Final verdict
Looking over DreamHost vs. Hivelocity, it’s clear why both hosts are so popular. They have both hosted millions of
websites that run on WordPress for decades, building up a loyal customer base.
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Hivelocity (Overall grade: 7.7)
is highly esteemed for its robust server performance and top-notch customer service. It offers dedicated server solutions ideal for high-traffic websites and businesses needing advanced operating systems and control panels. Users appreciate the high-end hardware, extensive redundancy, and impressive uptime record since 2011. However, despite its strengths, Hivelocity’s platform might not be as beginner-friendly due to its complex setup and lack of inclusive free services like domain registration and email hosting. It remains a solid option for users prioritizing performance and custom server configurations.
DreamHost
(Overall grade: 8.2)
excels in providing a range of user-friendly options including shared, WordPress, and cloud hosting. Its platform stands out for delivering a smooth experience with easy setups and free domain registration, SSL certificates, and email hosting. Performance is robust with a 100% uptime guarantee, efficient stress handling, and high-speed SSD storage. However, some users may find its lack of phone support a drawback, and advanced features might be challenging for beginners. Its comprehensive plans, starting at affordable rates, make DreamHost a reliable and cost-effective choice.
 Overall grade:8.2 |
 Overall grade:7.7 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Uptime and Availability | 8.5 | 9.8 |
| Hosting Performance | 7.8 | 7.0 |
| Hosting Security | 7.8 | 8.7 |
| Price | 8.2 | 8.7 |
| Hosting Features | 7.9 | 2.5 |
| Ease Of Setup | 8.9 | 8.5 |
| User Management | 8.1 | 6.9 |
| Customer Support | 8.3 | 9.5 |
| User feedback | 4/5 | 4.9/5 |
Hosting types offered
Both platforms provide a variety of hosting types, each designed to meet the different needs of users.
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|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | ||
| Cloud hosting | ||
| WordPress hosting | ||
| Ecommerce hosting | ||
| VPS hosting | ||
| Dedicated hosting |
Although both offer a variety of hosting plans tailored to different needs, in
certain cases, one platform may prove to be more suitable.
Detailed comparison
Uptime and availability
Evaluates the average uptime statistics, uptime guarantee and overall availability of the hosting
provider
Score Components:
- Uptime percentage (30%): evaluates the uptime statistics in given period of time
- Uptime guarantee (20%): Assesses if the platform offers an uptime guarantee and
whether the actual uptime matches the promised guarantee. - General performance (25%): Evaluates how fast is the average response time and overall
it’s stability. - Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Availability (25%): Reflects the total downtime and number of outages.
8.5
9.8
🏆 Winner Hivelocity: Known for exceptional uptime and reliability, Hivelocity stands out as a top-tier hosting provider.
DreamHost offers a 100% uptime guarantee, providing compensation for any downtime. Its performance tests reveal impressive metrics, with several sources confirming nearly perfect uptime and quick response times. Additionally, DreamHost demonstrates strong performance under stress testing, handling multiple virtual users efficiently.
Hivelocity guarantees 99.99% uptime but has achieved 100% uptime in network and power since 2011. They offer extensive redundancy with high-end diesel generators and multiple data centers. The network infrastructure features multiple tier-1 carriers, ensuring data is routed efficiently to minimize latency and avoid outages.
Hosting performance
Score Components:
- Hosting speed (30%): This includes SSD quality, Load times, PageSpeed score ranges,
additional information on website speed, built-in plugins for performance enhancement, available caching
methods, and CPU/RAM options - CDN (20%): Considers whether CDN is available or not, whether it’s free or paid, and
the quality of the CDN service - Available data centers (30%): Evaluates the number of data centers and their locations
globally. - Scalibility (20%): Looks at whether elastic scaling is available, the process required
to scale (manual upgrade vs. automatic scaling), the presence of dedicated servers, and the costs
associated with scaling.
