No matter what you’re writing – a blog article, a social media post, or even a birthday card – you want to make sure you have the correct information.
The Rewards of Research
Good research is a key component of writing, especially when it comes to marketing. Yes, part of your job is to sell the product or service and appeal to your audience. But that should never come at the expense of accurate information. Few things will turn your readers off faster than when they feel they are being misled, or worse, lied to.
Fortunately, with all the resources of the internet, researching has never been easier. Here are a few tips to help you keep your writing as authentic as possible:
1) Recognize credible sources.
A good way to start is to identify dependable sources of information. An established news outlet like CBC or PBS has to fact check their stories before publishing. This means you can have a higher degree of trust when referring to them for information – a great information source. In contrast, your uncle’s Facebook page could have posts with little to no review and loaded with personal opinions – not a good source for information.
2) Cite your sources.
Research aside, this is always a good practice. It’s important to cite information you take directly from another author. Always make sure to give credit where credit is due. It’s also helpful in covering your bases. If you want to use some information but are not 100% sure of its validity make sure to add a citation afterwards to show where it came from. A good basic citation should include the author, the article or text it came from, and the date it was published.
Eg. “Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so.” Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, 1979
3) Learn to cross reference.
A good way to determine if information is correct is to find it from multiple sources. If you visit three websites and they’re all telling you the same thing, it’s usually safe to assume that information is accurate. If you find information you are uncertain about, try to find it again within those credible sources we mentioned in 1). It never hurts to double check.
By taking a little extra time and a little extra care you can make sure your writing provides readers with accurate, reliable information. Be vigilant with these practices and maybe even your writing will become a trusted source for someone else’s research!
About Erica
My title is Marketing Coordinator and my focus is writing and research. Need a blog article, social post, e-newsletter, or even a script? I’m your gal. And thanks to Karma I get to flex my abilities in other areas as well – like graphic design, product creation, and client relations.