A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations, Ninth edition - Kate L. Turabian 2018

Join or organize a writing group
Defining a project: topic, question, problem, working hypothesis
Research and writing

One of the best ways to stay on track with your project is to join or organize a writing group. In many fields, especially in the humanities and social sciences, scholars read, think, and write mostly alone. But it doesn’t have to be that way, at least not entirely. Find someone other than your instructor or advisor to talk with about your progress, to review your drafts, even to pester you about how much you have written. That person might be a generous friend or, better, another writer with whom you can trade feedback on ideas and drafts.

Better yet is a writing group: four or five people working on their own projects who meet regularly to discuss each other’s work. Early on, start each meeting with a summary of each person’s project in that three-part sentence: I’m working on the topic X, because I want to find out Y, so that I (and you) can better understand Z. As your projects develop, start with an “elevator story,” a short summary of your research that you might give someone in the elevator on the way to the meeting. It should include that three-part sentence, a working hypothesis, and the major reasons supporting it (see 13.4). In later stages, share outlines and drafts so that the members of the group can serve as surrogate readers. If your group has a problem with your draft, so will your final readers. Your group can even help you brainstorm when you bog down. All of this support is valuable. But for many writers, a writing group is valuable simply for the discipline it imposes. It is easier to meet a schedule when you know you must report your progress to others.

Writing groups are standard practice for those preparing theses or dissertations. But the rules may differ for class papers. Some teachers worry that writing groups or writing partners might provide more help than they should. So if you join a group, be clear with your teacher about what it will do. If you don’t, she may decide the assistance you have received is inappropriate (see 7.10).