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Inquiry and the Research Process

Tips for ensuring that your students’ research fosters genuine inquiry.

Over the summer, I had a fascinating conversation with a group of educators. After spending several days discussing ways to encourage student inquiry, a technology specialist raised a pointed question: “What if the librarians already have a district-approved research process? Does what we’re doing conflict?” As I pondered her question, I realized a fundamental problem: inquiry and research had somehow morphed into synonyms.

Instead of answering her question, I posed another one: “Can students do research without inquiry, or inquiry without a formal research process?”

The Research Process and Active Learning

Over 10 years ago, our school librarian introduced me to the Kentucky Virtual Library research process . Using a gameboard as an interface, the process presents students with concrete steps to support their planning, searching, note taking, and writing. The clearly articulated steps, logical progression, and embedded strategies supported our students as they located, identified, and evaluated information. Though intended for elementary students, it provided a concrete pathway for our middle schoolers as well. We even printed out the main page of the website and gave the students stickers to mark off each task they completed.

While this research process helps students locate and evaluate information about any topic, it does not ensure that they have an opportunity to ask questions, investigate problems, or make connections to their own personal experience. By definition, inquiry requires students to engage in active learning by generating their own driving questions, seeking out answers, and exploring complex problems. Research, though often a component of inquiry, addresses the process of finding answers.

A teacher and I recently discussed this dichotomy. She explained that in her upcoming animal adaptation unit, the students would research a specific animal. They would locate facts about the animal’s appearance, habitat, etc., to fill in a provided outline.

Though the teacher provided excellent scaffolding of the research process so that her students could look up information from multiple sources, articulate their findings, and document their learning, inquiry would imply that the students asked the questions. We brainstormed what might happen if we asked students a driving question such as: “Why do some animals from around the world look the same and others look very different?” The students would still work through the research process, but they would also have to define same and then apply their definition.

When we asked our fourth graders this question during their study of animals in Africa, they drove the question around the world. Though they began their investigation by examining the similarities in physical characteristics between different animals in the same habitats, they quickly started asking questions on a global level. Besides physical characteristics, what traits do animals in the same habitat share? Do animals in the the same biome, but on a different continent, have similar traits? Why are some animals found on multiple continents while others are unique to just one location?

Another great example of scaffolded inquiry that I’ve seen recently comes from educators Anthony Egbers and Kerryn White of South Africa. They used Book Creator to make a workbook to guide their students in exploring the concept of the Cradle of Humankind . Unlike the Kentucky Virtual Library research process, theirs focuses as much on the questions that students ask as on the information that they find and evaluate.

Three Strategies to Encourage Inquiry

In the workshop that sparked this debate, we considered three strategies for encouraging student inquiry. First, we examined the use of visible thinking routines. These question sets—such as See Think Wonder and Think Puzzle Explore —scaffold students’ questioning and reflection so that they deeply consider both content and context. Sometimes, students need structure to begin asking questions.

Next, instead of focusing a research project on a topic or concept, we considered the power of an essential question. According to Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, essential questions do not lead to a single answer but instead serve as a catalyst for discussion, require higher-order thinking skills such as inference and evaluation, and spark more questions (that lead to even more inquiry).

Finally, inquiry should tap into student curiosity and wonder. In his book The Falconer , Grant Lichtman discusses the importance of “what if?” questions. As an example, he poses this question: “What if the sun rose in the West and set in the East?” While the immediate reaction may be to just state that it doesn’t, what if it did? What would that imply? What else might have to happen? By asking such questions, teachers remove all limitations to how students may respond. Similarly, world-renowned innovator Min Basadur suggests framing questions with “How might we _____?” He argues that question stems such as this spark more imaginative thinking and remove judgment from perceived answers.

This brings us back to that original question: Can there be research without inquiry and inquiry without research? Consider the power of a science lab. Students generate questions, formulate a hypothesis, investigate their theory, and then use their observations to develop an understanding of their discovery. Apps such as Desmos and Geogebra allow students to engage in inquiry with math. They can ask questions about mathematical concepts, explore simulations and scenarios, and manipulate formulas, as they explore complex phenomena that previously could not be addressed through active, hands-on learning.

While research can certainly exist as a stand-alone process, inquiry should ultimately drive students to view research as a means through which they can seek out new ideas, answer new questions, and wrestle with complex problems.

• Featured / Inquiry Skills / Starting with Inquiry Learning

Understanding the Difference Between Inquiry and Research

It is common to hear the question “what’s the difference between inquiry and research?” While it’s true that there are some similarities, inquiry and research are fundamentally different in many ways.

Inquiry-based learning is an approach to learning that emphasizes the exploration of questions and focuses on the process of discovery. On the other hand, research is a process that focuses on the establishment of facts and making conclusions based on a systematic study.

Below is a deeper dive into how inquiry and research differ, and how they are similar.

Why does this distinction matter?

Understanding the difference between inquiry and research is important for a few reasons:

1. Inquiry is a broad process that may involve different paths or procedures. Research is a more formal process with the goal of establishing facts. Inquiry focuses more on asking questions, whereas research focuses more on finding answers. The process of asking questions is one that requires a set of skills that needs to be practiced often.

2. The skills required for inquiry are far more broad and can be applied in a variety of contexts. For example, in an inquiry, students ask broad questions with multiple paths for learning. If students are simply conducting research, their questions will likely be more specific. We’ve put together a PDF of question prompts for inquiry learning to demonstrate the openness that inquiry questions should have.

3.  Inquiry typically involves different procedures (depending on the discipline). On the other hand, research is more formal and systematic, meaning it is the same no matter what is being researched.

Related : Creating Strong Driving Questions for Inquiry Learning  

Scope and depth.

Both inquiry learning and the research process begin with questions. In an inquiry, students show curiosity towards a subject by asking high-quality inquiry questions . However, the point of asking questions isn’t to find an answer quickly. Since questions should come from a place of genuine curiosity, students should take their time exploring their questions in depth.

