research on or into

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'research into' vs 'research on'

I'm working on a book called 'Academic Vocabulary in Use' published by Cambridge University Press. There's a lesson suggesting some nouns commonly associated with particular prepositions. Research is one of them and shown to be followed by either 'into' or 'on'. However, in the piece of exercise below, there is only one correct answer:

I went to an interesting presentation on research into aspects of the human brain. The speaker began by saying that the rationale for/behind his investigation was the need to better understand the ageing process.

For those having two correct answers, both would be shown (as in 'rationale for/behind'). It means on can't follow 'research' in this case. After looking up the word 'research' in different dictionaries, I got no explanation for the difference between ' research on and research into . They are even used interchangeably in an example offered by Cambridge Dictionary:

They are carrying out/conducting/doing some fascinating research into/on the language of dolphins.

Cambridge Dictionary

Then, is there any difference between 'research on' and 'research into'?

• prepositions

“Research into” suggests you’re researching information that is already out there—reading published studies, watching news reports, combing through websites, etc.

“Research on” suggests you are conducting primary research to find new information—interviewing people, science experiments, quantitative/qualitative analysis, etc.

“My research into the university’s recent news highlights its extensive community outreach”

Research “on” wrongly hits the ear here because it can sound like you’re stupidly attempting to say you put together this news yourself, when the sentence makes it clear you did not.

“My research on the reception of the university’s recent PR campaign suggests it is working”

This sentence tells the reader that you are talking to the university’s audiences yourself and analyzing responses to form a conclusion.

There are probably certain sentences where you can use “research into” and “research on” interchangeably, but keeping the above shortcuts in mind can help eliminate ambiguity.

• Hi, welcome to ELL! Nice answer. –  Eddie Kal Commented Nov 14, 2020 at 19:28

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of research in English

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• He has dedicated his life to scientific research.
• He emphasized that all the people taking part in the research were volunteers .
• The state of Michigan has endowed three institutes to do research for industry .
• I'd like to see the research that these recommendations are founded on.
• It took months of painstaking research to write the book .
• absorptive capacity
• dream something up
• modularization
• nanotechnology
• technologist
• the mother of something idiom
• think outside the box idiom
• think something up
• study What do you plan on studying at university?
• major US She majored in philosophy at Harvard.
• cram She's cramming for her history exam.
• revise UK I'm revising for tomorrow's test.
• review US We're going to review for the test tomorrow night.
• research Scientists are researching possible new treatments for cancer.
• The amount of time and money being spent on researching this disease is pitiful .
• We are researching the reproduction of elephants .
• She researched a wide variety of jobs before deciding on law .
• He researches heart disease .
• The internet has reduced the amount of time it takes to research these subjects .
• adjudication
• have the measure of someone/something idiom
• interpretable
• interpretive
• reinspection
• reinterpret
• reinterpretation
• reinvestigate
• reinvestigation

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Related word

Research | american dictionary, research | business english, examples of research, collocations with research.

These are words often used in combination with research .

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

Translations of research

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Word of the Day

dry as a bone

extremely dry

Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Prepositions of Direction: To, On (to), In (to)

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Graphics for this handout were developed by Jordan Golembeski.

This handout explains prepositions that express movement toward something: to, onto, and into. First, the prepositions will be introduced as a group. Then, the special uses of each one will be discussed.

To, into, and onto correspond respectively to the prepositions of location at, in, and on. Each pair can be defined by the same spatial relations of point, line/surface, or area/volume. To learn more about the spatial relationships expressed by these pairs of prepositions, read the first section of "Prepositions of Location: At, On, and In" before you start reading this handout.

Introduction

The basic preposition of a direction is "to."

TO: signifies orientation toward a goal

When the goal is physical, such as a destination, "to" implies movement in the direction of the goal.

We flew from New York to Paris. (OR) We flew to Paris.

When the goal is not a physical place, for instance, an action, "to" marks a verb; it is attached as an infinitive and expresses purpose. The preposition may occur alone or in the phrase in order. The two uses can also occur together in a single sentence:

The other two prepositions of direction are compounds formed by adding "to" to the corresponding prepositions of location.

The preposition of location determines the meaning of the preposition of direction.