7.8
7.0
🏆 Winner DreamHost: DreamHost stands out for its superior performance, comprehensive features, and excellent support.
When it comes to general performance, DreamHost uses high-performance SSD storage, which is 200% more effective than traditional hard drives. Its DreamPress plans offer server-level caching, further boosting site speed and performance. NGINX hosting provides great handling of concurrent connections with minimal memory use. DreamHost also has uncapped bandwidth and multiple data centers to ensure reliability. Hivelocity, on the other hand, employs high-end hardware with Intel and AMD processors, diesel power redundancy, and a self-healing international network with 2+ Tbps transit capacity, ensuring high data transfer rates. Both providers offer DDoS protection, but DreamHost edges ahead with built-in caching.
Website Speed
DreamHost prioritizes speed with its NGINX hosting and server-level caching built into all DreamPress plans, eliminating the need for additional plugins. The use of SSD storage ensures quick load times, which significantly enhances the overall speed. Hivelocity also offers high-end hardware and bandwidth options with instant server deployment in 5-7 minutes. However, DreamHost’s combination of features like RAID 1 storage and OPcache results in enhanced website speed and quick response times.
Scalability
DreamHost allows for easy upgrades with expandable RAM and storage options, catering to the growth of your site without disrupting service. The scalable infrastructure has no bandwidth caps, ensuring performance remains steady even as traffic increases. Dedicated servers are available starting at $199.00 per month, providing personalized power and control. Hivelocity also offers scalable solutions, including dedicated servers, but specific details on automatic scaling or cost of scaling are not provided.
Hosting security
and regulatory requirements
Score Components:
- Technical security measures (40%): This includes encryption, firewalls, DDoS
protection, secure configurations, server monitoring, access control and availability of security addons
(e.g Sitelock security). - Operational security measures (30%): Encompasses data privacy, backups and data
redundancy. - Compliance and certifications (20%): Adherence to legal and regulatory requirements
(e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) and possession of certifications (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2). - Business and reliability (10%): Factors in the provider’s reputation, uptime
guarantees, and customer support.
7.8
8.7
🏆 Winner
Hivelocity Hosting: Offers robust organizational and business-validated SSL certificates with advanced security measures suitable for sensitive data transactions and e-commerce.
Both DreamHost and Hivelocity Hosting, have notable differences in their approaches to technical and operational
security, as well as in their compliance with regulations.
Technical security measures:
DreamHost and Hivelocity Hosting provide a variety of SSL certificate options to secure data transmissions. DreamHost includes free SSL certificates with all hosting plans from Let’s Encrypt, while Hivelocity offers Basic, Business, and Premium SSL certificates to meet different security needs. Both providers support DDoS protection and malware scanning. DreamHost supports current PHP versions including PHP 8, equipped with OPcache for enhanced PHP performance. Hivelocity doesn’t specify supported PHP versions. Additionally, DreamHost includes mod_security, Secure Shell (SSH) Access, and RAID 1 storage, whereas Hivelocity offers advanced firewall security, proactive malware scanning, brute force detection, and load balancing.
Operational security measures:
DreamHost incorporates multi-factor authentication (MFA) for panel logins, SFTP for secure file transfers, and offers secure password protection for directories. It also provides 24/7 expert support and monitoring. Hivelocity, on the other hand, implements 24/7 monitoring and support with real-time problem identification, robust authentication controls, advanced encryption technologies, and service monitoring with email alerts. DreamHost features unique IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, and local MySQL server hosting for faster database queries. Hivelocity includes hardware diagnostics, manual OS reloads, and hardware health monitoring to ensure system reliability and uptime.
Compliance and certifications:
DreamHost’s services are GDPR compliant and PCI compliant for its own servers, though customers must obtain their PCI certification. Hivelocity meets SSAE-16, HIPAA, and PCI compliance standards and conducts regular security audits. DreamHost does not support HIPAA compliance. Both companies ensure that their regulatory practices align with industry standards to protect user data effectively.