On the other hand, research focuses on finding an effective way of expediting the answer-finding process, which is the opposite of inquiry. It is a more formal process. It does not ensure that students are taking opportunities to explore new pathways or make connections to their own lives. Research can be scaffolded into simple, manageable steps to help students research more effectively.

Learning how to research is not a bad skill to learn; in fact, it is incredibly useful in many situations as learners. The difference is that, with inquiry learning, the scope of learning is broadened. Students are encouraged to think deeper about the content and ask questions they are genuinely curious about, as opposed to following a scaffolded process.

Different Focus

Most classrooms frame the process of learning in a linear way: “topic → research → present → assess”. Students are probably used to being given a topic and told to research it, collect facts, and present their learning. However, inquiry is different. While both inquiry and research aim to seek and uncover information, they go about it in a different way. In addition, research and inquiry teach a different set of skills to students.

With research, there is a more systematic approach used. Typically, teachers will spend a few lessons beforehand teaching students things such as:

• Typing in relevant search terms
• Judging whether a website is safe, reliable, and current
• Skimming and scanning skills
• Reading snippets
• Checking for bias

The goal with research is to find answers, explain concepts, and generally increase knowledge. The focus is on confirming facts and expanding knowledge.

On the other hand, inquiry is much broader. The focus is not on finding the “right” answer. The focus is on the process of exploration, solving a problem or query, and understanding something new. It is far more multifaceted and fluid than research, which is often more formal by nature. Inquiry can involve more than one search query, and might change as a result of new information. It is fluid, progressive, and flexible.

Related : 5 Simple and Effective Strategies for Managing Conflict in Inquiry Learning

Active learning.

By definition, active learning refers to any kind of work students do other than listening, watching, and note-taking. Many educators agree that student learning is enhanced when they are actively involved in their learning. With active learning, students are required to think more deeply and critically. Not only does this kind of learning develop students’ thinking skills, but also helps them to better retain their learning.

While the act of researching can be considered active learning, there isn’t as much creative thinking involved. This is partly due to the nature of research as being a systematic procedure for obtaining information. On the contrary, inquiry-based learning focuses more on the process of learning and involves things like group discussion, problem-solving, small activities, and teacher facilitation when needed. Furthermore, active learning can’t be reduced to formulaic methods like research can.

Skills Gained

Because research is more formal and focused on finding answers, students can expect to improve specific skills. These include time management, search skills, analysis, organization, and general technology skills. Furthermore, their research methodology (the process by which you conduct research, including the tools you use and steps you take) will likely improve too. Students who research need to focus on specific keywords, analytical skills, and organizational skills in order to work with the facts they find. In addition, a heightened attention to detail means that students will likely improve their ability to cite or make references accurately. This is important since references and organizing your sources is a critical component of research.

The specific skills gained while conducting an inquiry are endless. What I’ve noticed is that the skills gained during inquiry learning tend to be more soft skills. For example, students demonstrate more attentive listening, self-reflection, collaboration, and responsibility.

In an inquiry, skills can be taught as mini activities. For example, students may need a short activity on how to analyze a map, or they may need some role-playing on how to communicate effectively. If you are teaching inquiry skills as mini activities, make sure to provide opportunities to use active learning and group work. Using scenario-based learning can be a great way to do this – not only does it challenge students to problem-solve, but it encourages them to work on their teamwork and communication skills.

Related : Using Inquiry to Teach Social Justice in the Classroom

Key takeaways:.

(1) Inquiry-based learning focuses on the process of discovery, while research is a process that focuses on the establishment of facts and making conclusions based on a systematic study

(2) Inquiry is more broad and unstructured, whereas research is more formulaic and narrow in scope, with the intent of finding specific answers

(3) Research values the expeditious discovery of facts and information, but inquiry learning usually happens at a slower and more organic pace

(4) Inquiry is far more multifaceted, flexible, and fluid than research, and often changes as a result of new information

(5) The skills gained by research are very specific and cannot always be transferred to every subject or situation; soft skills gained through inquiry learning tend to be more transferrable

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Home » Education » What is the Difference Between Inquiry and Research

What is the Difference Between Inquiry and Research

The main difference between inquiry and research is that inquires may be less formal and systematic than research studies and therefore easier to conduct.

Inquiry is the process of finding answers to questions and may involve different procedures, epically according to disciplines. Research, on the other hand, is the systematic and formal investigation and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

Key Areas Covered

1.  What is Inquiry       – Definition, Features 2.  What is Research      – Definition, Features 3.  Similarities Between Inquiry and Research      – Outline of Common Features 3. Difference Between Inquiry and Research      – Comparison of Key Differences

What is Inquiry

Inquiry can be described simply as the process of finding answers to questions. The main aim of an inquiry is to solve problems, resolve doubts, or augment knowledge. Different subjects or fields may have different types of inquiries. Inquiries in science subjects and inquires in arts subjects usually result in different products. For example, an inquiry in medicine is different from an inquiry in social science. However, regardless of these differences, the process of asking and finding answers to questions is similar in these fields. Furthermore, it provides a lens to explore the question.

Scholarly inquiries in different disciplines can result in products like presentations, papers, works of art, posters, field reports, etc. The most important element of inquiry is asking questions, exploring answers or solutions, tackling problems, and sharing the answers in the most fitting form.

What is Research

Research is a careful study conducted using a systematic approach and scientific methods. A research study typically involves several components:  abstract, introduction ,  literature review ,  research design and method , results and analysis, conclusion,  bibliography . Researchers usually begin a formal research study with a  hypothesis ; then, they test this hypothesis rigorously. They also explore and analyze the literature already available on their research subject. This allows them to study the research subject from multiple perspectives, acknowledging different problems that need to be solved.

