Rabbit holes - those unexpected tangents we follow while researching - often carry a negative connotation as productivity killers. But what if these digital detours are actually where the magic happens?Today I'm pulling back the curtain on my research process, particularly the way I embrace going off-script when following information trails. Just yesterday, what started as a simple search to enhance an advertisement led me through a fascinating journey connecting women's histories in ways I never anticipated. A single image search revealed blog posts I didn't know existed, uncovered that a woman was the granddaughter of a college president, and connected to another woman's hotel business I'd been documenting separately. These unexpected connections enriched my understanding and added crucial context to my work documenting the 400+ women of substance from Raleigh whose stories deserve telling.These research diversions have practical challenges too. When you find yourself with 40-50 browser tabs open (we've all been there!), how do you manage that information effectively? I share my system for documenting sources, preserving disappearing web content, and organizing research materials for future use. I discuss how finding an oral history interview in an Ohio college archive - something I never would have specifically searched for - provided 30 pages of invaluable background on a respected community elder. The excitement of these discoveries fuels my passion for learning something new every day.Whether you're researching for writing, personal projects, or professional work, I encourage you to see rabbit holes not as distractions but as opportunities for discovery. What unexpected connections might you uncover by following your curiosity down that next digital pathway? Join the conversation by sharing your own research rabbit hole stories and the treasures you've discovered along the way.====================================Carmen Wimberley Cauthen is an author, speaker, and lover of history, Black history in particular. As a truth teller, she delights in finding the hidden truths about the lives of people who made a difference - whether they were unknown icons or regular everyday people.To Learn more of Carmen: www.carmencauthen.comwww.researchandresource.com

Ver todos los episodios