paste crap from any number of your various "I hate Bush, I hate Iraq War" sites that you ponder over daily, proclaim them as hard evidence, and then proceed to tell those who HAVE BEEN and ARE THERE that they are wrong when they correct the statements.

And now, let's move on to legalities - since you are one of the worst offenders - copyright infringements. Even after being warned, and having topics pulled off the boards here, you CONTINUE to post copyrighted works, for which you have ZERO permissions for. Personally - you are the one that needs "to get a grip" You are the worst type - those that cut/paste, hold themselves out as authority figures/intellects on a subject, and have absolutely no real-world experience to back up 3/4 of what you say. Which is likely why you resort to cut/paste - lack of options.

no matter what STYLE of research you use it is biased to one side or the other

every interview is slanted by who asks the question

and reslanted by who answers the question

copy and paste gives the viewer the article that is supposed to be discussed

i will go as far as to say cut and paste without comment within the first few posts is a little weird

but to just flat out say copy and is a no no is a no no

anyone that truly researches anything gets as much information as possible from anyplace possible then slants it (intentionally or not) to their way of thinking

I'm for using unbiased sources and data whenever possible.

Since most of us are not professional statisticians, you have to get the information from somewhere.

And I don't mean right-wing think tanks, talk radio or moveon.org

I was under the impression that the idea was to present the information, whether it's by providing a link or copy and pasting it, then having a discussion over the information.

I've ran into people who will complain about copying and pasting, but if you just present your end of things without any kind of sourcing, then those same people will call you a liar, so like it or not, I just continue to copy and paste if I feel it's appropriate.

I defy anyone to tell me that I'm uninformed just because I chose to copy and paste something.

i don't mind cut/paste...but prefer for someone to put what they think of it in their own words or a solution as well.