Research and Analytical Thinking: Digging Deeper to See the Full Picture

If there’s one skill I didn’t fully appreciate before starting this program, it’s research and analytical thinking. Like many students, I used to think “research” just meant quoting a few sources and backing up my argument with facts. But over time, especially through the interdisciplinary work in the IDS program, I’ve come to understand that true research is about uncovering connections, evaluating evidence critically, and looking at a topic from multiple perspectives. This deeper kind of thinking helped shape not only my academic growth but also the way I approach problems in everyday life and in professional settings.

One of the most defining moments in developing this skill was during IDS 300W: Interdisciplinary Research Process and Theory, where I wrote a research paper titled “The Impact of Social Media on Teen Mental Health.” What made this paper so important wasn’t just the topic, it was the way I had to analyze it through the lenses of psychology, sociology, and communications. Psychology helped me understand the emotional and cognitive effects of social media, while sociology revealed the influence of peer pressure and cultural norms. Communications studies showed how platform design shapes behavior. On their own, each discipline gave me useful insights. But it was in the process of combining those insights, what Repko and Szostak (2021) describe as “creating common ground”, that I really started to grasp the value of interdisciplinary analysis.

This paper didn’t just strengthen my academic writing, it reshaped the way I problem-solve. I now approach challenges by asking what different fields or perspectives might reveal about the issue. That mindset has made me more open-minded, more curious, and more intentional about forming well-rounded opinions.

The second artifact that supported this skill was my Learning & Actions Paper, where I reflected on psychological theories like Attribution Theory and self-serving bias. I didn’t just summarize the content, I had to analyze how these ideas applied to my own experiences, both personally and professionally. This paper was also structured around an action plan I developed, which required me to evaluate my behavior and decision-making in real time. What made this assignment so impactful was how it pushed me to move beyond surface-level reflection. I had to think critically about my strengths and weaknesses and create strategies to grow. It helped me see analytical thinking as something that can shape personal accountability, not just academic success.

The third artifact that helped solidify my growth in research and analysis was my PDI 2 reflection. This experience came from attending a professional development seminar titled More Than a Paycheck: Adulting 101, which focused on real-world topics like how to read a paycheck, understand tax deductions, and evaluate different types of 401(k) plans. After the event, I wrote a reflection that explained what I had learned, summarized complex financial concepts, and broke down why those details mattered. This process required me to take in a lot of detailed, technical information and communicate it clearly in my own words. The reflection forced me to slow down, analyze unfamiliar terms, and make sense of how things like tax withholding, retirement planning, and employee benefits actually work in the real world. It was a powerful reminder that research and analytical thinking aren’t limited to academic papers, they’re skills we use all the time when navigating adulthood and making informed life decisions.

Together, these three artifacts represent the way my approach to research has evolved. I’ve learned how to examine topics through different lenses, how to challenge assumptions, and how to build arguments that are grounded in evidence and context. I now carry that mindset with me everywhere, from schoolwork to job decisions to everyday conversations. And as I continue building a career in business administration, I know that this skill will be one of the most useful tools I have.

Preliminary Research Paper

PDI 2

Learning & Actions Paper