When writing about a particular topic, it’s important to properly research the subject. One of the primary objectives to keep in mind during the research phase is that you’re seeking to inform your own thinking on the topic.

You’re not necessarily looking at what others have written in order to provide you with an opinion, you’re trying to understand the existing landscape and explore your own thoughts about a topic. Research also helps you verify specific data and back up any claims you may make in your article.

It’s useful to begin with a few questions related to your topic. These should be aspects of the topic that have made you curious. When researching, you should take the approach of wanting to know what other people have discovered when examining the same question.

At this point you’re not looking for evidence to prove your position. You should keep an open mind to all possibilities. Think of it as gathering all the best thinkers on the topic in one room to have a discussion. You’re the moderator of the discussion, and you want to hear from everyone before you make up your mind and position for a particular piece. If you keep this mindset during the research phase, you’re more likely to write an engaging article.

Narrowing the Scope of Your Research

Of course, with the vast amount of information available at our fingertips today, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to read everything ever written on a topic. It’s useful, therefore, to create some guidelines for your search that will narrow the pool.

Ask yourself whether your topic has a timeless quality or is best informed by recent opinion. An article exploring how Julius Caesar influenced the political landscape in Rome could draw on sources from all ages, whereas the theme of Donald Trump’s influence on American politics would require current sources.

Primary and Secondary Research

A primary source is authored by the person who conducted the study, or who created the particular theory or line of thought being discussed.

Secondary sources may quote primary sources to support a point or draw conclusions from examining many primary sources.

Most of the time, it’s useful to initially consult secondary sources because they can point you toward the primary sources that most interest you.

For the purpose of your article, you’ll want to quote the study or the thinker – the primary source – directly. This is important because you want to be sure you really understand what the author is concluding as secondary sources can misrepresent the primary source.

By reading the primary source, you’ll get the whole picture, rather than just the part selected by the secondary source’s author. Remember, you’re assembling the best thinkers, and you want to understand all of their arguments.

Diving Into Your Research

So, how does one begin researching a topic? With all the cautions about not using the Internet for research, if we keep in mind that we’re after primary sources, you shouldn’t be afraid of using a search engine to begin your investigation.

While Wikipedia isn’t an acceptable source on its own, it can certainly give you a starting point. Especially by reviewing the content and reference list at the bottom of the page.

Julius Caesar Wikipedia Reference Section

Putting your question right into a search engine can start you on a treasure hunt. Even just scanning the list, you can jot down some ideas that help better define what you’re interested in finding out. As you click, you can begin to follow “clues” to what leading thinkers or researchers (depending on the topic) have concluded.

Discovery and Evaluation of Research

As you narrow the scope of your research, you’ll discover things that you didn’t know and encounter perspectives you hadn’t considered. Resist the temptation to ignore information which contradicts the conclusion you initially expected.

In fact, you might actually change your mind in the course of your research. That’s not a bad thing, it just shows how flexible your thinking is. You can also keep an open mind about how you’re going to present and position your article.

Research Challenges and How to Overcome Them

The reason some people dread research is that they feel overwhelmed. It’s easy to do if you continually look at all the information available on a topic.

It’s simply impossible to read and digest all that information! The solution is to recognize that you’re in control of the process. You have a question, you find information that informs you, and you make your question more specific.

This refinement process is an important part in allowing you to succeed during the research phase.

The refinement process occurs until you feel confident creating a statement you can stand behind

Another important part of the research process is to not neglect keeping track of where you find information and sources. You can easily organize your research by bookmarking Internet sources, and keeping track of information in Excel or Word. You can even use pen and paper if you need to make quick notes on the fly.

As you research, if you find something relevant, immediately make a note of the reference material for that source and enter the relevant research. Just make sure you know in advance what form your references will need to take so you gather all the information you’ll need. You don’t want to have to seek out every source again when you’re writing your reference page.

Source: Boundless. Revised and edited by Mindfray Team.

This specific article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.