Is it typical to feel unconfident when doing research?

I agree with the other answers: these sorts of feelings are typical. They may be most common during the student years, but some degree of questioning one's abilities can persist far beyond the time when one has become a recognized professional. This is sometimes referred to as "imposter syndrome".

A certain amount of this questioning is healthy and helpful. It makes you double check your results and find multiple ways of supporting your conclusions. It also enables you to identify the edges of what you understand and avoid over-confidence.

If this questioning is so pervasive that it paralyzes you or interferes with your work, that's a cue to speak with a counselor, as others have noted.

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Elizabeth H. Simmons on Quora:

• I tend to skip mathematics when I am reading a research paper or a book for the first time. I am a graduate research student who wants to pursue a doctorate in my field of interest. Is it usual or should I consider quitting the field as I don't want to be doing something I am not good at?
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• What (if anything at all) would you infer about a professor who hasn't published a paper in two years?

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