The importance of research before writing
Many people come up with an idea for an essay and start to write. Usually what they will come up with is a base of where their focus will be throughout the research process. Even if you are writing an essay on the benefits of vitamin C and you know all there is to know about vitamin C off the top of your head, you still need to research. Why? You need a comprehensive reference list, and you may have forgotten something very important.
After the initial stage of choosing or coming up with a question, the next stage should be research or, in other words, active reading. Reading around your topic, taking notes, and mapping out where your argument will lie, are just as important as the writing process. It is during the research process that you will find that all-important crux of your argument – that eureka moment, when, after eight hours in the library, you find what you have been looking for. Research, plan, write, edit and send your work to a proofreader who will help you iron out the kinks. Imagine if you wrote an essay based on what you thought, and didn’t research it at all – remember what we said about generalisations? Your entire argument would be wrong and you could be accused of plagiarism.
After the initial stage of choosing or coming up with a question, the next stage should be research or, in other words, active reading. Reading around your topic, taking notes, and mapping out where your argument will lie, are just as important as the writing process. It is during the research process that you will find that all-important crux of your argument – that eureka moment, when, after eight hours in the library, you find what you have been looking for. Research, plan, write, edit and send your work to a proofreader who will help you iron out the kinks. Imagine if you wrote an essay based on what you thought, and didn’t research it at all – remember what we said about generalisations? Your entire argument would be wrong and you could be accused of plagiarism.