These people should really stop saying “do your research” because, as you say, it instantly tells anyone listening that they’re either (1) full of shit or (2) actually dumb enough to think that whatever they’ve done in any way constitutes “research.”
Here comes a dorky rant from someone who spent way too much time in grad school…
”Research” is the process of meticulous experiment and observation in order to answer a question or series of questions. “Research” requires the description of one’s methods in painstaking detail, transparency of the results of those methods, a description of the statistical methods used to determine the best answer to the question, and a descriptive rationale as to why this MAY be the best answer to the question. This process must then stand up to the scrutiny of other experts in the field. (For those who don’t know - these motherfuckers absolutely live to poke holes in the work of others.) If it does, it gets published in a journal and is considered a legitimate research paper (though some journals are taken less seriously than others). Then, if it’s a worthwhile research paper, it will be used to help answer future research papers to ultimately build out the overall body of knowledge in a field of study.
In other words, reading a single research paper - which went through all the steps it takes to get published - wouldn’t even really be considered “researching” a topic. It’s simply reading an article.
Now, compare that to the “do your research” kooks, who are literally talking about watching videos on the fucking internet that comfortably connect their preferred reality to a cause or an outcome.
So yeah, it is galling, as someone who spent countless hours running through meticulous experimental processes, analyzing heaps of experimental data, and having to defend all of it before groups cutthroat academicians (who are often insecure people whose entire self-worth is tied up in proving to everyone how smart they are), to hear fucking imbeciles and nutjobs and attention-seekers like Aaron fucking Rodgers purport that he has done “research” about the absurd, banal bullshit that flows out of his mouth.
It’s literally the opposite of “research” - forming conclusions based on unsubstantiated conjecture from whoever-the-fuck on the goddamn internet, which can’t stand up to any degree of scrutiny.
Ironically and embarrassingly, people who don’t realize this, and think that by believing something that has no foundation rooted in any sort of evidence whatsoever makes them seem “informed,” announce to the world that they are lowest common denominator dipshits who should never be taken seriously.
Edit: I think it is important to note that legitimate research necessarily involves some degree of humility on the part of the authors; always be skeptical of those who speak in absolutes about their conclusions, and serious scientists don’t.