While it sounds like a plural word, it refers to a single process or activity of investigating something systematically.
Here's why:
* It takes a singular verb: "The research is ongoing."
* It uses singular pronouns: "The research has its challenges."
However, "research" can sometimes be used in a collective sense, referring to multiple studies or investigations. In this case, it's still grammatically singular, but it's referring to a group of individual researches.
For example:
* "The research shows a clear trend." (refers to a collection of studies)
In summary: "Research" is a singular noun, even when used collectively.