acknowledge it

The obvious answer is “yes, start at the beginning”.  So, do you write the Introduction first?

One approach has been called “3D writing” by copywriter John Forde.  This approach argues that you can write a little of each section at a time.  Now, clearly, if you haven’t completed your background work first (literature selection and analysis or the research itself) then it’s going to be impossible to write a little of one chapter and then move on to another.

In the real world, ideas, articles and research results don’t come in the same order as the final finished document!  You could be working on the research analysis and discover a new article that illustrates one of your research findings.  Or maybe a quotation from a well-known academic, or a perfect phrase to position your findings…..

So, start your dissertation or assignment by mapping out the structure: set up clear headings for the sections that you will be writing.  Add in your outlines – you have made a plan, haven’t you? Then add in pieces of the final document as you go: a new article can be slotted in and the whole section worked on to improve the flow, language and readability.  Research results don’t always arrive together: write them up as results when they are ready, then, when the next lot of results arrive, revise that section and again improve the whole section.

If you find there’s something missing, a reference perhaps.  Then don’t stop writing!  Just add in XXXX???? and go back later to check and add in the reference.  At the same time, look at the whole section and tighten it up: check the sense, the flow of ideas and look for any other missing bits.

Write often.  Read through a section that you have “finished” – oh yes, reading is part of the writing process.  Check you’re happy with it and re-write where necessary.  However, do set yourself a time limit for this, both on the day and in the overall plan – we could go on revising for ever! After this writing “warm-up”, go on to work on another section that’s less complete.

The problem with writing the Introduction first is you might just get stuck there!  “I can’t do this”, “I don’t know enough”, “I haven’t done enough reading”.  But what’s worse is that this approach will eat into the valuable time that you’ve set aside for writing up.  Just make a start on each part – write something in every section on one day and then start to fill in the rest.