There are different types of research, the main two categories being quantitative research and qualitative research. There are also mixed type research studies that involve elements of both quantitative and qualitative research. Depending on their research method and design, we can also categorize research as descriptive research , exploratory research, longitudinal research, cross-sectional research, etc.

Furthermore, research should always be objective or unbiased. Moreover, if the research involves participants, for example, in surveys or interviews, the researcher should always make sure to obtain their written consent first.

Similarities Between Inquiry and Research

• Both aim to augment knowledge.
• Both inquiry and research may involve systematic studies.
• Moreover, there can be an overlap between inquires and research studies.
• Sometimes, inquiry into a problem may take the form of a research study.

Difference Between Inquiry and Research

Inquiry is the process of finding answers to questions, whereas research is the systematic and formal investigation and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

Research studies tend to be more systematic and formal than inquiries. Therefore, inquires may be easier to carry out than research studies.

The main aim of an inquiry is to solve problems, resolve doubts, or augment knowledge, while the main aim of a research study may involve gathering new information or testing a theory.

In brief, an inquiry is a process of finding answers to questions and may involve different procedures, epically according to disciplines. Research, on the other hand, is the formal and systematic investigation and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. The main difference between inquiry and research is that inquires may be less formal and systematic than research studies and therefore easier to conduct.

1. “ What is Inquiry? ” Penn State Undergraduate Education. 

Image Courtesy:

1. “ Question-inquiry-unknown-mystery-511568 ” (CC0) via Pixabay 2. “ 1457639 ” (CC0) via Pxhere

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Definition of inquiry

• disquisition
• examination
• exploration
• inquisition
• investigation

Examples of inquiry in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inquiry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

see inquire

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing inquiry

• court of inquiry

Dictionary Entries Near inquiry

inquiry agent

Cite this Entry

“Inquiry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inquiry. Accessed 22 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of inquiry, legal definition, legal definition of inquiry, more from merriam-webster on inquiry.

Nglish: Translation of inquiry for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of inquiry for Arabic Speakers

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Writing Program at New College

Research and inquiry.

What academics include in their definition of  research  will vary from discipline to discipline. In some sciences, laboratory experimentation is a primary form of research, but those experiments will be different depending on the science. Some social scientists—sociologists or anthropologists, for example—often conduct extensive interviews or “ethnographies” to gather information about the experience, attitudes, or way of life among a particular segment of the population. This form of research requires methods of analysis entirely different from those of researchers in the “hard sciences” of biology, chemistry, physics, etc. Scholars in the humanities undertake other research methodologies. Historians and literary critics employ specific kinds of reading methodologies to interpret “primary texts,” perhaps hard copies aging somewhere in an archive, perhaps digitized and readily available.

You get the point; research is NOT one thing. What these approaches have in common, however, is a rigorous method of critical thought and analysis.

A common and fundamental element unites most research methodologies, however. Academic research is driven by questions. These questions emerge around gaps or problems within the overall body of knowledge that makes up a discipline. This kind of research question focuses on how to build on and correct previous scholarship.

Research questions also emerge in direct response to situations “in the real world,” for there isn’t much truth to the old stereotype that academic researchers are cut off from reality and work among abstract ideas in the “ivory tower.” Certainly, we hope your direction for inquiry will be “worldly,” so to speak, engaging issues all the more important for their immediate relevance in the social world.

Whatever the focus, the time for developing research questions has arrived.

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Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education: Frame: Research as Inquiry

• About the Framework
• Frame: Authority Is Constructed and Contextual
• Frame: Information Creation as a Process
• Frame: Information Has Value
• Frame: Research as Inquiry
• Frame: Scholarship as Conversation
• Frame: Searching as Strategic Exploration
• Other PALNI Information Literacy Resources This link opens in a new window

Framework Defined

Research as Inquiry refers to an understanding that research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field.

Selecting and Using Keywords (CC)

Alignment with 2000 ACRL Standards

Standard One : The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed   Standard Two : The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.   Standard Three : The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.

From: Hovious, Amanda. “ Alignment Charts for ACRL Standards and Proposed Framework .” Google Docs, January 23, 2015.

Key Aspects

• Start with what you already know. Begin by drawing upon your knowledge base.
• Learn as you go! Be open to shifting your research as you discover new areas of knowledge.
• Research is like building with Legos. It builds upon itself through searching, browsing existing research, and asking questions.
• Seek the experts. Don’t forget to ask for insights from professors and librarians.
• Be persistent and don’t get discouraged. Research can be challenging. If you don’t find something right away don’t give up.

Possible Learning Objectives

• Describe via reflection how the research process is iterative, requires persistence and open mindedness, and may lead to more questions.
• Discover and refine/adjust key concepts and related terms in order to locate relevant sources.
• Use knowledge gained through coursework and personal experience, along with curiosity, to identify gaps in information or available data that may suggest research questions.
• Realize that new questions may lead to more lines of discovery, applying research methods that are appropriate for the need, context, and type of inquiry.
• Analyze sections of a research article in order to conceptualize the research process used, to identify possible gaps in the literature or new areas of inquiry.
• Identify content experts (instructors, librarians, etc.) as knowledgeable and approachable, and feel comfortable coming to them at service points for help.

Classroom Activities

• C.R.E.A.T.E.S - Understanding Scienctific Articles A set of 6 steps that help learners read and critically analyze scientific papers. Promotes asking additional questions about a research topic.
• "Research as Inquiry" for a Senior Seminar Class Ways to think about developing a topic - the second page asks good questions to develop a concept map.
• Twitter Tag - Comparing Twitter content to article database content Students explore a topic on Twitter using a hashtag and note bias, tone, authority, and related hashtags before conducting a similar search on a library database or discovery tool. Students and instructors then discuss similarities and differences between both searches and their results.
• Primary Source Literacy Rubric This rubric reinforces that research requires one to ask increasingly more complex questions and apply further analysis to what is being studies.
• Research Question Generator This worksheet is designed as a tool to narrow a student's topic in order to write a refined research question. Asks the who-what-when-where-why questions - which exemplifies research as inquiry.

