[well size = “sm”]

Learning outcomes

At the end of this chapter you will:

• Know how you can best approach a writing assignment
• Be able to plan and design a research project (incl. research question)
• Know different ways to start drafting your text
• Be able to revise your text
• Know how to incorporate information from literature [/well]

When writing a research report, keep in mind that the writing process already starts prior to data collection and analysis and continues throughout the complete research process³. Although each writer may have different preferences throughout the process, writing is often subdivided into three different stages that take place more or less subsequently: planning, drafting, and revising¹⁰. Inexperienced writers often skip the planning and revising steps because they feel this saves them time⁸. However, going through all stages of the writing process is essential for a focused text and a good readability³. In the next subchapters, you will find more in-depth information on the different stages, and how to tackle them.