research study notes

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Assignments

• Annotated Bibliography
• Analyzing a Scholarly Journal Article
• Group Presentations
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• Types of Structured Group Activities
• Group Project Survival Skills
• Leading a Class Discussion
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Works
• Writing a Case Analysis Paper
• Writing a Case Study
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
• Writing a Reflective Paper
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Generative AI and Writing
• Acknowledgments

Refers to notes created by the researcher during the act of conducting a field study to remember and record the behaviors, activities, events, and other features of an observation. Field notes are intended to be read by the researcher as evidence to produce meaning and an understanding of the culture, social situation, or phenomenon being studied. The notes may constitute the whole data collected for a research study [e.g., an observational project] or contribute to it, such as when field notes supplement conventional interview data or other techniques of data gathering.

Schwandt, Thomas A. The SAGE Dictionary of Qualitative Inquiry . 4th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2015.

How to Approach Writing Field Notes

The ways in which you take notes during an observational study is very much a personal decision developed over time as you become more experienced in fieldwork. However, all field notes generally consist of two parts:

• Descriptive information , in which you attempt to accurately document factual data [e.g., date and time] along with the settings, actions, behaviors, and conversations that you observe; and,
• Reflective information , in which you record your thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns during the observation.

Note that field notes should be fleshed out as soon as possible after an observation is completed. Your initial notes may be recorded in cryptic form and, unless additional detail is added as soon as possible after the observation, important facts and opportunities for fully interpreting the data may be lost.

Characteristics of Field Notes

• Be accurate . You only get one chance to observe a particular moment in time so, before you conduct your observations, practice taking notes in a setting that is similar to your observation site in regards to number of people, the environment, and social dynamics. This will help you develop your own style of transcribing observations quickly and accurately.
• Be organized . Taking accurate notes while you are actively observing can be difficult. Therefore, it is important that you plan ahead how you will document your observation study [e.g., strictly chronologically or according to specific prompts]. Notes that are disorganized will make it more difficult for you to interpret the data.
• Be descriptive . Use descriptive words to document what you observe. For example, instead of noting that a classroom appears "comfortable," state that the classroom includes soft lighting and cushioned chairs that can be moved around by the students. Being descriptive means supplying yourself with enough factual evidence that you don't end up making assumptions about what you meant when you write the final report.
• Focus on the research problem . Since it's impossible to document everything you observe, focus on collecting the greatest detail that relates to the research problem and the theoretical constructs underpinning your research; avoid cluttering your notes with irrelevant information. For example, if the purpose of your study is to observe the discursive interactions between nursing home staff and the family members of residents, then it would only be necessary to document the setting in detail if it in some way directly influenced those interactions [e.g., there is a private room available for discussions between staff and family members].
• Record insights and thoughts . As you take notes, be thinking about the underlying meaning of what you observe and record your thoughts and ideas accordingly. If needed, this will help you to ask questions or seek clarification from participants after the observation. To avoid any confusion, subsequent comments from participants should be included in a separate, reflective part of your field notes and not merged with the descriptive notes.

General Guidelines for the Descriptive Content

The descriptive content of your notes can vary in detail depending upon what needs to be emphasized in order to address the research problem. However, in most observations, your notes should include at least some of the following elements:

• Describe the physical setting.
• Describe the social environment and the way in which participants interacted within the setting. This may include patterns of interactions, frequency of interactions, direction of communication patterns [including non-verbal communication], and patterns of specific behavioral events, such as, conflicts, decision-making, or collaboration.
• Describe the participants and their roles in the setting.
• Describe, as best you can, the meaning of what was observed from the perspectives of the participants.
• Record exact quotes or close approximations of comments that relate directly to the purpose of the study.
• Describe any impact you might have had on the situation you observed [important!].

General Guidelines for the Reflective Content

You are the instrument of data gathering and interpretation. Therefore, reflective content can include any of the following elements intended to contextualize what you have observed based on your perspective and your own personal, cultural, and situational experiences .

• Note ideas, impressions, thoughts, and/or any criticisms you have about what you observed.
• Include any unanswered questions or concerns that have arisen from analyzing the observation data.
• Clarify points and/or correct mistakes and misunderstandings in other parts of field notes.
• Include insights about what you have observed and speculate as to why you believe specific phenomenon occurred.
• Record any thoughts that you may have regarding any future observations.

