Browsing
When writing for academic purposes, you will need to search for information at different stages in the course of your writing. For example you may need to search for information when deciding on a theme for your report, or for determining the structure of your assignment, or to gather evidence to support your argument.
When deciding on a theme, a method of information searching commonly known as browsing can be effective. Browsing is more like "locating information" or "discovering information", rather than actively searching for information. In other words, browsing is the act of straying from your route while searching for information, even if such actions may at first seem wasteful, instead of heading straight to your destination. Examples of browsing include: going to a shelf in a library that you think is likely to have relevant material, and actually taking books in your hands and leafing through the pages; or surfing the Internet to find information. Browsing creates opportunities for serendipity, stumbling upon unexpected ideas.
