1. Go to your desktop and create a folder entitled "MOTL backup 8.3.14" or whatever date it is.

2. Create a new .txt file (right-click, new, Text Document)

3. Go to your list and hit "edit."

4. Control+A selects the whole list, Control+C copies it. Go to your new text file and hit Control+V to paste it. Save your text file as "MOTL List 8.3.14" or whatever date.

5. Go to your reference list, which is in your profile.

6. Go to the upper left-hand corner of your screen, in your browser menu. Click on "File, Save Page As." Rename it "MOTL References 8.3.14" or whenever, and put it in your MOTL folder.

7. You can also back up the emails as a text file. To do so, go to the menu in the upper right hand of MOTL, and select "Reference Checker." Copy the entire column of emails, and paste it into a new text file. Now you could in theory re-send all your references easily. Much easier than having to copy them out of a web page.

8. Go to your email program, compose an email to yourself, attach all the files that are in that new folder you just made (or compress the folder and attach that), then email it to yourself. Archive that email.

9. That's it. Now if MOTL crashes or the system eats your references or your list, it will be safe on your computer. And if your computer crashes, it will all be stored in your email.

10. Do this bi-weekly, or at least monthly.

This will seriously take you 2-3 minutes to do, and could save you a LOT of time and hassle.