As a fledgling researcher, it may be difficult to navigate the vast wealth of knowledge that you are now attempting to both explore and contribute to. When venturing into anything difficult, there is one thing that is always helpful: a plan. Whether it be a way to learn and understand overwhelming jargon and terminology, or constructing a method to which you will use to collect your data, planning out the next steps in your research project can help make you feel much more secure in your work.
Unlike a class or lecture, research is largely self-led. In that sense, your teacher, or research mentor in this case, cannot guide you every step of the way. By having a plan for your research project, you can instill confidence in yourself and your research mentor by having a tangible document that shows whether you are on track or not. By now you may be thinking, "Well, it isn't so easy. I'm not sure where or how my project will develop!" If this is you, you would most benefit from having a plan.
A plan does not need to be a detailed, thought-out document. My plans are often just checklists that include various items that need to get done in order for my life to move forward.
