A student is writing a research paper on how inflation affects retirement savings. What should the student do first to collect data?

First, the student should decide exactly what information is needed to answer the research question. For this topic, that could include inflation rates and how inflation affects the value of retirement savings. Once those data needs are clear, the student can choose appropriate sources or methods for collecting the information. Interviewing people or searching blogs before defining the data needed may not provide relevant evidence.

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