Ideas to Incorporate into Classroom

• Research as Inquiry By University of Washington University Libraries
• Use research article to model research process used by experts.
• Jigsaw groups each tackle one part of a research article summarizing what that section says what purpose that section serves then students disperse & share with new formed groups
• Chalk talk have students list out resource they use & branch out with experiences, feelings, facts, etc.
• Concept mapping, give class a topic, brainstorm keywords. Use Prezi to have students create a visual map with a list of keywords.
• Evaluate sources cited in an article, review sources. Decade what value thing add to the article. Sort sources into types (books, articles, reports, statistics) using clickers
• Individual group brainstorming, using Padlet, students share as many synonyms as they can for research question concepts, then as a group we group them by concept in preparation for boolean searching
• Keyword brainstorming students write down presentation idea and pass around. What questions do their peers have about the topic ( review to create keywords), roundtable writing.

ACRL IL Framework Task Force

This guide was created by a task force of PALNI librarians. 

Task Force Members: Eric Bradley | Goshen College / PALNI David Dunham | [formerly] Taylor University Ula Gaha | [formerly] Saint Mary's College Sally Neal | Butler University Amber Pavlina | University of Saint Francis Catherine Pellegrino | Saint Mary's College

Literature Review

• Research as Inquiry Literature Review Compiled by Amber Pavlina, January 2020

Creative Commons License

Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education by PALNI's ACRL IL Framework Task Force is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License unless marked otherwise. PALNI’s logos and branding template are not covered by this license, and all rights to such material are reserved.

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• Last Updated: Sep 5, 2023 11:13 AM
• URL: https://libguides.palni.edu/ilframework

Qualitative study design: Narrative inquiry

• Qualitative study design
• Phenomenology
• Grounded theory
• Ethnography

Narrative inquiry

• Action research
• Case Studies
• Field research
• Focus groups
• Observation
• Surveys & questionnaires
• Study Designs Home

Narrative inquiry can reveal unique perspectives and deeper understanding of a situation. Often giving voice to marginalised populations whose perspective is not often sought. 

Narrative inquiry records the experiences of an individual or small group, revealing the lived experience or particular perspective of that individual, usually primarily through interview which is then recorded and ordered into a chronological narrative. Often recorded as biography, life history or in the case of older/ancient traditional story recording - oral history.  

• Qualitative survey 
• Recordings of oral history (documents can be used as support for correlation and triangulation of information mentioned in interview.) 
• Focus groups can be used where the focus is a small group or community. 

Reveals in-depth detail of a situation or life experience.  

Can reveal historically significant issues not elsewhere recorded. 

Narrative research was considered a way to democratise the documentation and lived experience of a wider gamut of society. In the past only the rich could afford a biographer to have their life experience recorded, narrative research gave voice to marginalised people and their lived experience. 

Limitations

“The Hawthorne Effect is the tendency, particularly in social experiments, for people to modify their behaviour because they know they are being studied, and so to distort (usually unwittingly) the research findings.” SRMO  

The researcher must be heavily embedded in the topic with a broad understanding of the subject’s life experience in order to effectively and realistically represent the subject’s life experience. 

There is a lot of data to be worked through making this a time-consuming method beyond even the interview process itself. 

Subject’s will focus on their lived experience and not comment on the greater social movements at work at the time. For example, how the Global Financial Crisis affected their lives, not what caused the Global Financial Crisis. 

This research method relies heavily on the memory of the subject. Therefore, triangulation of the information is recommended such as asking the question in a different way, at a later date, looking for correlating documentation or interviewing similarly related participants. 

Example questions

• What is the lived experience of a home carer for a terminal cancer patient? 
• What is it like for parents to have their children die young? 
• What was the role of the nurse in Australian hospitals in the 1960s? 
• What is it like to live with cerebral palsy? 
• What are the difficulties of living in a wheelchair? 

Example studies

• Francis, M. (2018). A Narrative Inquiry Into the Experience of Being a Victim of Gun Violence. Journal of Trauma Nursing, 25(6), 381–388. https://doi-org.ezproxy-f.deakin.edu.au/10.1097/JTN.0000000000000406 
•  Kean, B., Oprescu, F., Gray, M., & Burkett, B. (2018). Commitment to physical activity and health: A case study of a paralympic gold medallist. Disability and Rehabilitation, 40(17), 2093-2097. doi:10.1080/09638288.2017.1323234  https://doi-org.ezproxy-f.deakin.edu.au/10.1080/09638288.2017.1323234
• Liamputtong, P. (2009). Qualitative research methods. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat00097a&AN=deakin.b2351301&site=eds-live   
• Padgett, D. (2012). Qualitative and mixed methods in public health. SAGE. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat00097a&AN=deakin.b3657335&authtype=sso&custid=deakin&site=eds-live&scope=site  
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• Next: Action research >>
• Last Updated: Apr 8, 2024 11:12 AM
• URL: https://deakin.libguides.com/qualitative-study-designs

Qualitative Inquiry

• Reference work entry
• First Online: 13 January 2019
• Cite this reference work entry

• Pranee Liamputtong 2  

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This chapter discusses the nature of the qualitative inquiry. Qualitative inquiry refers to “a broad approach” that qualitative researchers adopt as a means to examine social circumstances. The inquiry is based on an assumption which posits that people utilize “what they see, hear, and feel” to make sense of social experiences. There are many features that differentiate qualitative inquiry from the quantitative approach. Fundamentally, it is interpretive. The meanings and interpretations of the participants are the essence of qualitative inquiry. Qualitative researchers can be perceived as constructivists who attempt to find answers in the real world. Fundamentally, qualitative researchers look for meanings that people have constructed. Qualitative research is valuable in many ways. It offers researchers to hear silenced voices, to work with marginalized and vulnerable people, to address social justice issues, and to contribute to the person-centered healthcare and the design of clinical trials. The chapter discusses in great depth the distinctive features of the qualitative inquiry. In particular, it includes the inductive nature of qualitative research, methodological frameworks, purposive sampling technique, saturation concept, qualitative data analysis, and the trustworthiness of a qualitative study.

