The importance of research
January 19, 2010
Image by austinevan via Flickr
Write about what you know. I’m sure you’ve heard that one before, right? It’s true. When you put your name on something, you want to be sure it is accurate.
If you need to write about an area you know nothing about, you must do a lot of research. Don’t just take the word of one source, even if it “sounds about right”. You can wind up with egg on your face.
Personally I like to find at least three to five different references on a fact before I take it to be true.
A word of caution: If you’re using the internet as a research tool, be careful of other “authors” who just copy another’s work. Obviously that isn’t a second source.
I do a lot of non-fiction writing. As I research a subject (and I do research every subject I write about, even if I’m familiar with it), I see blatant copies of paragraphs in different articles. Word for word copying.
I’m currently writing a series of articles and guides about mortgages for a client. I was hired because I had been in that industry, as a licensed mortgage broker, for five years. I learned a lot and even lectured regularly about different kinds of mortgage loans.
Even with all that personal knowledge, I still want to research the area. Why? Because I want to make sure my information is current and accurate. Then I add in my own perspective, making my articles and guides unique.
Over the last few months I have read a lot of articles about mortgages on the internet and I can tell you that many have incorrect information. It is appalling how wrong some of them are.
Then I see others copying these incorrect articles, printing them as their own. So, if you were to simply look for three sources, you could find them and still end up with egg on your face.
The way around that is to find three different sources who are clearly speaking from experience. Look at the author’s credentials and look at the other pieces they have written. Are they an expert in their field?
I also like to speak to industry professionals. Social media networking comes in very handy for finding experts in any field. Talk to someone who is currently working in the area you are researching and check any information you are not 100% sure about.
For some research projects the library is hands down the best resource. Although books are usually more reliable than internet articles, you still need multiple sources. It isn’t hard to find three.
Researching is a fun task. You learn a lot about an area, broadening your own personal knowledge base. And chances are, if you do your job correctly, you’ll end up being a source for someone else.
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Laura,
Good advice.
Good point. “Social media networking comes in very handy for finding experts in any field. ”
A splash of humor helps also:
Outside a muffler shop:”No appointment necessary.We hear you coming.”
comment by Jim Sutton — January 20, 2010 @ 11:09 am
Definitely, humor is key!
comment by Friendlywriter — January 20, 2010 @ 11:49 am
You are so right about internet articles being filled with incorect and/or useless information about mortgages. The lending industry is rapidly changing, and any article written more than 30-60 days ago is almost certainly obsolete.
comment by Kristine Baugh — January 23, 2010 @ 1:15 pm
Thanks for reading my blog!
There are definitely obsolete articles, but there are also ones with just incorrect advice or facts. Even glossaries with incorrect definitions of mortgage terms.
I have learned to look at the date of the article, which cuts down on the useless information.
comment by Friendlywriter — January 23, 2010 @ 1:28 pm
[...] friend Laura Sherman in a blog post titled The importance of research makes the point that writers need to do their research to do good writing. As I read it I thought, [...]
pingback by Jim Sutton » Blog Archive » Learn4Life:LISTENING Strategy#2 Understand — February 6, 2010 @ 6:55 am
Another idea is to call professionals and experts. You’d be surprised how easy it is to get people on the phone. In addition to local colleges, government regulatory offices are filled with people who are happy to provide help and guidance as an issue gets sticky.
If a story is particularly nebulous, I also find it helpful to repeat the information I already have to experts. One of my favorite phrases is, “Let me tell you what I know and you tell me why I’m wrong.”
comment by Tony Russo — March 15, 2010 @ 7:25 am
That’s a good point, Tony! Especially in your line of work, I would think that talking to people in the industry you are reporting would be key. I think, though, when you are writing a book or article, you might want to get some written sources to back up the opinions of the experts. Otherwise it might be hard to track down later. Still they can set you on the right path and make sure that you are covering all aspects of the matter.
comment by Friendlywriter — March 15, 2010 @ 11:02 am
Well as Picasso said “Bad artists copy. Great artists steal.” True it’s not quite stealing but to write or paint or create you need to research others work.
That way you get to see what other people are doing and you aren’t just heading off in the wrong direction. This is more to do with general research before you start then on a specific subject.
comment by Mark — March 16, 2010 @ 6:05 pm
I agree that research is key no matter what your topic. It is good to get other perspectives to help clarify your message.
Sometimes it think it can depend on your audience. I have been an Occupational Therapist for 30 years working with parents of developmentally delayed children. If I was writing an article on general suggestions for parents I could do that without research, but if I wrote an article on a therapeutic technique for other therapists I would want to include the latest research and outcomes.
comment by Julia M Lindsey — March 17, 2010 @ 9:57 am