5 crucial steps to take before you start writing your next research paper

Chegg
·5 min read

It’s no secret that starting an essay is the hardest part — the initial plunge onto the blank page is always overwhelming to students (and even seasoned writers).

But what many people don’t realize is that the “writing” process starts before you even put words on paper (or screen). When I taught freshman English composition, I always coached my students to dig into research before they even began thinking about writing anything.

Researching well sets you up for success because, by the time you sit down to write the paper, you already have all the tools and information you need at your fingertips. It will ensure you actually learn about your topic and develop an argument you can back up with ideas from experts in the field. And, if you start this process early, it will hopefully make finishing your paper so easy that you can avoid a panic-writing all-nighter.

Here are five crucial research steps to take before you start writing your paper.

1. Brainstorm your topic before researching it

Maybe it goes without saying that you need something to research before you can research, but a lot of my students get stuck before they begin, which leads to procrastination. For that reason, the best advice I can give is start brainstorming ASAP. You don’t necessarily need your thesis fine-tuned yet, but you need to know what you need to learn about to develop one.

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Even before you fire up your search engines, jot down a list of terms and keywords that you think will support your topic and assignment. For example, if I’m writing about twins in a particular horror film, I can start with the following terms:

  • [Name of film]

  • Horror

  • Film

  • Twins

  • Evil Twins

  • Folklore

These terms may seem really broad, but when you use them in various combinations (e.g., “twin imagery in horror films” or “evil twins in folklore”), they can start to direct your search results. Look for synonyms if you’re stuck (e.g., “twin imagery in cinema”). If you’re struggling with this sort of free-association brainstorming, you could also structure this as a list of questions you want to explore through your research.

2. Use Google, but avoid the paywalls

Google has the best search engine, especially Google Scholar (the feature that limits results to scholarly sources). That makes it a great place to start. Entering combinations of your keywords list into the search engine should generate several sources.

Unfortunately, many of the sources you find through this method will be locked behind a paywall. Your university may pay for subscriptions that unlock the paywalls, so look into that first. But, if you find yourself unable to access information you need, write down the name of any documents that look relevant, and then…

3. Go to the library

I know you might be thinking, “Libraries have been obsolete since the dawn of the internet era,” but that’s not true at all. Not everything has been digitized, and besides, the real treasure of libraries lies in librarians.

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When I was teaching, I walked my whole class over to the library and introduced them to the kindest introvert you’ll ever meet: the research librarian. The research librarian specializes in navigating labyrinths of information systems and knows how to find all kinds of documents.

Pretty much any time you get stuck, just talk to a librarian. You may have to make an appointment, so plan ahead and bring your assignment, any brainstorming and notes you’ve taken, and some questions to ask — they can help guide you to sources that may help. They can also help if, as mentioned above, you know what source you want, but you just can’t get to it. If you can’t physically go, most libraries have a virtual chat as well, so you really have no excuse to not use this invaluable resource.

4. Check your sources’ sources

We’ve all been here: “I just need one more source.” But you’ve probably already done the work to help yourself find it. Look at the sources on your list that are a perfect fit for your topic and then look at their bibliographies. Chances are, they used other sources that will help you, too.

An advanced-level hack? Most library catalogs have a “quoted in” feature, which shows you every piece of writing that quoted that article. It’s like networking for research.

5. Use annotated bibliographies

While it can feel like busy work, using annotated bibliographies intentionally will help you work smarter, not harder. Start by writing out your citation in whatever style your assignment requires. Underneath it, write yourself a note that includes three things:

  1. What is this source? (Is it a book, an article, etc.?) Where did you find it?

  2. How will you use it? (I might use this source to support the idea that…)

  3. If you already have some good quotes you might want to include, list them here.

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Do this with every semi-helpful source you find, even if you’re not sure you’ll use it. A good rule of thumb is to aim for about three times more sources in your annotated bibliography than are required for your paper. It seems like extra work, but with so many sources to choose from, you can cherry-pick the very best. Plus, you’ll thank yourself during the drafting and outlining stages — by then, you’ll have all your research at hand and can just drag and drop it into an organized essay. (You’ll even have your works cited page started!) 

With these five tips, you should be well on your way to accumulating the research you need to support your essay’s argument. And if you get stuck, remember: Go to the library. They can set you in the right direction.

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