Keeping a research log will make the job of writing and documenting your sources more efficient and accurate. You can use your log to jot down ideas about your topic and possible sources—and to keep track of print and online materials.
A private blog or other online site can be a good place to record your thoughts on the reading you are doing and to add links to Web sites, documents, and articles that you find online. (For more on blogs, see 18c.)
If you are keeping a computer research log, create a new folder and label it with a name that will be easy to identify, such as Research Log for Project on Messaging. Within this folder, create subfolders that will help you manage your project, such as Assignment info, Working bibliography, Image ideas, Drafts, and so on.
If you prefer to keep a print research log, set up a binder with dividers similar to the subfolders listed above.
Be sure to carefully distinguish the notes and comments you make from quoted passages you record (see Chapter 12).