• a calendar

• a journal (this can be a notebook or a notebook computer—but something you can carry with you)

and

• a folder to store printed copies of assignment information, articles, and web pages

1. use a wall calendar that you can hang in a prominent place
2. go through the calendar and use your syllabus to identify key dates (depending on the class you may have a single due date or dates when various parts need to be turned in)
3. mark these dates on the calendar in a bright color so that you will know when these deadlines are approaching
4. mark the dates 2 days before the deadlines with another bright color—these are your target dates
5. put the calendar where you absolutely CANNOT AVOID SEEING IT

1. on the first page, write the name of your instructor and his/her office phone number and email address. Also write down the phone number and email of the library: 443-8739 and library@dacc.edu
2. on the next page, write down the list of the key dates and target dates, in alternating colors, that you identified using your calendar
3. label the following page "research topic and research question" and leave the rest blank (the next 2 if the notebook is small—continue this 2 to 1 ratio for the rest of the entries)
4. on the very last page of the notebook, create another page labeled "alternate research question" and leave the rest blank. (If you are using a laptop, create 2 files.)
5. follow these (at each end) with 3 pages labeled "keywords"
6. follow the "keywords" pages with pages listing one week's worth of dates each until the project is due, leaving a few lines under each date in which to jot comments — highlight and label the target and key dates in the appropriate color
7. after the journal entry dates, label the following page "Notes"

REMEMBER, ask for Help! Ask your teacher! Ask Librarians! If you need to, just hit the PANIC button!