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|---|---|---|
SSL certificates |
Free, Professionally-Signed, Third-Party |
Basic, Business, Premium |
Additional security features |
MFA, DreamShield, mod_security |
Advanced encryption, Malware scanning, Brute force detection, Load balancing, Firewall hardening |
PHP versions |
Current versions, including PHP 8 |
Not specified |
GDPR compliance |
Yes |
Not specified |
HIPAA compliance |
No |
Yes |
PCI compliance |
Own sites only |
Yes |
Hosting features
Score Components:
- Domains (20%): Assesses the availability of a free domain, domain purchase options, and
pricing - Email (15%): Considers if the provider offers full email hosting, or is reselling
third-party service, and if the email is only transactional or not - Website builder (15%): Checks if website builder is available, and it’s user
friendliness and overall the level of customization allowed. - Staging environment (20%): Determines if a staging environment is available, allowing
for testing changes before going live. - FTP & SFTP accounts (10%): Evaluates if and how easily users can access FTP and
SFTP accounts - Git and SSH access (20%): Assess whether Git is integrated into the hosting service and
if SSH access is provided
7.9
2.5
🏆 Winner
DreamHost: Offering a comprehensive range of hosting plans and robust features.
DreamHost and Hivelocity provide diverse hosting solutions, each catering to various user requirements. DreamHost stands out with its user-friendly website builder and optimized servers that ensure a smooth hosting experience. This provider excels by including free domain registrations, SSL certificates, and professional email addresses in its plans, which can be significant cost savers for new businesses. With plans starting as low as $2.59/mo, DreamHost also promises 100% uptime, making it a reliable choice for website hosting. The convenience of having a custom-built control panel and a free migration service for WordPress users further underscores its user-focused approach.
Hivelocity, while offering extensive managed service features and high-level security measures, lacks some of the more user-friendly inclusions that DreamHost offers. It supports multiple control panels like cPanel and Plesk, which can appeal to more technical users. Additionally, Hivelocity provides strong performance optimization services and proactive security updates, which are advantageous for users needing high reliability and security. However, the absence of free domain registration and the relatively complex setup process could be potential drawbacks for users seeking simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
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|---|---|---|
Free domain |
Yes |
No |
Free SSL |
Yes |
Yes |
Email hosting |
Yes |
No |
Website builder |
Yes |
No |
Staging environment |
Yes |
No |
FTP & SFTP accounts |
Yes |
Yes |
Git and SSH access |
Yes |
Yes |
Free backup |
Yes |
No |
Money back guarantee |
97 days |
No |
a location.
As a result in rare cases the features mentioned here can differ from the ones you see on their websites.
Both providers support a range of users from beginners to experts with user-friendly website builders and WordPress staging areas. However, in terms of developer tools, both DreamHost and Hivelocity offer robust options including SSH access, support for multiple programming languages, and Git for version control, thus appealing to developers looking for advanced capabilities.
Email services:
DreamHost includes professional email addresses across all its plans, making it convenient for users to manage their business communications directly through their hosting. Hivelocity does not offer native email hosting services but focuses on transactional email capabilities. Users will need to integrate third-party services like Google Workspace or Zoho for comprehensive email hosting, which could mean additional costs and setup complexity. DreamHost’s inclusive approach may be more appealing to those looking for an all-in-one solution.
Price
Score Components:
- Plan value (40%): What each pricing tier offers.
- Transparency and clarity (30%): Clearness of pricing structures.
- Flexibility of plans (20%): Range of options to suit different budgets.
- Hidden costs (10%): Additional expenses not included in the plan.
8.2
8.7
🏆 Winner
Hivelocity: Offering diverse server options and various global data centers, making it suitable for custom needs.
