---
# System prepended metadata

title: Writing process

---

# Writing process

## Pre-writing
### DECISION:
- Define the topic/thesis/goal
- Choose the reader group
    - What they know
    - What do not they not know

### WORKFLOW:
- Use [sprints/kanban](https://www.atlassian.com/agile/kanban/kanban-vs-scrum)
- Sprint model
    1. Roles:
        1. Product owner: Reader/Editor
        2. Dev team: Writer
        3. Scrum master: Writer
    2. Artifacts
        1. Sprint Backlog: (Sub)sections/paragraphs
        2. project board 
            - Columns:
            - Todo: sprint planned
            - In progress: writing
            - In review: Editing/Proofreading
    3. Sprint cycle:
        1. Sprint planning: 
            1. One day of the week 
            2. Ca 1 hour
            3. Select sections to work on
        2. Daily standup: 
            1. go over the progress (or lack of progress) that you made on your writing project for the previous day 
            2. (ca. 15-30 min)
        3. Sprint (every week)
            1. Work on one thing at a time
            2. Every time you write. begin by reading through what you did last time.
        4. Sprint retrospective
            1. Before review 
            2. ca. 1 hour
            3. Document and discusses what worked and what didn't work in a sprint
        5. Sprint review
            1. Before next sprint
            2. Include Reader/Editor
            3. Demonstrate increment

## Writing
Repeat until: `eveything that needs to be said is included` and `final draft is ready` 

### 1. Collect

#### *WHAT:*
- A well defined answers to an exaustive list of well defined questions

#### *WHERE:*
- File (online)
    1. questions
    2. answers
- Folder (google drive)
    1. bookmarks/links
    2. PDFs

#### *HOW:*
1. Create an exhaustive list of questions
    - *HOW:*
        - Use all interrogation words
            - [ ] what
            - [ ] who
            - [ ] where
            - [ ] when
            - [ ] why
            - [ ] which
            - [ ] how
        - Divide and conquer
            - [ ] define atoms (fundemental units)
            - [ ] define forces (how they interact)
        - Use the [question format](https://hackmd.io/ChcaWHyKQB6v-x2T2CdtAw?view#A-QUESTION-FORMAT)
    - *WHERE:*
        - file 1
2. Effective search
    - Search wide
        - different [search engines](https://hackmd.io/ChcaWHyKQB6v-x2T2CdtAw?view#SEARCH-ENGINES)
        - follow where the search leads, explore unfamiliar leads
    - Search precise
        - Use the hotkeys for
            - [Advanced google search](https://www.google.com/advanced_search)
            - [Advanced google queries](https://seo-hacker.com/link-search/)
        - Use the question format
            - search what: the keywords/terms
            - search where: at the fields/sources + sources of those sources
    - Search fast
        - Set a limited time
        - Search responces
            - skim through 
                - the text below the search result
                - the text
            - look at 
                - the domain
                - the author details
                - the date
                - the outside sources that reference this site
3. Collect effectively
    - Bookmark all relevant links 
        - *where:* folder 1
    - PDFs
        - *where:* folder 2
    - Books
        - *where:*
            - links: online folder 1
            - physical: online folder 2
4. Filter effectively
    - Review source 
        - Papers (takes 1-2 days)
            1. abstract
            2. conclusions
            3. images & captions
            4. intro
            5. result
            6. full paper
            7. abstract
        - Books
        - etc.
    - Sort sources/bookmarks by
        - [ ] relevance
        - [ ] credibility
            - [ ] author (provided/qualified/credible)
            - [ ] motive (valid/propoganda/affiation)
            - [ ] objectivity (fact/opinion)
            - [ ] supported (reviewed/refereed)
        - [ ] accuracy (verifiable/bias/grammar/spelling)
        - [ ] curreny/up-to-date (references/reviews)
4. Create an exhaustive list of answers
    - *HOW:*
        - go through the sorted bookmarks, books, pdfs
        - convert them into [answers](https://hackmd.io/ChcaWHyKQB6v-x2T2CdtAw?view#AN-ANSWER-FORMAT) to your [questions](https://hackmd.io/ChcaWHyKQB6v-x2T2CdtAw?view#A-QUESTION-FORMAT)
    - *WHERE:*
        - file 2


### 2. Structure
#### *WHERE:*
- Files
    3. Outline version *x*

#### *HOW:*
- Organize the list of answers
    - create a story line
    - create an new outline, mindmap, bullet points or numbering.
    - structure into paragraphs 
    - fill in with content
- Structure and connect ideas and fill in what you would like to include. 
    > something about A. 
    > Something about A1 and A2. 
    > Something about B.
    > Something about B1 and B2 and B3.
- (Re)arrange paragraphs, sentences and words.

### 3. Draft
#### *WHERE*
- Files
    4. New draft
    5. List of new ideas
    6. Removed writing

#### *HOW:*
- Write 
    - until you have said everything you want to say about the topic!
    - beginning with the main body of the text
    - non-linearly
    - big changes first
    - new ideas that come to you, in file 5.*x*
- OBS!
    - Don’t focus on 
        - too much on details.
        - perfection
        - spelling
    - Focus on 
        - quantity above quality
        - Keep writing
        - keep moving

#### *WHAT:*
- Add
    - Write 
        - in file 4.*x*
        - 10-15 complete sentences per paragraph
        - complete paragraphs
        - from memory
    - explaination of the ideas 
        - Put information into your own words (paraphrase and summary)
        - (Re)formulate arguments
    - support for your ideas 
        - with references
        - Cut and paste only necessary material from the previous draft/ the collection
        - Mark ideas that need support for research!
    - Connect ideas
        - with transition words if necessary
- Remove and collect in a file 6.*x*
    - overused transition words within paragraphs if there are too many
    - words that aren’t used in normal conversation
### 4. Check

