The importance of staying organized cannot be over emphasized for research scholars. As long as you have all your material at the right place, you can hope to finish the project in time. There are a number of elements that need to be handled simultaneously when you are working on a dissertation. If you don’t develop a habit of staying organized, then you will waste considerable time looking for data and other material. So, here are some tips that will help you stay organized:
• All the data that you collect during the course of research must be stored in a secure manner. You can make notes, prepare charts and accumulate images. But it is always advisable to have a backup of the material, preferably in soft copy, so that you don’t lose any data.
• Also, you have to maintain a list where you need to note the location of your documents and data. This will help you find the material quickly when you need it for analysis.
• If you are conducting an experiment, then keep your lab clean. If you have to put the experiment material in order every day, then you will end up wasting considerable time.
• Your contacts are also important. Prepare a list of all the people whom you approach for information. This will make sure you don’t miss out anyone while writing your acknowledgement section.
• Another list should have details of participants or respondents. In case you need to recheck some information or validate the authenticity of the respondents, then such a list will be a boon.
• Keep a record of all your communications with your supervisor or research guide as well. You might need it for future discussions, especially in case of any disagreement.
Getting everything organized may take some additional time initially. Make it a part of your nature and you will reap multiple benefits in the long run.