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Liamputtong, P. (2019). Qualitative Inquiry. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Research Methods in Health Social Sciences. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5251-4_53

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of inquiry in English

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inquiry noun ( QUESTION )

• Who will be leading the inquiry into the accident ?
• The inquiry found evidence of serious misapplication of funds .
• The nomination of Judge Watkins as head of the inquiry was a surprise .
• There is to be an official inquiry into the incident .
• A new team of detectives were called in to conduct a fresh inquiry.
• ask after someone
• ask questions of someone/something idiom
• be someone's for the asking idiom
• beat something out of someone
• consultative
• Gallup poll
• inquisition
• pin someone down
• ply someone with something
• put someone through the mill idiom
• put someone through the wringer idiom
• put someone to something idiom
• trick question

inquiry noun ( PROCESS )

• adjudication
• interpretable
• interpretive
• interpretively
• investigate
• reinvestigate
• reinvestigation
• risk assessment
• run over/through something

inquiry | American Dictionary

Inquiry | business english, examples of inquiry, collocations with inquiry.

These are words often used in combination with inquiry .

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

Translations of inquiry

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[ in- kwahyuhr -ee , in -kw uh -ree ]

Synonyms: exploration , scrutiny , study

a Congressional inquiry into the bribery charges.

• the act of inquiring or of seeking information by questioning; interrogation.

Antonyms: reply , answer

/ ɪnˈkwaɪərɪ /

• a request for information; a question
• an investigation, esp a formal one conducted into a matter of public concern by a body constituted for that purpose by a government, local authority, or other organization

Discover More

Other words from.

• rein·quiry noun plural reinquiries

Word History and Origins

Origin of inquiry 1

Synonym Study

Example sentences.

Testimony from Binam and other detainees at Irwin will likely be critical to those inquiries.

Democrats cast the probe as a politically driven inquiry to try to damage the party’s presidential nominee.

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to ProPublica’s questions about the inquiry.

Responding to an inquiry from Fortune, the Korean electronics company said it’s waiting for the results of ongoing tests before discussing the topic.

It’s possible, as Barrios’ campaign insisted, that prosecutors have dropped their inquiry since then.

On a recent afternoon, the head of the Social Inquiry Foundation, Maria Gaidar, received two elderly ladies in her Moscow office.

She had a simple answer to my inquiry about the calls that were never returned—from her or anyone else in the detective bureau.

During the Leveson Inquiry, Dance claims to have received a call from the local police.

Timeline: Is the story still spreading at the time of the inquiry?

The grand jury inquiry affords opportunity to test accuracy of witness accounts.

And yet, the acknowledged state of things here is a grave fact which challenges inquiry and demands explanation.

At the station the head porter received their inquiry for a Bradshaw with a dull stare and a shake of the head.

In the case of the Midland—they appointed a committee of inquiry, and the directors assented to the appointment.

It is to be presumed that thereafter Jacob's first inquiry must have been, "Oh now, where did you get such and such goods?"

Even the policeman who is paid to direct you, replies to your inquiry with the shortest and gruffest monosyllable that will do.

Related Words

• examination
• interrogation
• investigation
• questioning

Inquiry Vs. Enquiry

What's the difference between  inquiry and  enquiry .

Inquiry and enquiry have the same meanings: a question, an investigation, a request for information, or the process of seeking information. Enquiry is a less common variant of inquiry .

Their verb forms— inquire and enquire —also mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate.

Both inquiry and enquiry are somewhat formal, especially compared to similar terms like question or investigation . Some speakers of British English may use both words, preferring inquiry in contexts that are more formal. In the U.S., enquiry is rarely used.

Here’s an example of inquiry used correctly in a sentence.

Example: I forwarded you an email with an inquiry about the open position.

Enquiry could be used in this sentence in the same exact way.

Most of these same distinctions apply to the verbs inquire and enquire .

To learn more about them, read the full breakdown of the difference between inquire and enquire .

Quiz yourself on  inquiry and  enquiry !

True or False?

Inquiry and enquiry have the same meaning.

• Philanthropy News Digest

NIHCM Foundation invites letters of inquiry for investigator-initiated health services research grants

The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to transforming health care through evidence and collaboration.

The foundation invites letters of inquiry for the 2024-25 funding cycle of NIHCM Foundation’s investigator-initiated research grant program. NIHCM will make up to $500,000 available to new and existing grantees to support innovative investigator-initiated research that will advance the existing knowledge base in the areas of health care financing, delivery, management and/or policy. Studies must have strong potential to yield insights that can be used to have a positive impact on the U.S. health care system by improving efficiency, quality, access to care or equity.

Applications are invited from individual researchers and from all types of organizations and institutions, including nonprofit and for-profit entities. Multiple organizations may apply jointly, but one must be named as the principal organization, and others will have a subcontract relationship with that organization.

Brief letters of inquiry are due June 28, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET. After review, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, due September 2024.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation website.

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Children used as ‘objects for research’, Infected Blood Inquiry report finds

Children were used as “objects for research” while the risks of contracting hepatitis and HIV were ignored at a specialist school where boys were treated for haemophilia, the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry has found.

Of the pupils that attended the Lord Mayor Treloar College in the 1970s and 1980s, “very few escaped being infected” and of the 122 pupils with haemophilia that attended the school between 1970 and 1987, only 30 are still alive.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the exploitation of children at Treloar’s a source of “eternal shame” that is “hard to even comprehend” in a statement to the House of Commons on Monday.

Several pupils at the boarding school in Hampshire were given treatment for haemophilia at an on-site NHS centre while receiving their education.

