{"id":4660,"date":"2022-04-26T06:32:29","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T10:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thatwhitepaperguy.com\/?p=4660"},"modified":"2022-04-27T11:19:31","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T15:19:31","slug":"organize-white-paper-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thatwhitepaperguy.com\/organize-white-paper-research\/","title":{"rendered":"7 ways to organize your white paper research"},"content":{"rendered":"

I often say\u00a0that a white paper writer should “think like a lawyer.”<\/h2>\n

That means building a mountain of research to back up your case.<\/h3>\n

But then, a lawyer has to be able to access it efficiently.<\/p>\n

They need to keep all the evidence at their fingertips, so they can pluck out\u00a0exactly the right piece at exactly the right time as they build their argument or fend off a cross-examination.<\/p>\n

That can spell the difference between winning and losing their case.<\/p>\n

By the same token, every white paper writer needs to keep a pile of\u00a0research\u00a0impeccably organized,\u00a0so you can pull out\u00a0exactly the right piece as\u00a0you write.<\/p>\n

That can spell the difference between a white paper that works and one that flops.<\/p>\n

Seven ways to get organized<\/h3>\n

Here are seven ways you can keep track of all your white paper research:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Index cards<\/li>\n
  2. Microsoft Word<\/li>\n
  3. Word + index cards<\/li>\n
  4. Microsoft PowerPoint<\/li>\n
  5. Microsoft OneNote<\/li>\n
  6. Evernote<\/li>\n
  7. Zotero<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The first four methods are a little Old School, using tools you’re probably quite familiar with: index cards, Word, or PowerPoint.<\/p>\n

    The final three use apps you may have to learn: Evernote, OneNote, or Zotero.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \n

    Tip<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0I can’t recommend using a database.\u00a0I’ve spoken to book authors who\u00a0use databases\u00a0to organize their research for say, a detailed biography. But that\u2019s overkill for a 10-page white paper with a dozen or so sources.<\/p>\n

    \n

     <\/p>\n

    \"Photo<\/p>\n

    Organizing research method #1: Index cards<\/h3>\n

    This really is your grandfather’s method. After all, index cards have been used since before anyone wrote the first white paper.<\/p>\n

    But many\u00a0writers still\u00a0love them. And there are at least a couple of different ways you can\u00a0use them.<\/p>\n

    Some\u00a0researchers recommend<\/strong> using the top left section of a\u00a0card to write a code number that points to a file of original documents, or even the section of your paper where you would\u00a0use that reference.<\/p>\n

    Then you can use the top right for the actual citation:<\/p>\n