Evaluating the pricing of plans among various hosting providers can be complex due to their differing pricing and renewal strategies. Additionally, certain plans require annual commitments, which adds to the difficulty of making comparisons. The prices listed are based on monthly commitments; plans requiring annual commitments are indicated. Additionally, although some providers offer identical plans for WordPress and shared hosting, we have created separate tables for each to enhance clarity.
DreamHost offers a range of plans including Shared Hosting, Managed WordPress Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, and Cloud Hosting. Their Shared Starter plan is $2.59/month for one website, renewing at $5.99/month, and features unlimited storage and a free SSL certificate. Hivelocity, on the other hand, provides cPanel Dedicated Server Hosting, Instant Servers, Game Server Solutions, Custom-built Bare Metal Dedicated Server Solutions, and Managed Services. An example is their Instant Server with an E3-1270 v5 processor at $145/month, discounted to $75/month, offering 64GB memory and 960GB SSD storage. Both providers have tailored plans to cater to various hosting needs, but Hivelocity’s diverse server options and global reach offer a compelling advantage.
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DreamPress $19.99
1 WordPress website, 30GB SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, free domain registration, automated daily backups, WordPress specialized support. Value for price:8.0
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N/A |
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DreamPress Plus $34.99
1 WordPress website, 60GB SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, free domain registration, automated daily backups, WordPress specialized support. Value for price:8.5
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N/A |
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DreamPress Pro $89.99
1 WordPress website, 120GB SSD storage, unmetered bandwidth, free domain registration, automated daily backups, WordPress specialized support, priority support. Value for price:8.7
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N/A |
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|---|---|
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Shared Starter $5.99
1 website, unlimited storage, free domain registration, free SSL certificate, automated daily backups, 24/7 support. Value for price:9.1
|
N/A |
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Shared Unlimited $10.99
Unlimited websites, unlimited storage, free domain registration, free SSL certificate, automated daily backups, email hosting, 24/7 support. Value for price:9.5
|
N/A |
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|---|---|
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DreamCompute $10.00/month
Scalable cloud computing, SSD storage, root access, blazing-fast networking, 24/7 support. Value for price:8.5
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Custom-built Bare Metal Dedicated Server Solutions
Custom solutions including private clouds, server clusters, virtual environments, 24/7 support. Value for price:9.0
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DreamObjects Varies
cost-effective cloud storage, compatible with Amazon S3 API, unlimited subdomains, free WHOIS privacy protection, 24/7 support. Value for price:8.0
|
N/A |
As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their websites.
Enterprise plans
For enterprises, DreamHost offers Dedicated Hosting plans with features like a 100% uptime guarantee and full root access. Their Standard 16 plan starts at $199.00/month, featuring a 6-Core CPU and 16GB RAM. Hivelocity, in contrast, has versatile Instant Servers and Custom-built Bare Metal Dedicated Server Solutions. One of their notable plans includes the 16-Core XEON Scalable server for $269/month, discounted to $119/month, with 128GB DDR4 memory and 960GB SSD storage. Both providers deliver high-performance options, but Hivelocity’s variety and hardware specifications make it particularly appealing for businesses requiring extensive customization and global presence.
Ease of setup
platform.
Score Components:
- Site migration (25%): Assesses whether the provider offers tools for site migration,
either automated or manual, and whether these services are free or require a fee. - Admin panel usability (35%): Evaluates the type of admin panel provided, such as the
standard cPanel or a custom solution, focusing on its accessibility and user-friendliness for both
technical and non-technical users. - Setup features (20%): Examines the availability and ease of use of various setup
features, including FTP accounts, file managers, email account setup, PHPMyAdmin, and easy CDN
configuration. - Help center quality (20%): Measures the quality and accessibility of the provider’s
help center resources, including articles and tutorials.
8.9
8.5
🏆 Winner DreamHost: DreamHost offers a user-friendly setup process and extensive support resources.
