To be honest. I don't research a subject until i need to write about it. I know most of the stuff that is needed. But sometimes I need to know the area i have picked. (such as Nucla, Colorado. I needed to know that there were mountains north of it) If you need more realistic research. Like how high can you jump from before you splat on water. (around 60 feet, if you do the jump correctly) I don't really organize any research. I just store it in my brain. And if i forget i just have to re research it. I find it simpler then trying to find out every possible thing about the subject before going into the writer. If you do, your creative writing is hindered by the research you had done. Not that that is a bad thing. But its just a unnecessary quality.
That's kinda vague. I usually write up a page summarizing the biggest probs w/ my story requiring research, and how they relate to ea/o, then start w/ the hardest first, b/c often they end up resolving other smaller questions. something like that. couldn't hurt to try
i don't consciously 'organize' it in any formal way... i just look up what i need to know and then use it... if it's a lot of stuff, and/or could be helpful later, i'll file it with the ms files it relates to, either by links to the online source, or copied/pasted into a research info document... i'll sometimes print it out, as well, keeping it in a file folder for the project, and/or maybe by subject matter...
I Like to be organised with my research and I try to do enough of it so i'm not making up too much bull**** as I go along. This is gonna sound nerdy but with the novel I'm working on now I have quite a few folders (on my computer) dedicated to certain areas of research that I've done. I havent gone totally overboard, yet, but I like to be prepared. I'm also a visualiser so I have alot of photos which helps alot.
I have my novel research filed away and I only bring out parts of it when I feel that it is needed in my stories.
I like to keep it all in a binder. I write out what info I need and where it's from for future reference. I just like being able to rearrange the pages as necessary, and I divide it all into the different projects I'm currently working on with dividers. I keep all my character information, outlines, and ideas in the same binder, and that way I always have all my writing documents together. I don't like to keep it on the computer, because when I reference it my eyes get a nice break from staring at the screen all day. It's also nice to be able to doodle ideas on the pages, too.
Generally I will just research what I need to know at that time and use it then. If I find it's something where I will be needing to refer back then I have another method. I print all of it up, put in into a single binder using dividers, and hi-lighting pertinent parts. I think it's best to put it all in one central location. Makes it easier to find. Organization is an uphill battle for me but it pays off in the end. I generally divide it by sub categories of that subject. That seems to work best for me.
