Getting organised

Employers and teachers place a premium on organisational skills, and this is one of the so-called transferable skills that forms a key part of an EPQ. At the outset, getting organised may seem daunting. The most important advice I can give is that you break everything down into smaller tasks. For example, searching for information on the internet, which forms one of the earliest stages in any research project. An hour of internet "surfing" can, at one extreme be incredibly productive, and at the other, a total waste of time. Let's imagine as part of my background investigation (relating to the most common genes involved in cancer) I am searching for information on the genes associated with breast cancer. A typical first search would be "breast cancer genes". My top 3 hits on Google are as follows

1. www.oncotypeiq.com
2. www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/genetics
3. https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/breast-cancer

All relevant to my topic and so worthy of a further look. Importantly, I need to record the sites that are useful and annotate the source for future reference (eg when I am ready to write my introduction and/or discussion).

I would set up a template document to record the outputs and experiences of my time spent searching the internet as follows. I also use small notebooks, which ensures I have a "backup" in case I lose my computer or I do not have internet access. (These are useful when in an interiew, where you can quickly show the interviewer the kind of approach you take to solving problems.

Search term
"breast cancer genes"
Date/time of search
14-10-2019 (07.20am)
Did I spell it correctly? 
This will have an impact on your "return" or "yield" of information (remember the expression "garbage in: garbage out".
Useful hits 
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/breast-cancer
This one provides a direct link to all publicly funded research on breast cancer in the USA and gives links to many useful sources of further information. 
Indicators of "reliability"
This is a more difficult one. If the source is cited many times, a little like a popular book or a movie on You Tube, then it indicates that a lot of people have "bothered" to (at least) take a look. This can be "reassuring". However, what is popular isn't always reliable! My general advice is that sources that are supported by democratic governments are likely to be reliable, but you should always remain sceptical! This issue will crop up frequently and you should seek advice from your supervisor. The ability to establish the quality (sometimes referred to as the provenance) of an article or an object, is a highly valued skill.
Was my search a success?
Summarise in a few words your own opinion of whether the hour spent searching was successful or not. In my case, I wanted to obtain background information and useful sources for my project. I found one source (hit 3) that I believe I will keep returning to (bookmark it!). On the other hand, hit was a commercial site inviting me to consider a breast cancer test. This was not immediately useful, but it shows the power of internet management and marketing, which I shall remeber! Finally, I found one link to a charitable resource which simplified some of the terms used in Breast Cancer treatment, which could be useful in the future. However, I need to perhaps narrow my search next time to obtain more hits providing me with an overview of the Biology and clinical knowledge relating to Breast cancer. 
Search suggestions for next time
NHS AND cancer, WHO AND breast cancer.

Note on Search Syntax. 
Each search engine has its own language rules (referred to as syntax), and you can find those that will help refine your Google search here. If you are planning to use any search engine routinely (I use the NIH resources), you should check out the rules first: you will save a lot of time. I am unfamiliar with voice commands, but I am sure you can also find these out by searching.

Endnote This is just one an example of how you can get organised: in this case when searching the internet. However, there is one general principle that allows you to capitalise on the effort you make. This is by recording the work you undertake. In this example it is internet source searching, but it could be making observations or interviewing someone or designing and executing a "focus group" session to determine the views of the public or a section of society. It could be reflecting on how long it takes you to write up your reports! How many words do you write per hour? Do you need to write several drafts before you feel confident in the quality of your writing? (Ask your supervisor for advice). If you are creating images or graphs (typically referred to as Figures) to explain your results, how long does it take per Figure? These reflective notes are vital in ensuring that you don't leave things to the last minute and that you "do yourself justice" in submitting your final piece of work.

A final suggestion: the easiest way to chart your progress is to keep a journal. This is easy enough using Google Calendar, or if you prefer, a simple diary with enough room to make notes per day, will also work.