How to research a topic before writing an article

When writing an article on a certain topic, there are some things you need to know before you begin. There is a clear difference between an article written by someone who has not done their research properly and the one that has. It is not only that but also the details mentioned in the properly researched articles have much better arguments and are much more likely to present real information. However, if you are here you probably do not know how to research a topic before writing an article. That is why we have created this post. To help you with your writing endeavors. So, without any further ado, let’s dive in!

Researching a topic before writing an article – what’s to know?

To properly research a topic you need to be familiar with the methodology of research. You need to have the skills necessary to write a masterful article. Of course, writing articles is much more than just proper research, but that is a topic for another day. Now we will talk about the methodology of research and how to best create an article worthy of your skill. Let’s get to it!

Thinking of a keyword for your topic

As with anything online, your article needs to have a discernible keyword. The keyword should contain the bare essence of the topic in hand and should be weaved through your whole text. You can use this keyword when researching online. One of the best ways to use your keyword for research is to type it into the Google search bar and hope to get some nice results. The keyword does not need to be a single word. It can also be a phrase closely related to your topic. So, for example, if you are writing an article on the usage of wooden beams in building construction, your keyword should be something like “wooden beams in construction”. If you want to add more stuff about the general use of wooden beams, then your keyword can be just “wooden beams”.

The keyword is important when searching on Google because the proper usage of keywords is vital for article optimization. When you type something on Google, the first couple of results will most likely be very well optimized for the search engine (SEO). This is because Google looks for texts containing the keyword repeated a couple of times throughout the text. So, your article is most likely to be featured on the first or the second page of results for your topic if you manage to optimize the text properly, so this is vital when you research the topic before writing.

Using most of your Google search results

Now that we have covered the keyword, it is time to talk about the results themselves. When you type in your topic you will be presented with a wide variety of similar topics. Some of them may be related to the topic at hand. At certain times, no articles will have the same topic as yours. Sometimes even, not a single article will be remotely related to your topic. This is when things get tough. The only thing you may find is your keyword somewhere inside the text, completely out of context for your topic. That is why you need to know how to use these results, even if they are not helpful to you.

So, open as many articles as you can. Skim through a lot of them and focus mostly on the part where your keyword appears. Take whatever information that paragraph presents to you and write it down as a note somewhere. A notepad is a great tool when doing something like this. If you happen to find an article closely related to your topic, read it thoroughly and soak up as much information as you can. This will be vital for your article and the arguments you are going to present.

Going further into the search results

If you want to delve even deeper into the topic at hand, you should not forget about the popular questions that Google often presents on the first page of the results. These questions are posted on websites such as Quora and often contain valuable pieces of information. You can also use these questions as subheadings in your article. These are usually the questions people need answers to when looking for something. By answering these questions with the information you have collected, your article will provide much more insight into the topic at hand.

Visit Wikipedia for further information

If you encounter something that is closely related to your keyword, visit Wikipedia and read as much as you can. Wikipedia will probably not have the answer to a specific question that you want to write about, but it will provide general information about something. If this something is in the same domain as what you are researching, use it as a different perspective for what your article is about.

Skimming through PDFs

When you research a topic before writing an article, you are bound to stumble upon a book or two mentioning something similar. When you enter that page and open the PDF, you can use the search option and type in the keyword or its synonyms in order to find the paragraph dealing with it. It is a good idea to also skim through the paragraph before the one containing your keyword, as well as the one after it. This may, again, provide more insight into the topic at hand.

Find an encyclopedia in your local library

If the internet was not enough for you, then you should visit your local library and look for an encyclopedia. Encyclopedias are huge databases of old and may give you some information that was not presented in any of the articles and PDFs that you have found online. It will also make you feel like you are researching some forbidden alchemical knowledge with all the dusty books and people-less library aisles.

With all that said, good luck with your research!