NOTE:   Analysis of your field notes should occur as they are being written and while you are conducting your observations. This is important for at least two reasons. First, preliminary analysis fosters self-reflection and self-reflection is crucial for facilitating deep understanding and meaning-making in any research study. Second, preliminary analysis reveals emergent themes. Identifying emergent themes while observing allows you to shift your attention in ways that can foster a more developed investigation.

Emerson, Robert M. et al. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes . 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2011; Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative Inquiry. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Gambold, Liesl L. “Field Notes.” In Encyclopedia of Case Study Research . Edited by Albert J. Mills, Gabrielle Durepos, and Elden Wiebe. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2010; Pace, Tonio. Writing Field Reports. Scribd Online Library; Pyrczak, Fred and Randall R. Bruce. Writing Empirical Research Reports: A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences . 5th ed. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Publishing, 2005; Report Writing. UniLearning. University of Wollongong, Australia; Ravitch,  Sharon M. “Field Notes.” In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation . Edited by Bruce B. Frey. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2018; Tenzek, Kelly E. “Field Notes.” In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods . Edited by Mike Allen. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2017; Wolfinger, Nicholas H. "On Writing Fieldnotes: Collection Strategies and Background Expectancies.” Qualitative Research 2 (April 2002): 85-95; Writing Reports. Anonymous. The Higher Education Academy.

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13.5 Research Process: Making Notes, Synthesizing Information, and Keeping a Research Log

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Employ the methods and technologies commonly used for research and communication within various fields.
• Practice and apply strategies such as interpretation, synthesis, response, and critique to compose texts that integrate the writer’s ideas with those from appropriate sources.
• Analyze and make informed decisions about intellectual property based on the concepts that motivate them.
• Apply citation conventions systematically.

As you conduct research, you will work with a range of “texts” in various forms, including sources and documents from online databases as well as images, audio, and video files from the Internet. You may also work with archival materials and with transcribed and analyzed primary data. Additionally, you will be taking notes and recording quotations from secondary sources as you find materials that shape your understanding of your topic and, at the same time, provide you with facts and perspectives. You also may download articles as PDFs that you then annotate. Like many other students, you may find it challenging to keep so much material organized, accessible, and easy to work with while you write a major research paper. As it does for many of those students, a research log for your ideas and sources will help you keep track of the scope, purpose, and possibilities of any research project.

A research log is essentially a journal in which you collect information, ask questions, and monitor the results. Even if you are completing the annotated bibliography for Writing Process: Informing and Analyzing , keeping a research log is an effective organizational tool. Like Lily Tran’s research log entry, most entries have three parts: a part for notes on secondary sources, a part for connections to the thesis or main points, and a part for your own notes or questions. Record source notes by date, and allow room to add cross-references to other entries.

Summary of Assignment: Research Log

Your assignment is to create a research log similar to the student model. You will use it for the argumentative research project assigned in Writing Process: Integrating Research to record all secondary source information: your notes, complete publication data, relation to thesis, and other information as indicated in the right-hand column of the sample entry.

Another Lens. A somewhat different approach to maintaining a research log is to customize it to your needs or preferences. You can apply shading or color coding to headers, rows, and/or columns in the three-column format (for colors and shading). Or you can add columns to accommodate more information, analysis, synthesis, or commentary, formatting them as you wish. Consider adding a column for questions only or one for connections to other sources. Finally, consider a different visual format , such as one without columns. Another possibility is to record some of your comments and questions so that you have an aural rather than a written record of these.

Writing Center

At this point, or at any other point during the research and writing process, you may find that your school’s writing center can provide extensive assistance. If you are unfamiliar with the writing center, now is a good time to pay your first visit. Writing centers provide free peer tutoring for all types and phases of writing. Discussing your research with a trained writing center tutor can help you clarify, analyze, and connect ideas as well as provide feedback on works in progress.

Quick Launch: Beginning Questions

You may begin your research log with some open pages in which you freewrite, exploring answers to the following questions. Although you generally would do this at the beginning, it is a process to which you likely will return as you find more information about your topic and as your focus changes, as it may during the course of your research.