The pupils were often regarded as objects for research, rather than first and foremost as children whose treatment should be firmly focused on their individual best interests alone. This was unethical and wrong

But it was later found that many pupils with the condition had been treated with plasma blood products which were infected with hepatitis and HIV.

Haemophilia is an inherited disorder where the blood does not clot properly.

Most people with the condition have a shortage of the protein that enables human blood to clot, known as Factor VIII.

In the 1970s, a new treatment was developed – factor concentrate – to replace the missing clotting agent, which was made from donated human blood plasma.

The 2,527-page report, written by inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff, concluded that children at Treloar’s were treated with multiple commercial concentrates that were known to carry higher risks of infection and that staff favoured the “advancement of research” above the best interests of the children.

The report found that from 1977, medical research was carried out at Treloar’s “to an extent which appears unparalleled elsewhere” and that children were treated unnecessarily with concentrates, particularly commercial ones rather than alternative safer treatments.

Sir Brian said: “The pupils were often regarded as objects for research, rather than first and foremost as children whose treatment should be firmly focused on their individual best interests alone. This was unethical and wrong.”

His report found there is “no doubt” that the healthcare professionals at Treloar’s were aware of the risks of virus transmission through blood and blood products.

It is difficult to avoid a conclusion that the advancement of research was favoured above the immediate best interest of the patient

He wrote: “Not only was it a prerequisite for research, a fundamental aspect of Treloar’s, but knowledge of the risks is displayed in what the clinicians there wrote at the time.

“Practice at Treloar’s shows that the clinical staff were well aware that their heavy use of commercial concentrate risked causing Aids,” he continued.

Despite knowledge of the dangers, clinicians proceeded with higher-risk treatments in attempts to further their research, the report concluded.

Sir Brian wrote: “It is difficult to avoid a conclusion that the advancement of research was favoured above the immediate best interest of the patient.”

He continued: “In conclusion, the likeliest reason for the Treloar’s treatments having the catastrophic results they did is that clinicians were seduced by wishing to believe, against available information, that intensive therapy might produce better overall results; by the desirability of convenience in administration rather than the safety of treatment and by ignoring some of the treatment implications of the research projects they wished to pursue.”

The Lord Mayor Treloar College, which has since been rebranded as Treloar’s, was established in 1908 as a school which gave disabled children a better chance to receive an education alongside any medical treatment they might need.

It was originally a boys’ school but then merged with a girls’ school in 1978 to become co-educational.

From 1956, boys with haemophilia began attending the school. After it was discovered pupils had been given infected blood plasma, the NHS clinic at the school closed.

The report also highlighted that parents and children at Treloar’s were given little information about their care and the related risks, and that parental consent was not sought regarding the use of different treatments.

The evidence before the inquiry suggests, overwhelmingly, that there was no general system or process for telling parents of the risks of viral infection. Nor were pupils told

Sir Brian wrote: “The evidence before the inquiry suggests, overwhelmingly, that there was no general system or process for telling parents of the risks of viral infection.

“Nor were pupils told.

“Parents were not given details, nor even core information, about their children at Treloar’s for haemophilia.

“They were not told, for instance, that despite their home clinician’s recommendations as to the treatment product, the pupils were being given a range of different concentrates.”

In many cases, the report states, research was conducted on patients, including children, without consent or consent of their parents and without informing them of the risks.

“They gave a consistent account that there had been no meaningful consultation with their parents, or with them,” Sir Brian continued.

In a statement on Monday, Rishi Sunak issued a “wholehearted and unequivocal” apology to the victims of the biggest treatment disaster in the NHS, vowing that “comprehensive” compensation will be delivered “whatever it costs”.

Referencing the harm caused to children at Treloar’s Mr Sunak said: “Sir Brian finds an attitude of denial towards the risks of treatment.

“Worse, to our eternal shame in a way that is hard to even comprehend, they allowed victims to become objects for research

“Many including children at Lord Mayor’s Treloar College were part of trials conducted without their or their parents’ knowledge or consent.”

We are devastated that some of our former pupils were so tragically affected and hope that the findings provide some solace for them and their families

Sir Brian said it was “unconscionable” that children at the Treloar’s school were treated in a way that “trumped safety” without the risks being explained to their parents, at an event in London on Monday marking the report’s release.

He told the audience at Central Hall in Westminster: “The pupils were often regarded as objects for research rather than first and foremost as children whose treatment should be firmly focused on their individual best interests alone.

The chair of the probe continued: “It was unconscionable to treat children with concentrates capable of transmitting serious viruses without explaining those risks clearly to their parents.

“There were multiple research projects where informed consent for participation was neither sought nor given. This was unethical and wrong.”

Treloar School and College said in a statement: “The inquiry’s report shows the full extent of this horrifying national scandal. We are devastated that some of our former pupils were so tragically affected and hope that the findings provide some solace for them and their families.

“The report lays bare the systemic failure at the heart of the scandal.

“Whilst today is about understanding how and why people were given infected blood products in the 1970s and 1980s, it is absolutely right that the Government has committed to establishing a proper compensation scheme. This must happen urgently after such a long wait.

“On a recent visit to the school and college, our former students highlighted the need for a more public and accessible memorial to ensure the lives of all those impacted are remembered. This is a key recommendation of the report and something which we are absolutely committed to exploring with them.

“We’ll now be taking the time to reflect on the report’s wider recommendations.”

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Spotted: ‘death star’ black holes in action.

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A team of astronomers have studied 16  supermassive black holes  that are firing powerful beams into space, to track where these beams, or jets, are pointing now and where they were aimed in the past, as reported in our  latest press release . Using  NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory  and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Radio Astronomical Observatory’s (NRAO) Very Large Baseline Array (VLBA), they found that some of the beams have changed directions by large amounts.

