ACWR303 - Academic Writing for Nursing

The Prefocus Exploration Phase is often characterized by anxiety and uncertainty. Some causes of this are:

Information encountered doesn't fit - it is natural to feel frustrated and possibly overwhelmed when you encounter a large amount of new information, especially when much of that information seems contradictory or inconsistent. This may lead to feelings of personal inadequacy (I can't do this!) or frustration with library systems (this library doesn't have what I'm looking for!)

Inability to express information need - because you haven't reached a focus yet, it's often hard to articulate what it is you're looking for. This can increase the frustration of using research tools like the library catalogue and databases because you aren't sure what terms to use.

Feeling that time is being wasted - research shows that students frequently feel unproductive during this stage because it may not seem like they are moving forward with their research. Many abandon their topic altogether. But the exploration phase is essential; it simply takes time and patience.

Not open to change and adjustment - if you have too firm an idea of what you're looking for at this point, it may only increase your frustration if the information you find doesn't fit. Try to be receptive to new concepts and flexible in your approach.