ORGANIZING AND MANAGING YOUR RESEARCH

The more you research the bigger your pile of papers will get. How do you keep track of everything? No single organizational method works for everyone. Some people use stacks of index cards full of notes, or hand write everything in notebooks, others photocopy their sources and store the papers in folder, and some only use the computer. There is no correct method of organizing and there are pros and cons to every method. What is most important is that you find a system that is organized, efficient, and above all, will work for you. Every project is different and you may find yourself using a combination of methods. Below are a few ideas that can help you to find your own organizational style. Do you have a preferred organizational style not seen here, or a variation of one? Email Creative History to add it to the list. Organizing by Topic

• If you are photocopying most of your sources, this might be the best method for you. It gives you the opportunity to gather everything you can find on a particular topic and collect it in one place. • This is also a good method if you do most of your work on the computer or have a lot of digital files. • Have a research log for each topic you are researching. This will keep you organized and minimize duplicate research. Keep adding sources you want to search and cross off ones you have already read. • Having all the information on one topic in one place minimizes confusion of what source contained what fact. TIP : When you photocopy an item, write a detailed source citation on the copy immediately. Include a copy of the title page with the author, publisher, and date when you photocopy part of a book. Make sure page numbers are easy to read. Then staple everything together to keep from losing the pages. Make a note of which library or archive you found the source. Write down any necessary call numbers.

Organizing by Source

• For those of you who think about information based on your sources, this method might work best for you. • This method can be helpful if you hand-write all your notes on index cards, notebooks, or do most of your work on the computer • Fill pages with notes from your source, and do not forget to add the page numbers of where you found information. • Write down all quotes carefully and make additional notes if necessary to put the quote within a context. • Using loose-leaf notepaper in a 3-ring binder will give you more flexibility when organizing your sources. • Have a master research log for all your sources. Keep adding sources you want to search and cross off ones you have already read. TIP : Write all the bibliographic detail about your source at the top of the page. Also make a note of which library or archive you found your source so you can find it quickly again if needed. Write down any necessary call numbers.

Organizing by Person

• This is a must if you are doing genealogical research. Keeping detailed accounts of individuals and families are critical. There are many methods of organizing your data but usually it is based on one person per folder, or one family per three-ring binder. • Arrange sources chronologically so you can find an item quickly. • Since many documents will apply to two or more people (such as a marriage record), keep a list at the front of each folder cross-referencing a document to other folders. Or make duplicate photocopies to put in each folder. • Have a research log for each person you are researching. This will keep you organized and minimize duplicate research. Keep adding sources you want to search and cross off ones you have already read. • For genealogy, there are many organizational tools and forms to help you organize. Use pre-designed forms or make your own to fit your own research style

Organizing Your Digital Files

• This is a combination of all the presented methods. • You can develop a very organized and detailed system of digital folders within folders which will make managing your computer files easy • Begin with one main folder titled for a topic or person. Within that folder can be documents containing your notes and outlines, another folder can just contain census record information or notes from a specific source, maybe you have a folder with only digital photographs. • To minimize the paper trail, maybe you can try scanning all your paper documents. • Rearranging your different topic folders can help you develop an outline when you are ready to write. TIP : Develop a system of organization early to avoid rearranging files later. Name your digital folders clearly and simply. Put files in the appropriate folders right away to keep your computer desktop neat and clutter-free.

The links below are mainly for organizing people and family trees, but some of the ideas might inspire you to develop your own forms and organizational methods. Check out: In a Pile or a File by Rita F. Bartholomew Organizing Your Family Records by Desmond Walls Allen and Carolyn Earle Billingsley Organizing Your Paper Files Using File Folders by Mary E. Hill, AG, ML at Family Search (LDS)