These two Chandra images show hot gas in the middle of the  galaxy cluster  Abell 478 (left) and the galaxy group NGC 5044 (right). The center of each image contains one of the sixteen black holes firing beams outwards. Each black hole is in the center of a  galaxy  embedded in the hot gas.

In the images below, labels and the  radio  images appear. Ellipses show a pair of cavities in the hot gas for Abell 478 (left) and ellipses show two pairs of cavities for NGC 5044 (right). These cavities were carved out by the beams millions of years ago, giving the directions of the beams in the past. An X shows the location of each supermassive black hole.

The VLBA images are shown as insets, which reveal where the beams are currently pointing, as seen from Earth. The radio images are both much smaller than the  X-ray  images. For Abell 478 the radio image is about 3% of the width of the Chandra image and for NGC 5044 the radio image is about 4% of the Chandra image’s width.

A comparison between the Chandra and VLBA images shows that the beams for Abell 478 changed direction by about 35 degrees and the beams for NGC 5044 changed direction by about 70 degrees.

Across the entire sample the researchers found that about a third of the 16 galaxies have beams that are pointing in completely different directions than they were before. Some have changed directions by nearly 90 degrees in some cases, and over timescales between one million years and a few tens of millions of years. Given that the black holes are of the order of 10 billion years old, this represents a relatively rapid change for these galaxies.

Black holes generate beams when material falls onto them via a spinning disk of matter and some of it then gets redirected outward. The direction of the beams from each of these giant black holes, which are likely spinning, is thought to align with the rotation axis of the black hole, meaning that the beams point along a line connecting the poles.

These beams are thought to be perpendicular to the disk. If material falls towards the black holes at a different angle that is not parallel to the disk, it could affect the direction of the black hole’s rotation axes, changing the direction of the beams.

Scientists think that beams from black holes and the cavities they carve out play an important role in how many  stars  form in their galaxies. The beams pump energy into the hot gas in and around the galaxy, preventing it from cooling down enough to form huge numbers of new stars. If the beams change directions by large amounts, they can tamp down star formation across much larger areas of the galaxy.

The paper describing these results was published in the January 20th, 2024 issue of The Astrophysical Journal, and is  available here . The authors are Francesco Ubertosi (University of Bologna in Italy), Gerritt Schellenberger (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian), Ewan O’Sullivan (CfA), Jan Vrtilek (CfA), Simona Giacintucci (Naval Research Laboratory), Laurence David (CfA), William Forman (CfA), Myriam Gitti (University of Bologna), Tiziana Venturi (National Institute of Astrophysics—Institute of Radio Astronomy in Italy), Christine Jones (CfA), and Fabrizio Brighenti (University of Bologna).

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.

For more Chandra images, multimedia and related materials, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/chandra-x-ray-observatory/

This image contains two X-ray images presented side by side, separated by a thin, gray line. On the left is an image of galaxy cluster Abell 478, and on the right is an image of galaxy group NGC 5044.

The X-ray image of Abell 478 resembles a gooey, blue substance that has been spilled on a black canvas. Most of the image is covered in this blue goo texture, which is hot gas in X-ray light, however there are cavities where no blue texture is present. At the center of the image is a bright, white region. Within the white region, too small to identify, exists Abell 478’s supermassive black hole.

The X-ray image of NGC 5044, on our right, is more pixelated than the image of Abell 478. It resembles blue television static or noise, that is present on a television when no transmission signal is detected. Most of the image is covered in this blue static, however there are cavities where no blue static is present. At the center of the image is a bright, white region. Within the white region, too small to identify, exists NGC 5044’s supermassive black hole.

Megan Watzke Chandra X-ray Center Cambridge, Mass. 617-496-7998

Jonathan Deal Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-0034

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Putin’s China Visit Highlights Military Ties That Worry the West

The Russian leader visited an institute in Harbin known for defense research. President Xi Jinping saw him off with a rare and seemingly deliberate embrace for the cameras.

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By David Pierson

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia attended a trade fair on Friday in a northeastern Chinese city and toured a state-backed university famous for its cutting-edge defense research, highlighting how economic and military ties between the countries have grown despite, or perhaps because of, Western pressure.

Mr. Putin’s visit to Harbin, a Chinese city with a Russian past, is part of a trip aimed at demonstrating that he has powerful friends even as his war against Ukraine — a campaign that he is escalating — has isolated him from the West. The visit followed a day of talks between him and President Xi Jinping of China that seemed orchestrated to convey not only the strategic alignment of the two powerful, autocratic leaders against the West, but a personal connection.

State media showed Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi, neckties off after formal talks on Thursday, strolling under willow trees and sipping tea at a traditional pavilion on the sprawling grounds of Zhongnanhai, the walled leadership compound in Beijing, with only their interpreters. As Mr. Xi saw Mr. Putin off in the evening, he even initiated a hug — a rare expression of affection for the Chinese leader.

“Xi’s very deliberate embrace of Putin for the cameras wasn’t just to emphasize the closeness of the political relationship between the two countries and their leaders,” said Richard McGregor, a senior fellow for East Asia at the Lowy Institute in Sydney. “There was also a touch of disdain directed at Washington, which has been pressuring Beijing to withdraw support from Moscow. That clearly isn’t going to happen in any substantive fashion.”

The show of camaraderie was the final touch in talks that culminated in a joint statement that took aim at the United States, which Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi have accused of seeking to suppress their countries. The statement pledged that Russia and China would work more closely in critical sectors like energy, space and the military.

The large size of Russia’s delegation, which included Mr. Putin’s top security and energy officials, as well the length of the bilateral meetings, implied the seriousness with which both sides have approached the negotiations, said Alexander Gabuev, a China expert at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin.

“It’s like an iceberg,” he said. “The public documents are symbolic and largely meaningless. But there’s an underwater part, which is likely to be much more significant.”

