The research lifecycle
Introduction to Academic Research
Most projects move through the same stages: idea, topic, question, plan, sources, reading and notes, outline, writing, citations, revision, quality review and submission. You will loop back — a source may change your question — and that is normal.
Plan time for each stage. Students most often underestimate reading and revision.
Example
A 4-week essay might spend week 1 on question and sources, week 2 on reading and outline, week 3 on drafting, and week 4 on revision and citations.
Exercise
Open your project timeline and check that revision has at least 15% of your available time.