Start early on and keep records and documents outlining your thoughts and listing the steps you have taken.
Don't underestimate the role of good research data management (RDM). Start by implementing consistent file naming protocols and secure data storage practices so your data and records gets backed up periodically.
Every researcher keeps more than one type of data (that which is collected, observed, generated or created to inform your research findings) and can be found in documents, recordings, images and photos, code, notes, drawings, etc.)
Document a summary table of strategic articles for your project.
Spend some time regularly to think about the data your are collecting.
You could consider using a matrix approach to keep on recording attributes such as research design used; setting; age of children; intervention used in the classroom; tests used; results, etc. in the various columns.
Check the accuracy/quality of your reference list for your project. This is still needed if you are using a reference management software.
Have you included dates for when the work was published? If it is published 'advanced online', you will need to update the publication date later.
Are all author names correctly recorded?
Does capitalization and formatting adhere to the referencing style you are using?
Our search templates for educational research guide you to effectively document your search processes
Kable, A.K., Pich, J., & Maslin-Prothero, S.E. (2012). A structured approach to documenting a search strategy for publication: A 12 step guideline for authors. Nurse Educ Today, 32(8), 878-886. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2012.02.022 http://dx.doi.org.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/10.1016/j.nedt.2012.02.022