THE CRAFT OF RESEARCH: REFLECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCHERS

Abstract [English]

Reflecting upon everyday life through the lens of common sense constitutes one of the most undervalued yet powerful resources that contemporary science and academia have progressively neglected. A closer examination of the seemingly trivial dimensions of human experience reveals that many of the questions, doubts, and problems that have historically transformed the world did not emerge in isolated or extraordinary contexts, but rather within the ordinary and habitual environments inhabited by researchers. This article seeks to unveil the routine and often overlooked nature of research and scientific inquiry by drawing on a series of ethnographic experiences grounded in lived reality. Its central aim is to emphasize that research is not an exclusive or exceptional activity reserved for specialized domains, but a fundamental and continuous human practice that unfolds throughout the entire life cycle—from birth to death. In this sense, all individuals can be understood as researchers within their own experiential worlds. Furthermore, the paper argues that the potential to formulate transformative questions—and even to envision answers capable of reshaping reality—is not confined to institutional academia. Instead, it resides within the imaginative and reflective capacities of any individual willing to engage critically with their surroundings. Ultimately, this work invites readers to reclaim research as an everyday practice and as a space for intellectual and existential aspiration, where dreaming and inquiry converge.