Organizing Your Research

Diving into research, uncovering sources, and making sense of data can be tough. Keeping track of all your notes can be even worse. This class is an overview of my ongoing quest to develop a methodology that makes sense of the madness

Where did that one specific note go? About that one subject? Is it on an index card? A Word doc? Saved email? Notebook? Did I take a photo of it?

I am not an academic; my bachelor’s degree was in Business Administration! This is the current (c. May 2018) version of my evolving approach to managing my own research after my own collection of ad hoc notes and mental osmosis began to fail me.

Your own system will vary; use what you find usable!

I plan on offering this class in the future at the next RUSH (Calontir’s Arts and Sciences / education-focused organization) event with a classroom-based format. This next class will include a presentation with screenshots and software usage, rather than the handout-based discussion format seen at Valor 2018.

  • Goal: This is not a “how-to” research class and focused completely on organizing and managing the growing pile of research and notes that many SCA A&S and living history types start to collect.
  • Class Length: One Hour

Links to Programs and Tools

Download Handout (PDF)