Before beginning the process of writing, you'll conduct research to solve a problem or to understand a product. In either case, conducting effective and solid research requires that you:
- Take a systematic approach by defining the problem clearly, brainstorming, categorizing and organizing ideas, and developing research questions.
- Determine major sources of technical information---both hardcopy and electronic---and know how to evaluate the usefulness and credibility of your sources.
- Know how to plan and conduct effective interviews to gather information from technical experts.
- Understand the techniques involved in designing useful questionnaires.
- Understand how to use research to support your document by properly integrating sources.
- Acknowledge the work of others and avoid plagiarism by summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting your sources.
- Familiarize yourself with the documentation techniques and styles for your profession.
To conduct research on cultures and customs in other parts of the world, consider searching the Internet, a major source of international and local information about other cultures.
