A research project or simply a research paper can seem daunting and overwhelming at first when considering where to begin. However, if you break the process down into more digestible sections, it doesn’t seem so vast and unmanageable after all. When deciding on an action plan for a research project, here is a map of how to break down those sections.

A basic flow of the building blocks of a research project could look like this:

• Prewriting (this may occur in other places as well)
• Research (this may also occur in other places)
• First draft (with research)
• Editing
• Possible 2nd/3rd drafts
• Editing
• Final paper

Writing a paper can be seen as a cyclical process. Research, writing, and editing will occur throughout the project. Within each phase, the emphasis shifts. Although you will probably still be doing research during the drafting stage, the bulk of it will take place during the research stage. Likewise, and essay will need to be rearranged and edited several times in order to create a quality final product.

Prewriting

Before beginning the drafts of an essay, pre-writing will help to get all ideas about the subject out on paper and will then be used to organize those ideas. Here are some brainstorming strategies that can help you get started:

Brainstorming often isn’t pretty, but it’s a great way to get started on a new project.

• Listing: For a general brainstorm, there are no hard and fast rules. The idea behind a brainstorm is to get all your ideas about a topic out in front of you so that you can begin to narrow them down. This may come in the form of a paragraph, a list, sentences, or scattered words. There are no rules and no right or wrong ideas. The idea is just to free-associate, and see what kind of ideas take shape. The point of a brainstorm is not to build an argument, but to “data dump” and write down anything that comes to mind.
• Mind Mapping: Another possibility for pre-writing is mind mapping. This one may take a little bit more thought and organization, but is especially useful for those who like to think visually. It turns the information about a subject into a picture or diagram. Mind mapping can be a useful way of thinking about the connections between things and which ideas tie into other clusters of ideas.
• Free Writing: One of the most helpful and common prewriting strategies is free writing. While mind mapping is a bit more organized, and brainstorming can take any form, free writing involves the writer writing any bit of information down at once. This can be done for any amount of time, and many writers find that setting a timed limit (like 5 minutes) helps. Grammatical rules do not apply; all thoughts and ideas should be written however they come out.

Talking through your ideas—whether to a friend, a pet, or an inanimate object like a rubber duck—can be a powerful way to jump-start your creativity. Programmers call this process “rubber duck debugging.”

• Talking it Out: Try recording your ideas about your essay on your phone (or another voice recorder). Later, you can go back, listen, and transcribe.
• Working with a partner: Ask your partner to take notes as you talk through your essay. Then, take notes as your partner describes their own ideas. Exchange notes.
• Outlining: Once these strategies (or others) have been completed, the final prewriting strategy is to outline the essay you want to write. Outlines put the points in order and help the writer to stay on track when creating the actual essay. They can be as detailed or simple as the writer wants, but ideally should be created before the research stage is completed, so that the only information provided is based on the writer’s ideas. If research is introduced too soon, it tends to become the focus of the writing, and the writer’s voice gets lost.

Research Phase

Once the outline has been completed and you know the direction the paper will go in, the research phase can begin. As always, research should be obtained through credible, preferably peer-reviewed sources that support the argument you are making.

As you write your paper, you’ll probably find yourself returning to the research phase several times. Often, the course of writing a draft reveals holes in our understanding of a topic or arguments that require more backing and support.

Drafting & Editing

After pre-writing and research has been completed, outlines included, the next stages start the cyclical process of writing an essay. Using the outline, the first draft will begin. Again, be sure to follow the requirements specifically, but use the outline to begin turning the ideas into a paragraph form essay. The main arguments should be original ideas that make clear points. The research should be used as a way to justify the arguments you are making, and should not be the main focus of the project.

The first draft may be very rough (that’s why it’s called a rough draft). It may have gaps, bring up new questions or ideas, or be lacking research. However, it is the first step to creating a final piece. Once you have the semblance of an essay, the editing phase begins. There are many ways to edit a paper: self-review, peer-review, writing center help, and many techniques that assist with the proofreading process. However, it is key to complete a thorough edit so that revising the essay will create a stronger second draft.

The number of drafts and editing is subject to personal choice or class requirements. Some writers only do one editing before completing the final draft. Others need or want two or more drafts. A lot of it depends on how strong and full the piece is and the confidence and skill of the writer. It is always a good idea, regardless of writing ability, to get another person to read/review your paper. Even if the information and structure is perfect, another set of eyes typically catches easily overlooked grammatical or sentence errors by the writer.

Regardless of how many drafts you write, be sure to plan for extensive time to edit, proofread, and revise final drafts. Too many students submit the rough draft, gain feedback, go through the editing process with peers (or whatever is required in class) and then simply turn in the same exact rough draft as the final paper. Editing and revising are key to correcting errors, ensuring all parts of the writing prompt are fulfilled, and earning the highest grade possible. Plan for ample time to make corrections and turn in the highest quality work possible.