Writing a successful nonfiction book takes more than a good idea or even decades of personal knowledge. It also takes detailed research and dedication to successfully drive your message home. If you’re new to publishing, brushing up on research for beginners is a great place to start.

Organization Is Key in Research for Beginners

One of the most important parts of research takes place before you start your first Google search: creating a system to organize all that information. Organization is important to research for beginners because it helps you keep track of what is going where and where more research may be needed.

The best system for organization is the one that works for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Depending on your author style, research organization might look like a collection of databases, spreadsheets, or productivity platforms like Trello or Notion.

Organization can even be nondigital, such as physical folders, color-coding systems, or some combination of all of them. Use whatever approach best helps your process.

Always Reference Your Outline

To conduct effective research, the first step is to figure out what you need to know. A strong outline gives you a head start in that direction.

When outlining, it’s important to consider not just what you want to talk about, but the potential knowledge base your readers will have that differs from yours. Those are nooks and crannies that will often lead to more information and research gaps to pursue.

Look for Knowledge Gaps

While working with your outline, note sections or chapters that will need supporting information, case studies, quotes, or other content. In particular, look for a mix of information supporting high-level insights and more granular, specific anecdotes.

Looking for gaps helps you build the skeleton of your research needs and highlights further areas where research might be required.

To save time, and for the best results, consider having peers or a professional look over your outline to help highlight weaker areas.

Break Research into Categories

Once you have your outline and have found some of your knowledge gaps, split your research into buckets to keep yourself from running in too many directions at once.

These buckets could be organized by topic, chapter, asset (e.g., quotes and case studies), or theme. By separating research into categories, you’re better equipped to conduct lean, effective research and cut down on lost time by researching multiple points at once. 

Use Search Engines Wisely

These days it’s unlikely that a text won’t reference multiple online sources. However, it’s important to know how to find the best possible search results. While typing a keyphrase into a search engine might get you a list of possible links, the top results may not be the best or most reliable. They’re just the highest ranked.

To better refine your results, take full advantage of the search tools at your fingertips:

  • Use words like AND, OR, or NOT to refine how the search engine returns results. Using “AND” will combine your search terms. “OR” will have it search one search term or another. “NOT” will tell the search engine to ignore a particular word.
  • Use quotation marks around your search terms to find results that contain the exact word or phrase.
  • Refine results to the domain type you’re interested in by adding “site:” and the type of website you’d like in the results. This could be .edu, .gov, .org, etc.

Take Detailed Notes

Don’t short-change yourself with vague information capture. When gathering sources and supporting information, remember to take note of why it’s important, what purpose it serves, and how it supports your message. This helps you better understand your structure and how information flows from one point to the next.

Equally important is ensuring that you capture all the needed information to convey your intended message. When in doubt, reference your outline to make sure all your dots are connecting.

Know a Good Source From a Bad One

Now more than ever it’s important to know when you’re getting bad information. This may mean brushing up on your media literacy and doing some pre-research into which publications, professionals, or organizations are in good standing.

Critically, don’t go with sources just because they support the narrative or concepts you’re building. Giving in to confirmation bias can kill your credibility, so it’s best to stick with sources that have clear, replicable information. When in doubt, always look for a second or third source that confirms your findings. This greatly reduces the chances of being misled and ending up with egg on your face.

A few more things to keep in mind as you vet your sources:

  • Double-check the website name, publication credentials, or original source of the information.
  • Check who is providing the information. What are their credentials? Are they an expert?
  • If you are covering a volatile or frequently changing topic, ensure you’re looking at the latest information.
  • Focus on established sites, magazines, and other sources.
  • Avoid referencing personal blogs, opinion pieces from unaffiliated sources, or claims that can’t be substantiated.

Seek Novel Insight

Research for beginners can seem daunting, leaving authors eager to grab the easiest, most available insights to fill a gap. While common sources may be widely accessible, they’re also likely to be the most used by everyone else in your niche. Differentiate yourself with novel information or insight by partnering with external experts.

This may take some additional research on your part. You’ll need to spend time researching and vetting the professionals you reach out to and ensure they add credibility instead of detracting from it. The same goes for the insights you seek. Make sure you’re asking relevant questions that have the potential to illuminate key concepts for your audience.

By providing novel insight, you not only increase the unique value of your book, but you can also leverage more niche expertise for your reader.

Remember to Cite Your Sources

Your information is only as good as the source it comes from, and that definitely rings true in publishing. But you shouldn’t just do the research; you also need to cite your sources consistently and correctly. A copyeditor or proofreader may be able to help if you’re feeling lost, but there are easy-to-find resources and examples online.

However, your citation format should stay consistent. So whether you’re following APA, MLA, Chicago, or another citation format, all of your citations should be in that format.

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Whether you’re trying to understand research for beginners, find the perfect narrative POV for your book, or trying to build your best main character, we’ve got you covered.

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