When writing a scientific paper, the procedure seems logical at first: First, you have to set up a question and acquire knowledge. Without these basics, it is difficult to get started with the actual writing. So, especially at the beginning of the writing process, there is no way to avoid reading the literature. For most students, this means that they spend hours and hours reading and only type the first sentences of their paper when they feel they have a complete overview of the state of research on their topic.

But this is exactly the crux of the matter: Is it even possible or necessary to know the whole state of research before starting to write? In my opinion, this question can be answered with a clear no. In fact, I would say that in many cases it is not even possible to have an overview of the state of research at the very beginning, since it only really becomes clear at the end of the writing process.

Depending on the type of text

First of all, it is not necessary for all types of texts to have a complete overview of the state of research at the beginning. In the case of empirical work, it is indeed necessary to know at the beginning which state of research one is working with in order to then establish hypotheses and collect data on this basis. The situation is different, however, in the case of theory papers, for example. Here, you do not collect and analyze your own data. Instead, the focus is on literature work. The aim is, for example, to examine theories on a topic in depth or to compare them.

Otto Kruse sums up the goal of theory work in his book "No Fear of the Blank Page": "By reading, one opens up the subject and begins to understand it in its inner relationships, its history, its ramifications and controversies. Once you have done that, you understand what the state of research is" (2007). TIn this case, reading and the research status are not the prerequisite, but the goal of the scientific work. Similarly, for other types of scholarly writing, such as methodological papers, the state of research plays a role only further down the writing process. Being aware of these differences can help you to approach your own literature research with realistic expectations.

State of research as an arbitrary quantity

From these thoughts derives another argument in favor of the fact that the state of research often only becomes clear at the end of the writing process: "The state of research is [...] not a fixed, but an arbitrary quantity, which in each case is only produced on paper" (Kruse, 2007). Thus, when writing a paper, it is difficult to determine at which point it has been fully grasped, since no one specifies which of the numerous existing theories and data it conclusively encompasses. Thus, one could theoretically lose oneself in researching the state of research for all eternity. In the end, even one's own work contributes something to expanding it.

Here, too, it is made clear once again that the standard of comprehending the state of research at the beginning of the writing process is utopian. Even when the work is finished, it is usually impossible to make conclusive statements about the state of research on a topic, since it is continuously expanding.

In summary, then, we can state that while it remains essential for empirical work to have an idea of the state of the research at the beginning of the writing process. For other types of texts, however, this is often not possible, since the state of research emerges only in the course of the writing process. The fact also remains that the state of research is not usually a measurable quantity, and so it is difficult to determine when we have it completely figured out anyway.

What we can take away from this for future work? Reading remains an essential and indispensable part of any scholarly writing process. But perhaps these insights can bring some peace to our research phase. At some point, we should draw a line under our research and begin the actual writing - because we don't need to have read every paper published on the topic by any means at the beginning of the writing process.

Want to find out more about this topic?

Here is the source for the text where you can find additional information:

Kruse, Otto (2007): Keine Angst vor dem leeren Blatt. Ohne Schreibblockaden durchs Studium. Frankfurt/Main: Campus Verlag.

This post appeared on the occasion of the April 2023 Writing Center Newsletter. This and other newsletter issues are linked in the Writing Center Newsletter Archive.

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