ON + TO = onto: signifies movement toward a surface

IN + TO = into: signifies movement toward the interior of a volume

("To" is part of the directional preposition toward, and the two mean about the same thing.)

The frog jumped onto the lilypad.

The milk went into the glass.

With many verbs of motion, "on" and "in" have a directional meaning and can be used along with "onto" and "into."

This is why "to" is inside parentheses in the title of the handout, showing that it is somewhat optional with the compound prepositions. Thus, the following sentences are roughly synonymous:

The paper went into the garbage can.

The crab washed up onto the shore.

To the extent that these pairs do differ, the compound preposition conveys the completion of an action, while the simple preposition points to the position of the subject as a result of that action. This distinction helps us understand how directional and locational prepositions are related: they stand in the relationship of cause and effect.

Position of subject: the paper is in the garbage can.

Position of subject: the crab is on the shore.

See the sections below for some exceptions to this rule.

Uses of "To"

"To" occurs with several classes of verbs.

Verb + to + infinitive

Verbs in this group express willingness, desire, intention, or obligation.

Willingness : be willing, consent, refuse

Desire : desire, want, wish, like, ask, request, prefer

Intention : intend, plan, prepare

Obligation : be obligated, have, need

I refuse to allow you to intimidate me with your threats.

I'd like to ask her how long she's been skiing.

I plan to graduate this summer.

Henry had to pay his tuition at the Bursar's office.

In other cases, "to" is used as an ordinary preposition.

Verbs of communication : listen, speak (but not tell), relate, appeal (in the sense of 'plead,' not 'be attractive')

Verbs of movement : move, go, transfer, walk/run/swim/ride/drive/ fly, travel

Except for transfer, all the verbs in listed here can take toward as well as to. However, "to" suggests movement toward a specific destination, while "toward" suggests movement in a general direction, without necessarily arriving at a destination:

The plane was headed toward a storm cloud.

Additional examples:

The golf ball rolled toward the hole.

Uses of "Onto"

"Onto" can generally be replaced by "on" with verbs of motion.

The hat went on(to) his head.

Dietrich jumped on(to) the mat.

Huan fell on(to) the floor.

Athena climbed on(to) the back of the truck.

Some verbs of motion express the idea that the subject causes itself or some physical object to be situated in a certain place (compare the three example directly above).

Of these verbs, some take only "on." Others take both "on" and "onto," with the latter being preferred by some speakers.

He put the socks on his feet.

The plane landed on the runway. (not "onto" the runway)

Sam hung the decoration on the Christmas tree. (not "onto" the tree)

He placed the package on the table. (not "onto" the table)

Joanna spilled her Coke on the rug. (not "onto" the rug)

Samir moved the chair on(to) the deck.

The crane lowered the roof on(to) the house.

The baby threw the pot on(to) the floor.

Verbs taking only "on" are rare: "set" may be another one, and so perhaps is "put." Other verbs taking both prepositions are "raise," "scatter" (when it takes a direct object), "pour," and "add."

The farmer scattered seed on(to) the fertile ground. We're adding on a wing at the back of the building. We're adding a porch onto the house.

In "We're adding on a wing at the back of the building," "on" is really part of the verb, while in "We're adding a porch onto the house," "onto" is a simple preposition. This contrast points to a fairly important and general rule:

Simple prepositions can combine with verbs, but compound prepositions cannot.

Note also that in the first example, "The farmer scattered seed on(to) the fertile ground", the word "on" has its ordinary meaning of a position on a surface — the ground; in the second example, "We're adding on a wing at the back of the building", the surface is vertical rather than horizontal— the side of a building.

There are a number of verb-preposition combinations that are similar to "add on" but have the meaning "of continuing or resuming an action" when used in the imperative mood.

Except for "hang," which takes both "on" and "onto," the following verbs all occur only with "on." The meanings of these combinations, some of which are idiomatic, are given in parentheses. Not all of them have the force of a command.

• Hang on / Hang onto the rope ("continue to grasp tightly")
• Carry on ("resume what you were doing")
• Sail on ("resume or continue sailing")
• Dream on ("continue dreaming"; a humorous way of saying "that is an unattainable goal")
• Lead on ("resume or continue leading us")
• Rock on ("continue playing rock music")

Drive on! (Or, Keep driving toward the city).

