Based on scholarly literature and other published sources, the process of text creation can generally be divided into several stages:
- preparatory phase,
- writing,
- evaluation,
- revision,
- editing,
- publishing/sharing.
The preparatory phase includes defining the content and selecting the topic, developing the concept, mapping the needs and abilities of the target audience, defining objectives, determining the format, conducting a literature review, collecting and selectively processing information sources, and selecting appropriate tools depending on the type of data being processed.
Writing includes the process of organizing content according to defined goals and needs, selecting and processing basic conceptual apparatus, creating a dictionary, logically structuring content, incorporating and clearly identifying authoritative sources (supporting accepted works, authors, ideas, etc.). At this stage, content is important, not form.
The evaluation phase involves verifying the processed content, for example through self-evaluation, communication with colleagues or other experts, and presentations at professional events, etc. It is an informal process of “peer feedback.”
Revision includes refining the text, eliminating unclear or ambiguous formulations, checking the clarity of terminology, reorganizing the text, and reformulating or rephrasing critical parts of the text, with emphasis on precise language.
Editing involves formal adjustments, where the content is finalized in accordance with applicable standards and conventions for text preparation and formatting. At this stage, form becomes more important, and the means of physical presentation of the content are emphasized. The communicated content takes the form of a finalized document.
Publishing/sharing represents the final stage of the writing process, involving the publication of the document through a relevant communication channel, whether in printed form or via electronic publishing platforms.
Each of these stages (although they cannot be strictly separated) includes further subprocesses and steps (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Process of Creating Professional/Scientific Text