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A research journal is your space to record ideas in one single notebook or computer file.  A notebook with pockets or a three-ring binder will allow you to add photocopies and shuffle materials, while a computer file will allow you to download files from the Internet and store files you’ve scanned.  Keep your journal as you study a topic, then reread it and circle the topics, ideas, and examples you write about.  Your journal can serve as a tool for the entire research paper writing process. Use it to house idea-generating techniques, sets of questions, notes from your classes, references, quotations, and your observations.