2:09 PM
Kinsz
It doesn't matter if you are writing a term paper for school or writing the novel that will make you an international superstar. The process of writing is the same. It often involves collecting massive amounts of information. You may fill up notebooks, index cards, file folders, drawers, or in some cases, even rooms full of papers and notes. In order to turn these random thoughts into useful ideas, it's time to consider a note organizer.
The Collecting Stage
In the collection stage of your project you will amass a lot of information from a variety of sources. You may not use all of this data in your final draft, but now is not the time to make that decision. This is about grabbing hold of anything you can which may include random thoughts, old newspaper printouts from the library, or references from books.
This can be extremely overwhelming. Piles of paper in a variety of formats, such as index cards, notebooks, clippings, and folders, everywhere you look can make you want to give up the project entirely. This is the messy stage and everyone deals with it at some point. Try to keep your collection items together in a safe place such as a shoe box or other storage unit. That way you will never have to scramble for that vital piece of information. Even so, in this stage, you must never edit your collection. That happens in the organizing phase, sometimes called the sorting phase.
How to Sort Your Information Collection
Once the collection process is almost complete, it is necessary to begin sorting through the information into similar groups or chunks. You will also be able to identify the elements that require further research. Duplicate or extraneous data can be discarded during this process. Think of this stage as housekeeping or spring cleaning where you empty out the closets and put everything back in a neat and logical order.
By taking an inventory of your information, you should have a better grasp on the information as a whole. This will help direct the next step, which is placing the data in a logical sequence. In other words, place the ideas in an order that tells a story with a beginning, middle, and an end. During this process you should only concern yourself with major concepts. The details will come later.
Now that you have determined the shape of your story or project, the details can be added in to help expand upon your main ideas. There are typically several details that support each main idea. They need to be grouped and sorted using the same process that helped to determine the main ideas. Don't get too caught up in decision making right now. You can always change the sequence of events later.
It's the Same Pile That I Started With
Okay, so you have now grouped all of your ideas into a logical order. You also know what elements require further research. The best way to manage this collection of data is with a note organizer. These are often tree-based programs that let you outline your information on your computer. There are number of very good programs that you can download at reasonable prices. They make it easy to manage your data, add new information, delete extraneous information, and move items around with speed and flexibility.
The Collecting Stage
In the collection stage of your project you will amass a lot of information from a variety of sources. You may not use all of this data in your final draft, but now is not the time to make that decision. This is about grabbing hold of anything you can which may include random thoughts, old newspaper printouts from the library, or references from books.
This can be extremely overwhelming. Piles of paper in a variety of formats, such as index cards, notebooks, clippings, and folders, everywhere you look can make you want to give up the project entirely. This is the messy stage and everyone deals with it at some point. Try to keep your collection items together in a safe place such as a shoe box or other storage unit. That way you will never have to scramble for that vital piece of information. Even so, in this stage, you must never edit your collection. That happens in the organizing phase, sometimes called the sorting phase.
How to Sort Your Information Collection
Once the collection process is almost complete, it is necessary to begin sorting through the information into similar groups or chunks. You will also be able to identify the elements that require further research. Duplicate or extraneous data can be discarded during this process. Think of this stage as housekeeping or spring cleaning where you empty out the closets and put everything back in a neat and logical order.
By taking an inventory of your information, you should have a better grasp on the information as a whole. This will help direct the next step, which is placing the data in a logical sequence. In other words, place the ideas in an order that tells a story with a beginning, middle, and an end. During this process you should only concern yourself with major concepts. The details will come later.
Now that you have determined the shape of your story or project, the details can be added in to help expand upon your main ideas. There are typically several details that support each main idea. They need to be grouped and sorted using the same process that helped to determine the main ideas. Don't get too caught up in decision making right now. You can always change the sequence of events later.
It's the Same Pile That I Started With
Okay, so you have now grouped all of your ideas into a logical order. You also know what elements require further research. The best way to manage this collection of data is with a note organizer. These are often tree-based programs that let you outline your information on your computer. There are number of very good programs that you can download at reasonable prices. They make it easy to manage your data, add new information, delete extraneous information, and move items around with speed and flexibility.
About the Author:
You can do your part to conserve a tree and yet mark an important location in printed materials by using notes software program. Learn more about note organizer by visiting the website at www.efficientnotes.com soon.
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