Uses of "Into"

With verbs of motion, "into" and "in" are interchangeable except when the preposition is the last word or occurs directly before an adverbial of time, manner, or frequency.

In this case, only "in" (or "inside") can be used.

Spike is lying in his house. (Not into.)

The patient went into the doctor's office. The patient went in. (not "into")

Our new neighbors moved into the house next door yesterday. ("to take up residence in a new home'")

Our new neighbors moved in yesterday.

In "Our new neighbors move in yesterday," the last word is the time adverbial yesterday, so the object of the preposition in can be omitted. Of course, in an information question, "into" also can be last word except for an adverbial when its object is questioned by a wh- word:

Now what kind of trouble has she gotten herself into?

Now what sort of trouble is she in?

Verbs expressing stationary position take only "on" or "in" with the ordinary meanings of those prepositions.

If a verb allows the object of the preposition to be omitted, the construction may have an idiomatic meaning.

The cat sat on the mat.

The doctor is in his office.

The doctor is in. ('available for consultation')

"In(to)" has two special uses with "move."

When "move in" is followed by a purpose clause, it has the sense of "approach."

The lion moved in for the kill.

The police moved in to rescue the hostages inside the building.

In "The lion moved in for the kill" and "The Police moved in to rescue the hostages inside the building," "in" is part of the verb, so "into" cannot be used. We cannot say: "The lion moved into for the kill."

When "into" is used with move, it functions as an ordinary preposition to convey the idea of moving something from one place to another.

A man is jumping into the pool.

The man is in the pool.

The person is placing groceries into the shopping bag.

The person has completed putting groceries in the bag.

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• English Only

Research in or into

• Thread starter Amy1981
• Start date Jan 8, 2021

Senior Member

• Jan 8, 2021

Hello. Could ypu, please, help me understand the difference between in and into used with the noun research? to do research in and to do research into  

As you’ve presented them, those are just vague phrases. You need to put them into context, and that context will govern whether it even makes sense to use the informal verb do , as well as whether in or into is more appropriate.  

lingobingo said: As you’ve presented them, those are just vague phrases. You need to put them into context, and that context will govern whether it even makes sense to use the informal verb do , as well as whether in or into is more appropriate. Click to expand...

I would only use into in that particular case. It’s about the specific object of someone’s research, rather than a mention of a general field of research. Our research into the causes of the disease is ongoing. Many postgraduates choose to do research in a subject they’re already familiar with.  

SlightlyAcerbic

Amy1981 said: The sentence is : Doing research into previous generations of a family is becoming widespread. Click to expand...

Hermione Golightly

There's the option of using 'to research' as a verbal noun with a direct object. 'Researching previous generations is becoming popular.'  

Edinburgher

You can avoid "research" altogether. More and more people are exploring their family trees. Genealogy is becomeing increasingly popular.  

Edinburgher said: Genealogy is becomeing increasingly popular. Click to expand...

SlightlyAcerbic said: Is the e in "becomeing" BE? Click to expand...

Thank you very much , dear friends!  

Le Gallois bilingue

There is also the phrase “to conduct research into something”.  

Le Gallois bilingue said: There is also the phrase “to conduct research into something”. Click to expand...

Amy1981 said: Is to conduct more natural than do with the word research? Thank you for your answer. Click to expand...

Le Gallois bilingue said: “To conduct research” and “to do research” mean the same. “Conduct” is more conventional whereas “do” is informal. Click to expand...

Do research would probably be avoided in written text meant for publication, such as a research paper. Conduct or carry out research is more appropriate in formal contexts.  

lingobingo said: Do research would probably be avoided in written text meant for publication, such as a research paper. Conduct or carry out research is more appropriate in formal contexts. Click to expand...

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Research in, research into.

The noun research is followed by the preposition in when the object of the preposition is a field of research.

• The research in the field is extensive.
• The professor was renowned for her research in biology.

The noun research is followed by the preposition into when the object of the preposition is an issue.

• Scientists are conducting research into global warming.