DreamHost provides a custom-built control panel specifically designed for ease of use. Both technical and non-technical users can navigate it with minimal effort. This control panel includes advanced features like SFTP, Shell Access, and WP-CLI, making it versatile for different user types. In contrast, Hivelocity offers a variety of control panels, such as cPanel, DirectAdmin, and Plesk, among others. While these are standard in the industry and widely known, they require a higher technical proficiency. For non-technical users, DreamHost’s custom solution may be more accessible.
On the technical side, Hivelocity’s range of control panels can be highly advantageous. Users familiar with cPanel or Plesk will find the transition smooth. However, this variety can overwhelm less experienced users. DreamHost’s singular custom panel avoids this issue by offering a consistent interface. Both hosting providers support a wide range of operating systems, but DreamHost’s pre-installed WordPress option on their DreamPress plan simplifies setup for WordPress users.
Both DreamHost and Hivelocity provide site migration tools. DreamHost offers a Migration Dashboard that scans the site and presents migration options, guiding the user through the process. This service is included, making it a convenient option for users. Hivelocity, on the other hand, requires more manual input or consultation with their experts, which might be more cumbersome. The automated nature of DreamHost’s migration tool makes it the preferable choice for most users.
Regarding help center resources, DreamHost excels with a comprehensive knowledge base filled with FAQs, tutorials, and guides, continually updated. The support is available round the clock through chat, email, and a control panel. Hivelocity also offers an extensive knowledge base, covering a wide range of topics, and 24/7 support via chat, phone, and tickets. Both providers have positive customer testimonials, but DreamHost’s resources are more accessible and easier to navigate for all types of users.
User management
accessibility.
Score Components:
- Role customization (40%): Flexibility in creating and defining user roles and
permissions. - Ease of management (30%): User interface and tools for managing users.
- Access control (20%): Effectiveness of access control measures for different user
levels. - Scalability (10%): Ability to manage a growing number of users efficiently.
8.1
6.9
🏆 Winner DreamHost: DreamHost excels in offering comprehensive user management features, making it a favorable choice over Hivelocity. DreamHost provides unlimited SFTP users, allowing multiple secure logins to your data. This contrasts with Hivelocity, for which specific user management capabilities are not described. DreamHost’s use of a Subversion repository facilitates team collaboration on shared web apps or websites. Moreover, DreamHost offers access to crontab for scheduling automated tasks, adding versatility in managing user permissions and roles. These elements collectively provide more flexible and dynamic user management compared to Hivelocity.
DreamHost’s custom-built control panel stands out with intuitive management of domains, mail, FTP & SSH, and support. This control panel is designed to be user-friendly, catering to both novice and advanced users. While information about Hivelocity’s user interface and tools is not provided, DreamHost’s detailed interface ensures efficient management of hosting resources and user roles.
DreamHost offers effective access control measures with SSH access for secure remote server management and password protection for directories via .htaccess. Advanced features like access to raw log files enable users to analyze site performance without impacting load times. This level of control and monitoring can accommodate a growing number of users efficiently, making DreamHost a more scalable option. The ability to support multiple programming languages further enhances DreamHost’s capabilities for user management.
DreamHost user roles table:
| Role | Description | Access highlights |
|---|---|---|
| SFTP User | Allows SFTP access to the server | Secure file transfers, access to specific directories |
| SSH User | Enables secure remote server access | Command-line operations through SSH |
| SVN User | Manages source code with Subversion repository | Collaboration on development, version control |
| Crontab User | Schedules timed tasks | Automate command-line tasks |
| Email Account | Professional email services @yourdomain | 25GB storage, mobile/desktop sync, spam filters |
Customer support
hosting provider.
Score Components:
- Support communication channels (30%): Measures the variety of customer support types
provided (live chat, chatbot, email, phone, etc.) - Availability (20%): Assesses the availability hours for each channel, including 24/7
support options. - Technical support quality (30%): Assesses whether the provider offers comprehensive
technical support, including hardware upgrades (e.g., HDD to SSD), software installations, and web
server configuration changes. - Enterprise support (20%): Checks if there are dedicated or priority support services
for enterprise-level customers.
