[Vocabulary] a research/ the research/ researches

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To begin with, I often use a study and only use doing research to avoid grammatical mistakes.

The problem is, research, personally, should be used an uncountable noun. Therefore, a research and researches are not properly used. However, there have been 2 issues so far for me.

1. researches is acceptable in Cambridge
His researches in the field of disease prevention produced unexpected results.

2. I was wondering about how to use this word correctly when I met this question shown under.
The R and D department has __________ about conducting the new research because of budget cuts within the company.

If using a is wrong, so why does the make sense?

And, even if Cambridge suggests researches, do you native speakers and teachers use it in reality?
 

tedmc

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Abstract words like research and experience do take the plural form, to mean a wider scope or range of the same.

You don't say you 'met the question', you say you 'came across the question'.

With new research, the article 'a' is more appropriate.

Is the blank in your sentence meant to be filled up?

not a teacher
 

probus

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"Research" is not necessarily uncountable. I would use "researches" with "his" "her" "my" "your" etc. without qualm.

Their "enthusiasm", "misgivings" or whatever about conducting "the ... research" are perfectly natural.

Contrary to what tedmc said, "a" is never used with "research" as a noun. You can say for example "a new research project" where research is a substantive adjective.
 
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MikeNewYork

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I don't believe I have ever used "researches" as a plural noun in that context. It doesn't matter to me if the researcher produced papers in a variety of fields, it is still his/her research.
 

tedmc

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I did not see that in your inked information. Hopefully, you were not referring to "a little research". That is far different from "a research".
noun1.diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation into a subject in orderto discover or revise facts, theories, applications, etc.:recent research in medicine.


2.a particular instance or piece of research.

I was referring to the 2nd definition.
 

Tdol

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You can have a piece of research just as you can do a lot of research, but you said that "With new research, the article 'a' is more appropriate", which is not correct.
 

MikeNewYork

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The second definition does not support the use of "a research".
 
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