What lies beneath

Abstract

After a fairly lengthy autobiographical introduction, this chapter foregrounds the possible benefits of procrastination when embarking on a research paper before exploring the implications for the reader of the title. I explore the similarities of research to digging beneath the surface of things to discover what has been heretofore hidden or undiscovered. The notion of procrastination is nudged aside in favour of "slow writing", and idle speculation turns to practical tips on how to "do" research based on what I have found most helpful in my long career as a literary scholar now passionate about open learning.