8.3
9.5
🏆 Winner
Hivelocity: Offers diverse support channels and 100% uptime since 2011.
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Phone support |
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Live chat support |
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Chatbot |
||
Email/ticket support |
||
Enterprise support (dedicated agent, priority support) |
DreamHost provides 24/7/365 customer support through chat, email, and a ticket system. Live chat queries are answered within minutes, and ticket responses come in an hour or two. They don’t offer direct phone support, but callbacks can be requested for an additional fee. Professional services are available for custom web design, marketing, and other web development needs.
Hivelocity also offers 24/7/365 support with diverse channels including live chat, phone, and a ticketing system. Their phone support is available toll-free, and technical support operates around the clock. They offer a range of self-help resources like walk-through articles and videos. Additionally, Hivelocity provides 100% uptime since 2011, making it a highly reliable option.
User feedback
DreamHost is a well-regarded hosting provider praised for its reliability, affordable pricing, user-friendly interface, and excellent performance. Users especially appreciate the responsive customer support, the easy navigation of the web portal, and a variety of hosting options suitable for different needs. However, common criticisms include the lack of phone support, occasional slow response times from customer service, and some challenges related to advanced functionalities and site migrations. While the majority of users report positive experiences, a few have faced significant issues with downtime and customer service, impacting their overall satisfaction.
Hivelocity is highly praised for its exceptional customer service, reliable server performance, and knowledgeable technical support. Long-term users, some with over a decade of experience, commend the company for its personalized support and rapid response times, often highlighting near-instant ticket resolutions and a proactive approach to addressing issues. Additionally, the infrastructure and network reliability receive strong accolades, with many users experiencing minimal to no downtime. While a few noted the increasing prices and occasional variability in support quality, the consensus is that Hivelocity offers an outstanding hosting service marked by dependability and top-tier customer support.
FAQ
Which platform is better suited for hosting WordPress websites?
DreamHost is better suited for hosting WordPress websites, offering specialized hosting options like DreamPress that provide optimized performance, hassle-free management, and additional features such as automated daily backups and WordPress-specific support. While Hivelocity also supports WordPress hosting, DreamHost’s tailored solutions and user-friendly interface make it a more compelling choice for WordPress users.
Are both platforms suitable for beginners?
DreamHost is more suitable for beginners compared to Hivelocity, thanks to its user-friendly control panel, easy website builder, inclusive free services like domain registration, and professional email addresses. Hivelocity, while highly robust and reliable, tends to have a more complex setup process and lacks some beginner-friendly features.
Which hosting service offers better security features?
DreamHost offers better security features, including free SSL certificates with all plans, mod_security, Secure Shell (SSH) Access, RAID 1 storage, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for panel logins. Hivelocity also provides strong security measures like advanced firewall security, proactive malware scanning, and DDoS protection, but DreamHost edges out due to its more comprehensive inclusions.
Which platform offers better customer support?
Hivelocity offers better customer support with 24/7/365 availability through live chat, phone, and ticketing system, coupled with a stellar record of reliability and uptime since 2011. DreamHost also provides robust support through live chat, email, and tickets but lacks direct phone support, potentially making it less accessible to some users.
What are the differences in the control panels offered by each hosting service?
DreamHost uses a custom-built control panel that is designed for ease of use, catering to both novice and advanced users. Hivelocity offers a variety of industry-standard control panels such as cPanel, DirectAdmin, and Plesk, which might be more suitable for technical users but can be overwhelming for beginners.
How do the providers handle email hosting and what features are included?
DreamHost includes professional email addresses with all its plans, offering 25GB of storage, mobile/desktop sync, and spam filters. Hivelocity does not offer native email hosting and users need to integrate third-party services like Google Workspace or Zoho for comprehensive email solutions, which can add complexity and additional costs.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