Still, Mr. Putin’s visit also showed the limits of the countries alliance. In China, Mr. Xi rolled out the red carpet for Mr. Putin, but the visit did not produce any public commitments to concrete new projects or investments between the two countries.

Specifically, Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi have not publicly reported any progress on a planned new gas pipeline from China into Russia, known as Power of Siberia 2. Russia urgently needs the pipeline to redirect the flow of its gas exports from the rapidly declining market in Europe.

Mr. Putin had no news to share about the pipeline’s progress when he was asked about it in a brief news conference at the end of his trip on Friday.

“I am not prepared to discuss any technical details, but the interest of both sides in realizing these projects has been confirmed,” Mr. Putin said, referring to Power of Siberia 2.

He also deflected a question about reports that Chinese banks are reducing transactions with Russian clients out of fear of Western sanctions, turning the conversation from China to the shortcomings of the U.S. financial system.

The growing security ties between the two nuclear-armed powers was a focal point of Mr. Putin’s visit to Harbin, and the Harbin Institute of Technology.

While China and Russia are not formal allies committed to defend each other with military support, their armed forces have worked together more closely in recent years. Their air forces and navies have held joint military exercises, including near Alaska and Taiwan, the de facto independent island claimed by Beijing. On Thursday, the two leaders issued words of support for their separate claims to Taiwan and Ukraine.

And while China has vowed not to provide Russia with lethal weapons, it has been the top supplier of components like semiconductors and machine tools that have both civilian and military uses.

While that is helpful, Mr. Putin still seeks access to more sophisticated tools. The Harbin institute is best known for its research of rockets, missiles and space technology — expertise that Russia would greatly benefit from as the war in Ukraine has revived its need for a more robust military-industrial complex. The institute also trained North Korean scientists who worked on Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program, according to The Wall Street Journal and South Korean media.

Mr. Putin’s tour of the institute was steeped in symbolism. The 103-year-old institution recently opened a joint campus with St. Petersburg State University, Mr. Putin’s alma mater. And in something of a snub to Washington, the school belongs on the United States’ so-called entity list, barring it from accessing American technology and taking part in educational exchanges because of its links to the People’s Liberation Army.

“We should be less concerned about what particular technologies China might be sharing with Russia from Harbin or elsewhere, than the larger pattern and signal that this visit represents,” said Markus Garlauskas, a security expert at the Atlantic Council.

“China did not need to host Putin at Harbin in order to transfer technologies from there to Russia,” he added. “That this visit took place so openly is a visible and symbolic sign of Beijing being willing to provide directly military-applicable technology to support Russia’s war against Ukraine.”

Song Zhongping, a commentator in Beijing who is a former military officer, defended Mr. Putin’s visit to the institute, pointing to the school’s cooperation with Russia in education.

“Communication at the university level between China and Russia is consistent with the academic exchange and national interests of both countries,” Mr. Song said.

Mr. Garlauskas said the tour of the institute had echoes of when Mr. Putin hosted Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator, at a Russian spaceport last year before Pyongyang began supplying Moscow with ballistic missiles and other munitions to use in Ukraine.

“What China shares with Russia, Russia could easily then turn around and share with North Korea,” Mr. Garlauskas said.

Not long ago, it was China that drew greater benefits from access to Russian military technology. Starting in the 1990s, and peaking in the early 2000s, Beijing was a major buyer of Russian arms. Sales then began to slow after Moscow grew concerned about China reverse-engineering Russian weapons, said Elizabeth Wishnick, a senior research scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses in Virginia.

It wasn’t until about a decade ago that cooperation between the two sides returned, leading to China’s acquisition of more Russian jet engine technology and surface-to-air missile systems. Still, in a sign that there are limits to its cooperation with China, Russia is holding out sharing its silent submarine technology, a feature that makes the vessels especially hard to detect, Ms. Wishnick said.

Mr. Putin is also using his visit to Harbin, where he attended a trade fair, to promote the flow of goods between the countries.

China has given Russia an economic lifeline by buying huge amounts of Russian oil to circumvent the effects of its financial isolation from the West. Not only that, with many foreign consumer brands also leaving Russia, Chinese companies have stepped in to fill a vacuum for the likes of automobiles , smartphones and televisions. That contributed to a record $240 billion in two-way trade between the China and Russia in 2023, up from $190 billion in 2022, according to Chinese customs data.

Maintaining that growth in trade is a major focus in both countries, analysts said, now that Western pressure on Chinese banks to scale back transactions with Russian firms is believed to have led to the first year-on-year decline in trade in more than two years in March.

One solution would be to increase the amount of transactions settled in local currencies rather than dollars to avoid the risk of sanctions. Mr. Putin said on Thursday that more than 90 percent of commercial transactions conducted between Russia and China were now being cleared in rubles or renminbi.

“Protecting the financial assets of big banks in China is the top crucial interest of China,” said Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing. He said China was trying to reduce its exposure to the dollar beyond just in Russia, but that the room to do so was “limited.”

Olivia Wang and Anatoly Kurmanaev contributed reporting.

David Pierson covers Chinese foreign policy and China’s economic and cultural engagement with the world. He has been a journalist for more than two decades. More about David Pierson

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

As Russia’s war effort in Ukraine intensifies, it is increasingly clear that efforts by the West to squeeze Moscow’s oil revenues are faltering .

The United States and Europe are coalescing around a plan to use interest earned on frozen Russian central bank assets to provide Ukraine with a loan to be used for military and economic assistance .

The Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s talks with President Vladimir Putin of Russia were a show of solidarity  between two autocrats battling Western pressure.

Europe’s Defense Industry: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine jolted Europe out of complacency about military spending. But the challenges are about more than just money .

Putin’s Victory Narrative: The Russian leader’s message to his country appears to be taking hold : that Russia is fighting against the whole Western world — and winning.

A Boxing Win Offers Hope: The Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk became the world’s undisputed heavyweight champion, a victory that has lifted morale  in a country struggling to contain Russian advances.

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