Role of Research

Technical writing sets itself apart from the rest because it's not just writing; it's delivering accurate, reliable, easy to understand information to your audience. If you don't do the proper research, you are creating an opportunity for errors that could harm the credibility of the document. Credibility is a high priority in technical writing, so you want to make sure your content is thoroughly backed by solid research. 

Research is the backbone of technical writing, in more than just one way. It can also help you in relations to your audience (see post Your Readers for more on audience awareness). You can learn more about your audience's needs, skill level, expectations of your document, and ensure it's actually useful!

Research for technical writing can include the following:

★Interview Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

★Hands on/product testing

★Surveys and feedback from users

★Academic journals and official documentation

★Investigate competitor's content or similar products for inspiration

★Online search engines such as Google Scholar or DuckDuckGo or even IEEE Xplore

This article from archbee has some really helpful tips and tricks about gathering the research you'll need for your document. What I enjoyed most about it was that it was easy to read, and the article was well crafted with some key resources and tips.

"I have gathered the research for my document. Now what?"

Organize your findings by creating an outline to structure your document. Using headings and subheadings can help categorize the data. With your audience in mind, simplify complex information by breaking down technical concepts. 

Don't forget to cite your sources!