Discovery to Delivery: Research Strategies and the Writing Process
Research as Conversation
eavesdropping
entering
engaging
By: Tom Greenwald, Writing Department
Norda Majekodunmi, York University Libraries
The Pre‐Writing Stage  Analysis of the assignment
 Generating ideas
 Coming up with questions Tom Greenwald
 Gathering information
 Hypothesis construction
 Playing Devil’s Advocate/ recognizing bias
 Thesis development
 Planning and organizing
Analysis of the Assignment  Subject: Name the subject
 Purpose: “Like focus on a camera”
 Additional tip: reread the assignment several times throughout the development of the essay.
Analysis of the Assignment
 “Key” Question: the most important question in the assignment. The answer to the question will eventually become the thesis.
Analysis of the Assignment
Analysis of the Assignment
 Hypothesis versus Thesis
 Planning
 Test the former, prove the latter.
 What do you want to communicate?
 How do you intend to communicate it?
  Hypothesis comes at the beginning of the process; Thesis is derived after the research has been completed.
 Any pattern of organization should be like a road map, not like a blue print. The writer has a destination in mind, but she shouldn’t ignore interesting diversions from the plan when they arise.
Points to Keep in Mind
Points to Keep in Mind
 Get started early
1
 # concern of professors:  more time for ideas to grow and develop
 the essay must satisfy the terms of the assignment.
 more time to adjust to fresh perspectives
 more time for real revision, rather than just editing
 less pressure
Points to Keep in Mind
Points to Keep in Mind
 Writing is usually a journey from writer‐based prose to reader‐
based prose.
 Writing is not a linear process.  It doesn’t work like this:
 Assignment‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐Final Draft
 written by the writer for the writer
 written to discover what the writer  Writing is a recursive process.
 It does work like this:
 Assignment
Draft
 Early drafts—writer‐based
has to say.
Final  Later drafts—reader‐based
 takes into account the needs and expectations of the reader
 organizes and writes with the reader consciously in mind.
Points to Keep in Mind
 To whom are you writing?   Marker/Grader: the writer must satisfy the terms of the assignment.
  General Reader: explanation and context are crucial.
 Remember, for most undergraduate essays, if your aunt in Alberta couldn’t understand the essay, neither will your professor/marker‐grader.