The photo that I have included with this blog post shows some of the note cards that I have used in my research.
When I first started (a good six years ago, now!), I had no idea where the research would take me. Plus I was, and remain, a bit technically challenged. So it was natural for me to take all of my notes by hand, and keep the notes in exercise books. However, I needed to do more than simply write things down – I needed a method of noting what I had done, and where I had done it!
I was firing off emails left, right and centre. There was no way that I could keep track of them all in my head, so I began to jot down who I had contacted, and what response I had received. I also noted down whether or not I had thanked people for their help. If you are reading this and I failed to thank you, I apologise profusely. Please know that I am grateful.
I experimented with two different sized note cards, until I found which zize I was happier with. I toyed with the idea of keeping the cards in a box, like I have seen in other places – then I would have been able to just rifle through them to find what I wanted. However, as I live full time in a camper van, every item has to be as lightweight and as compact as absolutely possible. Therefore, I forsook the box, and swapped it for a metal ring instead. This worked wonderfully.
All of the cards are filed in alphabetical order, and if there is more than one way of listing something, then I have simply cross-referenced it with more than one card.
This is a wonderful system, and I highly recommend it. No doubt there is a computer based equivalent, but I am very satisfied with my card based index system. Hopefully, Miss Mawer’s story will be in print before the end of this year.