What is Academic Research?
Research is an attempt to answer a question. That may be something simple, as "when is the latest Marvel movie going to be released?". Or more complex, like "how has social media influenced the way social movements are organized?". To answer your questions you will need to consult different sources, including books, academic papers, newspaper articles, primary documents, or the latest Marvel teaser on Youtube.
When undertaking Academic Research, you will need to investigate a topic from multiple perspectives (from various sources). You will then use all of the sources that you have found to craft an argument using your own words and from your own perspective.