Seems that academic research is more readily available, in forms more easily consumed. Its theories, models and formulas are also used more often in an attempt to explain and understand both common and uncommon events. What a great thing.
Here’s a list (in no particular order) of sources I consider to be good explainers and occasionally synthesizers of information:
- Malcolm Gladwell
- Dan Pink
- Martha Beck
- Dan Ariely
- I/O at Work – not much commentary here; just excellent summaries of research from top publications.
- Freakonomics
Some of the above have been a target for criticism, especially by critics who question the interpretation, randomness, and dubiousness of the statistics reported and discussed. My response to this – the world is incredibly complex; consume as much available information from as many sources as possible. Be open to how others interpret the situation. Then make your own determination of what is or is not happening.
What got me thinking about research is that I am currently reviewing submissions for the Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychologists (SIOP) 2014 annual conference. Four of out the five submissions I have to evaluate are posters.
Poster submissions are full-on, detailed descriptions of research written in academese. Flashback to grad school where I spent seven years reading academic journal articles. I loved the learning but man, am I glad for alternative sources. I do miss the grad school class environment though, where everyone (supposedly) had read the research and it was discussed. Hearing what others thought it all meant was cool.
One big lesson from grad school: Doing good social science research is very difficult. My hat is off to all who do.
Would love to know your go-to sources for cutting edge research.