Why
For most people this is obvious. However, a surprising number of people bumble their way through reports, articles, and fiction, simply going on what they already think they know and understand. They tend to rely on supercilious verbiage to disguise lacking information. This is, at best, unprofessional - at worst, unethical.
Count on any and all inaccuracies being discovered and ridiculed. You will be held accountable for all claims, and may even endanger yourself in a libel suit.
Research can be fun. Don't risk a lost and irreparable reputation by avoiding diligent research.
Where
The first and most obvious place is your own collection of materials: your library, personal files, friendly acquaintances, and etc.
Next, hit the Internet. You may need to go no further; just remember that errant humans man the Internet. Go to numerous sites and look into who owns and operates them. Errors have been found on highly reputable sites. Don't trust what you read until multiple sources have verified it.
Don't overlook your local library. It has books you may not think to look for on the Internet. Ask the librarian for help. If the library doesn't have what you seek, try bookstores. You may find inexpensive books with a wealth of information.
Use articles, videos, radio, books, and the Internet to find names of people you can interview. People love to talk, especially about subjects at which they excel. Afraid to ask? Just call or e-mail them with a query. The results may surprise you. There are numerous books and articles about how to prepare for an interview. Don't show up without a list of well-thought questions. This person is sacrificing time for you; look good and sound professional. Remember that they want to share their information or you would not have been invited.
Compile
Gather the materials you collected. Sort them via subject matter, relevance and trustworthiness of source. Don't forget to document what websites, books, and other materials from which you gathered information. Credit is ethical, and in some situations, mandatory for articles and non-fiction stories.
Organize and outline your information. Have too much? Perfect! Once your information is outlined you are ready to start your story outline and get your first draft written. See, that wasn't hard. I bet it was even fun!
Go To Page: 1 2
