a book containing useful facts or specially organized information, as an encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas, yearbook,
Research is careful and organized study or gathering of information about a specific topic.
a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one that is done for a higher college or university degree
thesis
A thesis is the most important or foundational idea of an argument. If you write a paper with the central thesis that girls are yucky, you'll need to back that up with cooties-based research.
thesis has more than one important sense to it. One definition of thesis is that it is the most important or foundational idea of an argument, presentation, or piece of writing.
a treatise advancing a new point of view resulting from research; usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree