Question: "I have a friend interested in educational research and she wondered where she should start. I immediately thought of you. Do you have a quick word of advice?"
AS: I don't know if I have a "quick word" of advice... because research is a massive endeavor... but I would offer that research is generally a form of self-inquiry. The research that I find to be most compelling is the research that is most personal to the researcher... so I would say to your friend: Investigate what you most want to know—but do it with integrity... and by that I mean, seek the truth in research which is different than seeking the confirmation of that which you'd prefer to believe.