What's the best way to conduct research and start writing?

For a scientific literature research paper, it's best to first read broadly in the area and narrow down the exact question you want to answer. Then, read articles and papers from journals. If they're useful, summarise them (or copy the abstract but putting it into your own words is helpful) and save the link or paper. This way, you can start chunking ideas into paragraphs which can then be drafted.