undertake research

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "undertake research" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the act of engaging in or carrying out research activities, often in academic or professional contexts. Example: "The university encourages students to undertake research projects during their studies to enhance their learning experience."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Researchers at Princeton are expected to undertake research with the highest moral and ethical standards.

Princeton University

Users: third party researchers who access CAP data in order to undertake research into cardiovascular function and disease.

Bioinformatics

"This behavior prompted scientists to undertake research into it".

The Guardian - Tech

Where can I undertake research using original documents?

The Guardian

Where can I undertake research using the original documents?

The Guardian

Students undertake research sponsored by an individual faculty member.

Stanford University

Students undertake research sponsored by individual faculty members.

Stanford University

The process of how we undertake research is both important and fascinating.

The Guardian

"We pay faculty members to undertake research, and then we buy it back.

The New York Times

Do they willingly undertake research they don't think will have any significance?

The Guardian - Opinion

The ability to undertake research and development in production technologies by contractors differs widely across different countries.

Research Policy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing academically or professionally, prefer "undertake research" for its formal tone. In less formal contexts, consider "conduct research" or "carry out research".

Common error

While "undertake research" is appropriate for formal writing, avoid using it in casual conversation where simpler alternatives like "do research" might sound more natural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "undertake research" functions as a verb phrase, where "undertake" acts as a transitive verb taking "research" as its direct object. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in academic and professional writing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

34%

News & Media

34%

Science

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "undertake research" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression, particularly in academic, scientific, and news contexts. According to Ludwig AI, it signifies the commencement or active engagement in a research project. While synonyms like "conduct research" or "carry out research" offer alternatives, "undertake research" maintains a formal tone suitable for professional writing. Remember to consider your audience and the context when choosing the most appropriate phrasing for your writing. Although very common across many fields, remember that its formality makes it less suitable for casual conversation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

conduct research

Replaces "undertake" with "conduct", a more common synonym, while retaining the same meaning.

carry out research

Uses "carry out" instead of "undertake", providing a slightly more informal alternative with identical implications.

perform research

Substitutes "undertake" with "perform", which is suitable in contexts emphasizing the execution of research.

engage in research

Emphasizes involvement in research activities, changing the verb to focus on active participation.

pursue research

Highlights the act of following or striving towards research goals.

investigate

Focuses on the investigative aspect of research, implying a more detailed and inquiry-driven approach.

study

Offers a general term for examining a subject in detail, suitable when the context implies research.

explore

Implies a discovery-oriented approach to research, suggesting the uncovering of new information.

analyze

Focuses specifically on the analytical component of research, suitable when data examination is central.

experiment

Highlights the experimental aspect, referring to research that involves testing hypotheses.

FAQs

What does "undertake research" mean?

The phrase "undertake research" means to start or engage in a project that involves detailed and systematic study to discover new information or test existing theories.

What are some alternatives to "undertake research"?

You can use alternatives like "conduct research", "carry out research", or "perform research" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "undertake research" or "do research"?

"Undertake research" is more formal and typically used in academic or professional contexts, while "do research" is more informal and suitable for general conversation. Both are grammatically correct, but their appropriateness depends on the audience and setting.

How do I use "undertake research" in a sentence?

You can use "undertake research" in a sentence like this: "The university encourages students to undertake research projects" or "The company decided to undertake research into new technologies".