How to keep research records
scientific data needs to meet certain requirements of reliability and validity. and therefore if we decide to use our research journal as a data source, we need to pay attention to some technical details. If we keep a pencil and paper ournal, the minimal requirement is to have a properly pre-bound folder with each page numbered and each entry dated, but some researchers recommend more formalized approach. Silverman(20os), for example, outlines an organization framework consisting of four categories: (1) observation notes about experiences, (2) methodological notes about how and what kind of data were collected, (3) theoretical notes describing hunches, hypotheses and ideas, and(4) personal notes containing feeling statements(concerning fo example, satisfaction, surprise, shock, etc.) and other subjective comments Cryer oo: 99) recommends that research students should record in thei ogbooks and journals the following: What you do, and where, how, when, and why you do it. What you read. What data you collect and how you process it.