Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

WRITING THE RESEARCH REPORT AND THE POLITICS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH

exact source of phrases or ideas to avoid uninten-

tional plagiarism. Cite the sources of both directly

quoted words and paraphrased ideas. For direct

quotes, include the location of the quote with page

numbers in the citation.

It is wrong to use another’s written words and

fail to give credit, but paraphrasing is less clear.

Paraphrasingdoes not use another’s exact words,

but restates another’s ideas in your own words while

condensing. We regularly paraphrase, and good par-

aphrasing requires us to really understand what we

are paraphrasing. This means that we do more than

replace another’s words with synonyms; para-

phrasing is borrowing an idea, boiling it down to its

essence, and giving credit to the source.^2

The Writing Process
Writing is a process. The only way to learn to write
is by writing.^3 It takes time and effort, and it im-
proves with practice. There is no single correct way
to write, but some methods are associated with good
writing. The process has three steps:

1. Prewriting.Prepare to write by arranging notes
   on the literature, making lists of ideas, outlin-
   ing, completing bibliographic citations, and or-
   ganizing comments on data analysis.


2. Composing.Get your ideas onto paper as a first
   draft, a complete report from beginning to end,
   not a few rough notes or an outline, by freewrit-
   ing, drawing up the bibliography and footnotes,
   preparing data for presentation, and forming an
   introduction and conclusion.


3. Rewriting. Evaluate and polish the report
   by improving coherence, proofreading for

mechanical errors, checking citations, and re-

viewing voice and usage.

Many people find that getting started is diffi-

cult. Beginning writers often jump to the second

step and end there, which results in poor-quality

writing. Prewritingmeans that you begin with a

file folder full of notes, outlines, and lists. You think

about the form of the report and audience. Thinking

time is important. It often occurs in spurts over a pe-

riod of time before the bulk of composing begins.

Some people become afflicted with a strange

ailment when they sit down to compose writing: a

temporary inability to write known as writer’s

block. The mind goes blank, the fingers freeze, and

panic sets in. Writers from beginners through ex-

perts occasionally experience it. If you do, calm

down and work on overcoming it (see Expansion

Box 1, Suggestions for Ending Writer’s Block).

Numerous writers begin to compose by

freewriting,a process of writing down everything

you can as quickly as it enters into your mind.

Freewriting establishes a link between a rapid flow

of ideas in the mind and writing. When you

freewrite, you do not stop to reread what you wrote,

you do not ponder the best word, you do not worry

about correct grammar, spelling, or punctuation.

You just put ideas on paper as quickly as possible to

get and keep the creative juices or ideas flowing.

You can later clean up what you wrote.

Writing and thinking are so intertwined that it

is impossible to know where one ends and the other

begins. This means that if you plan to sit and stare

at the wall, the computer output, the sky, or what-

ever until all thoughts become totally clear before

beginning, you will rarely get anything written. The

thinking process can be ignited during the writing

itself.

Rewriting.Perhaps one in a million writers is a

creative genius who can produce a first draft that

communicates with astounding accuracy and clar-

ity. For the rest of us mortals, writing means that

rewriting—and rewriting again—is necessary. For

example, Ernest Hemingway is reported to have

rewritten the end of Farewell to Armsthirty-nine

times.^4 It is not unusual for a professional researcher

Paraphrasing Restating an author’s ideas in one’s

own words and giving proper credit to the original

source.

Prewriting An early step in the writing process dur-

ing which a writer organizes notes, makes lists of ideas,

outlines thoughts, and makes certain that bibliographic

citations are complete.

Freewriting An initial step in the writing process in

which the writer tries to get his or her ideas down on

paper as quickly as possible, not worrying about gram-

mar or spelling.