What is the definition of an investigation in the context of gathering information about an event?

• A. A guess about what happened
• B. A systematic collection of facts to describe and explain an event or series of events
• C. A casual recollection of events
• D. A legal accusation based on assumptions

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that an investigation is a systematic collection of facts to describe and explain an event or series of events. It involves a planned, organized process: identifying what happened, when and where it occurred, who was involved, gathering evidence (documents, records, interviews, etc.), and verifying information before drawing conclusions. The goal is an objective, evidence-based account that can inform decisions, corrective actions, or policy changes, rather than relying on guesses or memory.

This stands in contrast to guessing about what happened, which isn’t supported by evidence; casual recollection, which is often unreliable; and a legal accusation based on assumptions, which jumps to conclusions without a proper, fair investigative process.