There are two kinds of research: primary research and secondary research. Primary research means finding new facts that have never been published before. Secondary research means finding facts that were already published. Nonfiction books that matter almost always include primary research, because otherwise the book is just a rehash. It’s very hard to draw startling…
If you’re writing, you’ll want to cite published research that you didn’t do yourself. Here’s how to find research worth citing — and avoid citing crap research. Think of me as your mom, saying “Don’t put that research in your document. Do you have any idea where’s it been?” Finding research to cite How do…
While Web research is great, interviews generate insights and spark in your writing that you can’t get any other way. But your interview won’t be successful with a haphazard approach. Follow these four steps to maximize your chance of success: Find ’em, contact ’em, persuade ’em, and interview ’em. Find ’em: Figure out who to talk to Ask…