A simple definition is that it is the creation of new knowledge. It can be 'blue-sky' research – driven by curiosity about what may be possible – or research focused on addressing particular issues of the day, such as healthcare or climate change. It's impossible to describe all of the ways research is carried out but examples could be research done through the study of existing primary sources and materials, or by gathering or generating new data through experiments and observations. This information is then interpreted to form conclusions and answer questions.

King's' vision is to make the world a better place, so every faculty at King's carries out research “to inform and innovate” and deliver that vision.

Being a research-led university means a number of things: that research is a fundamental objective of the university; that its academic staff also carry out research, which informs and is integrated into the curriculum they teach; and that students actively participate in the development of knowledge during their study/courses: they learn and also 'learn to research'.

As a student at King's there are many ways that you can be a researcher. Learning how to find and critically evaluate sources, and then analyse and cite them appropriately in your own work is one. Another is to gain an understanding of the research culture and activity at King's. You might attend talks and events held at King's and elsewhere, and engage with King's research through the many ways that it is disseminated. Beyond the traditional methods of academic publication in books and journals, King's research is showcased in videos, webpages, and social media – for example, many researchers use Twitter and following them will allow you not only to see what they are doing, but also the conversations they are having with their peers.

You can also talk to your tutors about their research and the research by others in their field, and potentially get involved in academic research projects yourself. King's Undergraduate Research Fellowships and the Self-sourced Research Award are great ways to do this, as part of the King's Experience Research Award. To find out what research is being done at King’s in your area of study, look at the Research pages on the King's website.

Hear from Gargi on her experiences of research at King's.

Reflect on the statements in the 'Learning to research' section of the Starting your studies: Reflection Tool to see where you feel you're at and identify areas you want to explore for yourself and chat to your Personal Tutor about in your first and ongoing meetings.