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Introduction
This is a report that tackles the issue
“research as a writing process”. A debatable statement in the first
glance and this report will critically assess the statement using the
writings of some authors as the platform of analysis. Initially, it can
be said that writing requires different levels of research depending on
the objectives of the write-up. The need for research can also be
undermined when the writer is intelligent or a professional in a certain
field in which the topic evolves. In the other extreme, research is a
broad term. Due to this, there is a need to investigate the limits of
research involvement in the writing process to verify the statement.
Body
In writing, triangle and inverted triangle
styles are distinguished and used. The former has a structure that
consists of specific ideas in the beginning with the last part taking the
more general conclusions. On the other hand, the latter is the opposite
which tackle general issues first before specific findings. In this
process, research can be related to writing because objectives in research
can be investigative or theorizing depending on the characteristics of the
researcher and nature of topic at hand. If the topic is new to him or to
the body of knowledge, a general to specific way of conducting research is
used while if the undertaking is just meant to confirm a certain phenomena
specific to general approach can result to finding of useful theories.
Thus, research can be framed in writing process on the way on how
objectives affect the outcome of research. If research is bound to
confirm an existing body of knowledge, triangular style of writing can be
used while if it is new to the body of knowledge inverted triangle can be
utilized.
This relationship is made possible by
deductive and inductive reasoning. When a writer or a researcher is bound
to seek enlightenment on a certain topic or phenomena, they should provide
known facts about it and depending on their objectives will emerge the
style of reasoning to be adopted. Conclusions in a research are used to
ignite reasoning based on known facts or deductive reasoning. Example is
the existence of methodologies in which the researcher will use to
identify factors that can affect the reliability of the study. In making
methodologies or the procedures in carrying-out the research, the
researcher will use appropriate tools to tackle the problem. To do this,
he used guides from past researches to identify potential procedures
suitable for the study. The researcher will hardly take a step without
confirmation of historical accounts related to the study. On the other
hand, a writer would also find it hard to tackle a topic in which facts
and basis are limited. The task could be tedious or perhaps misleading
that can disrupt the quality of the paper.
However, inductive reasoning or the
process reasoning in which the premises is believed to provide certain
conclusions is also used by writers when the topic is rather imaginative
or for entertainment purposes. Because inductive reasoning used limited
premises and facts to formulate a formidable conclusion, it is relatively
less precise than deductive reasoning. Therefore, literary writers are
more adept in using this technique while news reporters and academicians
prefer the use deductive reasoning. Writers can take both sides because
writing is for both entertainment and knowledge. On the other hand,
inductive reasoning is not used in research using the research definition
of active, diligent and systematic process of validating and discovering
facts (Trochim 2006). There are no hasty generalizations in research and
creating theories especially scientific ones are very tedious and requires
subsequent forums. This is why research as writing process can only
emerge when the writer use research techniques in drawing conclusions for
academic writing but it is difficult to praise research in literary
writing because imagination can bend realities Writing can include
imagination and subjective bias which are not general facts from the
writer while researching relies on objectivity and quality of
methodology.
As a result, research as a writing process
is only applicable in academic writing in which the writer tends to seek
the validity of the manuscript through research. In failure to do so, his
manuscript will be classified as fiction to dissolve the idea that people
who will read the manuscript can derive something factual from it.
Writing that employed research skills to avoid plagiarism, respect for
certain cultures, represent the real settings of life and other issues are
merely to give the manuscript portion in the minds and sympathy of the
society. It is different from the objective of true research in which the
researcher does not intend to conform in social norms and include it as
criteria for the outcome rather to provide new facts that can bend those
norms towards factual observations and findings. Outside academic
writing, writers basically research to increase their knowledge and
understanding of certain events which their manuscript can be suited for
and also where their ideas will be expanded.
Conclusion
It is difficult to write when one has
minimal idea on what are the facts about the subject at hand. In literary
writing, research can give basis for installing characters based on how
they look, feel or interact. In academic writing, research can confirm
subjective statements or opinions to ratify the admonitions in the
manuscript. In both cases, research can help the writing process achieve
its goal of entertaining audiences in the case of literary papers and to
inform/ persuade readers in the case of academic manuscripts. Research is
done for writers to have an idea, to have a topic, to have an issue and
derive acceptable statements because they are exposed to the facts which
polish their personal knowledge and perception of the world. With
research, they are able to communicate well with other people with
different backgrounds and culture because only facts are the binding
mechanism of the world to unify various cultures and values to approach
world issues and daily problems. And research is one of the tools to
identify such facts and include them to the manuscript.
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