From time-to-time, you may get a writing assignment from a User on a subject matter that is not familiar to you. These writing opportunities are great for your personal and intellectual growth. Unfamiliar writing assignments require a great deal of research to be able to create great content. Are you not sure where to start? Consider the tips included below to help you get started researching your topic.

Useful Resources are Important
Well-researched, informative articles do not happen by accident. The resources that you use are responsible for providing you with the information that you need to create an excellent body of work.  We live in a time where there is so much information available. With so many resources at your fingertips, how do you know what is considered the best and most authoritative resources to use for your work? The resources that you use to support your articles give readers confidence that you know what you are talking about. They also provide the reader with more in-depth information if they are interested in learning more about the subject matter.

Choose your resources wisely, especially when you are creating content on a topic that you are unfamiliar with. Authoritative resources come from a trustworthy and reputable sources. They are accessible to the public and expected to remain available in the future. Magazines, scholarly peer reviewed journals, archives of academic institutions and official government websites are examples of authoritative resources. Commercial websites, self-published blogs and unrevised documents are not authoritative. Choosing the right resources helps to ensure your are providing your readers with the most reliable, relevant information.

Familiarize Yourself with the Topic
Now that you have the best resources available, use them. Familiarizing yourself on an unknown topic is a great place to start when you’re writing about a subject matter that you have no prior knowledge of. Take the time to learn the basics about the subject before you begin researching deeply. Digest the information. Is there anything that stands out to you? Write down a list of questions that you may have. You should be able to answer who, what, when, where and why? When you are able to answer those questions, you are ready to work.

Organize Your Ideas
Before you begin to write, organize your ideas to make certain that you are capturing the most important and relevant information. Make an outline for your article if you prefer this method of organization. However, if you consider yourself more of a visual learner and prefer another method, then create a diagram or chart listing the main ideas and subtopics that you want to discuss. Keep the topic and audience in mind so that your ideas stay focused.

Follow Instructions
As simple as this tip may seem, it is one of the most vital and important skills that can easily be overlooked. Pay attention to and follow the instructions left by the User. Typically, you will find vital information regarding the direction that the User wants to take with the work assigned. They may also provide you with clear instructions on the types and how many resources that they want you to use, as well as how they want the article formatted.

The instructions for each assignment can be found at the top of the text box when you select the assignment from your Dashboard. If you are having issues viewing the instructions contact support@contentrunner.com.

While it may be tempting to shy away from work that seems challenging because you don’t have any prior knowledge of it, don’t. Stretching your writing boundaries has a unique way of enriching your life with the new knowledge that you gain with each project that you complete. Just remember to always adhere to any instructions provided, organize your ideas and gather the most authoritative, reputable resources to assist you with your research.