#### *WHAT:*
- [ ] All ideas are
    - [ ] fully supported (no missing or illogical arguments)
    - [ ] fully explained (no missing explanations)
    - [ ] written clearly (no missing information)
    - [ ] explicitly and clearly connected
    - [ ] have explicit linear narative with  
        - linear writing structure
        - or non-linear writing structure
- [ ] Each paragraph 
    - [ ] has a clear central focus
    - [ ] is relevant to the overall argument
    - [ ] shows connection with an appropriate transition word or phrase
    - [ ] flows rythmically/smoothly when read outloud
    - [ ] has a clear structure
        - [ ] Introduce topic
        - [ ] Evidence
        - [ ] Explaination & interpretation
        - [ ] Conclusion 
- [ ] Each sentence 
    - [ ] flows logically from the previous sentence
    - [ ] is precise (no unnecessary words)
    - [ ] is fact checked
- [ ] Each word
    - [ ] is understandable to the reader (is explained or is not necessary to explain to this reader)
    - [ ] is not overused (transition words)
    - [ ] says what you mean (words are misused. E.g. conquer vs concure)
    - [ ] is relevant
- [ ] No irrelevent
    - [ ] ideas
    - [ ] arguments to the overall thesis
    - [ ] paragraphs
    - [ ] explanations
    - [ ] sentences
    - [ ] words

#### *HOW:*
- Choose a particular reader and keep them in mind.
- Read out loud to check if it flows smoothly
- Use another display that where you wrote (dark mode vs light mode, paper vs computer, editing mode vs reading mode etc.)
- Put brackets around unnecessary words. Read the sentence without the bracketed material and see if it works. 
- If something does not pass the check list
    - make a list of the parts that do not pass the checklist

### 5. Said everything and final draft is ready?

- ***NO:*** go back to [collecting](https://hackmd.io/ChcaWHyKQB6v-x2T2CdtAw?both#1-Collect)
- ***YES:*** continue to [editing](https://hackmd.io/ChcaWHyKQB6v-x2T2CdtAw?both#EditingProofreading)

## Editing/Proofreading
#### *WHEN:*
- on the each draft = Edit
- on the final draft = Proofread

#### *WHAT:*
- Check that here are no
    - [ ] Sentences
        - [ ] Run-on sentences^[[1](https://www.scribbr.com/language-rules/sentence-structure/)]
        - [ ] Sentence fragments
        - [ ] incomplete sentences
        - [ ] formatting errors/ wrong sentence structures
    - [ ] Words
        - [ ] typos/misspelled words/Spelling errors
        - [ ] grammar mistakes --
        - [ ] Missing words
        - [ ] redundant words
        - [ ] overused words
        - [ ] unclear phrasing/words
        - [ ] inconsistent definitions
    - [ ] Non-alphabeticals
        - [ ] capitalisation mistakes
        - [ ] punctuation mistakes
        - [ ] Comma mistakes/ Comma splice /Missing comma with a coordinating conjunction
        - [ ] Missing/redundent spaces
    - [ ] Stylistic inconsistency
        - [ ] serial commas
        - [ ] American or British spellings and punctuation
        - [ ] numerals vs. words for numbers
        - [ ] titles and headings capitalization

#### *HOW:*
- until `you cannot edit so that it improves`
- Read through your text line by line
- If there are any checks that fail
    - add/delete/replace
    - Have someone else check the text
- Use tools
    - grammarly browser extension
    - wordtune.com
    - ludwig.guru
    - ProWritingAid
    - Sapling.
    - WhiteSmoke.
    - Ginger.
    - PaperRater.
    - Reverso.
    - SentenceCheckup.
    - Hemingway App.


## APPENDIX
### A QUESTION FORMAT
- Question: 
- Search keywords/phrases:
- Meta data:
    - type:
        - label: `missing info`, `missing argument (pro/con)`
    - reasons for asking:
    - List of expected places to find:
        - fields: `medical science`, `machine learning`
        - sources: `paper`,`article` [see search source](https://hackmd.io/ChcaWHyKQB6v-x2T2CdtAw?view#SEARCH-SOURCES)
    - List of expected answers:
        - what: 
        - why:
            - label: `expected`,`hoped`
        - consequence:
    - Checklist:
        - [ ] focused on the research topic
        - [ ] concise
        - [ ] complex
        - [ ] interesting to the reader

### AN ANSWER FORMAT
- Answer:
- question id: e.g.`#21`
- sources:
    - URL:
    - author:
    - title:
    - type: e.g. `journal`, `book`
- summary:
- list of annotation:
    - labels: `thoughts`, `useful quotes`
- comment section:
    - type: e.g. `comment`, `question`, `reaction`, `cross reference`
    - what: 
        
### SEARCH ENGINES
- General Search engines
    - Google - advanced search
    - Yahoo
    - Bing
- Spesialized search engines
    - DuckDuckGo
    - Jooble
    - Congress.gov
    - Google Scholar
    - Google Books

### SEARCH SOURCES
- invisible web: some websites prevent Google from indexing their pages for different reasons
- Encyclopaedia
- Bibliographies
- Databases
- Wikipedia to find credible sources
- For General Research Articles
    - InfoMine
    - IPL
    - Library of Congress and LexisNexis
    - Project Gutenberg
    - DeepDyve
    - Student’s Online Research Guide via AllConnect
    - Yale University Research Guides by Subject
- Academic Journals
    - JSTOR
    - AcademicJournals.org
- For Specialized Research
    - Medical: 
        - BioMed Central
        - The Lancet
        - New England Journal of Medicine 
        - NCBI (Nat’l Center for Biotechnology News)
    - Legal: 
        - American Law Reports