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Definition of research noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• scientific/medical/academic research
• They are raising money for cancer research.
• to do/conduct/undertake research
• I've done some research to find out the cheapest way of travelling there.
• research into something He has carried out extensive research into renewable energy sources.
• research on something/somebody Recent research on deaf children has produced some interesting findings about their speech.
• Research on animals has led to some important medical advances.
• according to research According to recent research, more people are going to the movies than ever before.
• Their latest research project will be funded by the government.
• Are you hoping to get a research grant ?
• a research fellow/assistant/scientist
• a research institute/centre/laboratory
• The research findings were published in the Journal of Environmental Quality.
• formulate/​advance a theory/​hypothesis
• build/​construct/​create/​develop a simple/​theoretical/​mathematical model
• develop/​establish/​provide/​use a theoretical/​conceptual framework
• advance/​argue/​develop the thesis that…
• explore an idea/​a concept/​a hypothesis
• make a prediction/​an inference
• base a prediction/​your calculations on something
• investigate/​evaluate/​accept/​challenge/​reject a theory/​hypothesis/​model
• design an experiment/​a questionnaire/​a study/​a test
• do research/​an experiment/​an analysis
• make observations/​measurements/​calculations
• carry out/​conduct/​perform an experiment/​a test/​a longitudinal study/​observations/​clinical trials
• run an experiment/​a simulation/​clinical trials
• repeat an experiment/​a test/​an analysis
• replicate a study/​the results/​the findings
• observe/​study/​examine/​investigate/​assess a pattern/​a process/​a behaviour
• fund/​support the research/​project/​study
• seek/​provide/​get/​secure funding for research
• collect/​gather/​extract data/​information
• yield data/​evidence/​similar findings/​the same results
• analyse/​examine the data/​soil samples/​a specimen
• consider/​compare/​interpret the results/​findings
• fit the data/​model
• confirm/​support/​verify a prediction/​a hypothesis/​the results/​the findings
• prove a conjecture/​hypothesis/​theorem
• draw/​make/​reach the same conclusions
• read/​review the records/​literature
• describe/​report an experiment/​a study
• present/​publish/​summarize the results/​findings
• present/​publish/​read/​review/​cite a paper in a scientific journal
• a debate about the ethics of embryonic stem cell research
• For his PhD he conducted field research in Indonesia.
• Further research is needed.
• Future research will hopefully give us a better understanding of how garlic works in the human body.
• Dr Babcock has conducted extensive research in the area of agricultural production.
• the funding of basic research in biology, chemistry and genetics
• Activists called for a ban on animal research.
• Work is under way to carry out more research on the gene.
• She returned to Jamaica to pursue her research on the African diaspora.
• Bad punctuation can slow down people's reading speeds, according to new research carried out at Bradford University.
• He focused his research on the economics of the interwar era.
• Most research in the field has concentrated on the effects on children.
• One paper based on research conducted at Oxford suggested that the drug may cause brain damage.
• Research demonstrates that women are more likely than men to provide social support to others.
• She's doing research on Czech music between the wars.
• The research does not support these conclusions.
• They are carrying out research into the natural flow patterns of water.
• They lack the resources to do their own research.
• What has their research shown?
• Funding for medical research has been cut quite dramatically.
• a startling piece of historical research
• pioneering research into skin disease
• They were the first to undertake pioneering research into the human genome.
• There is a significant amount of research into the effects of stress on junior doctors.
• He's done a lot of research into the background of this story.
• research which identifies the causes of depression
• spending on military research and development
• the research done in the 1950s that linked smoking with cancer
• The children are taking part in a research project to investigate technology-enabled learning.
• The Lancet published a research paper by the scientist at the centre of the controversy.
• Who is directing the group's research effort?
• She is chief of the clinical research program at McLean Hospital.
• James is a 24-year-old research student from Iowa.
• You will need to describe your research methods.
• Before a job interview, do your research and find out as much as you can about the company.
• Most academic research is carried out in universities.
• This is a piece of research that should be taken very seriously.
• This is an important area of research.
• There's a large body of research linking hypertension directly to impaired brain function.
• In the course of my researches, I came across some of my grandfather's old letters.
• demonstrate something
• find something
• identify something
• programme/​program
• research in
• research into
• research on
• an area of research
• focus your research on something
• somebody’s own research

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Other results

• Cancer Research UK
• the Medical Research Council
• the National Research Council
• operations research
• Medical Research Council

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