Which step is NOT part of the writing process?

In the context of the writing process, the primary steps include prewriting, drafting, and editing. Prewriting involves planning and organizing ideas before starting to write, while drafting is the phase where the writer begins to put those ideas into a coherent structure. Editing focuses on revising the draft for clarity, coherence, and correctness.

Researching, while often a critical component in creating informed and substantiated writing, is not traditionally categorized as a formal step in the writing process itself. Instead, it can be considered part of the prewriting phase, where writers gather information to support their ideas. Thus, recognizing that researching is not one of the key stages in the standardized writing process helps clarify why it is the correct answer to the question regarding which step is not part of the writing process.