• What information have I found so far?
• What do I still need to find?
• Where am I most likely to find it?

These are beginning questions. Like Lily Tran, however, you will come across general questions or issues that a quick note or freewrite may help you resolve. The key to this section is to revisit it regularly. Written answers to these and other self-generated questions in your log clarify your tasks as you go along, helping you articulate ideas and examine supporting evidence critically. As you move further into the process, consider answering the following questions in your freewrite:

• What evidence looks as though it best supports my thesis?
• What evidence challenges my working thesis?
• How is my thesis changing from where it started?

Creating the Research Log

As you gather source material for your argumentative research paper, keep in mind that the research is intended to support original thinking. That is, you are not writing an informational report in which you simply supply facts to readers. Instead, you are writing to support a thesis that shows original thinking, and you are collecting and incorporating research into your paper to support that thinking. Therefore, a research log, whether digital or handwritten, is a great way to keep track of your thinking as well as your notes and bibliographic information.

In the model below, Lily Tran records the correct MLA bibliographic citation for the source. Then, she records a note and includes the in-text citation here to avoid having to retrieve this information later. Perhaps most important, Tran records why she noted this information—how it supports her thesis: The human race must turn to sustainable food systems that provide healthy diets with minimal environmental impact, starting now . Finally, she makes a note to herself about an additional visual to include in the final paper to reinforce the point regarding the current pressure on food systems. And she connects the information to other information she finds, thus cross-referencing and establishing a possible synthesis. Use a format similar to that in Table 13.4 to begin your own research log.

Types of Research Notes

Taking good notes will make the research process easier by enabling you to locate and remember sources and use them effectively. While some research projects requiring only a few sources may seem easily tracked, research projects requiring more than a few sources are more effectively managed when you take good bibliographic and informational notes. As you gather evidence for your argumentative research paper, follow the descriptions and the electronic model to record your notes. You can combine these with your research log, or you can use the research log for secondary sources and your own note-taking system for primary sources if a division of this kind is helpful. Either way, be sure to include all necessary information.

Bibliographic Notes

These identify the source you are using. When you locate a useful source, record the information necessary to find that source again. It is important to do this as you find each source, even before taking notes from it. If you create bibliographic notes as you go along, then you can easily arrange them in alphabetical order later to prepare the reference list required at the end of formal academic papers. If your instructor requires you to use MLA formatting for your essay, be sure to record the following information:

• Title of source
• Title of container (larger work in which source is included)
• Other contributors
• Publication date

When using MLA style with online sources, also record the following information:

• Date of original publication
• Date of access
• DOI (A DOI, or digital object identifier, is a series of digits and letters that leads to the location of an online source. Articles in journals are often assigned DOIs to ensure that the source can be located, even if the URL changes. If your source is listed with a DOI, use that instead of a URL.)

It is important to understand which documentation style your instructor will require you to use. Check the Handbook for MLA Documentation and Format and APA Documentation and Format styles . In addition, you can check the style guide information provided by the Purdue Online Writing Lab .

Informational Notes

These notes record the relevant information found in your sources. When writing your essay, you will work from these notes, so be sure they contain all the information you need from every source you intend to use. Also try to focus your notes on your research question so that their relevance is clear when you read them later. To avoid confusion, work with separate entries for each piece of information recorded. At the top of each entry, identify the source through brief bibliographic identification (author and title), and note the page numbers on which the information appears. Also helpful is to add personal notes, including ideas for possible use of the information or cross-references to other information. As noted in Writing Process: Integrating Research , you will be using a variety of formats when borrowing from sources. Below is a quick review of these formats in terms of note-taking processes. By clarifying whether you are quoting directly, paraphrasing, or summarizing during these stages, you can record information accurately and thus take steps to avoid plagiarism.

Direct Quotations, Paraphrases, and Summaries

A direct quotation is an exact duplication of the author’s words as they appear in the original source. In your notes, put quotation marks around direct quotations so that you remember these words are the author’s, not yours. One advantage of copying exact quotations is that it allows you to decide later whether to include a quotation, paraphrase, or summary. ln general, though, use direct quotations only when the author’s words are particularly lively or persuasive.

A paraphrase is a restatement of the author’s words in your own words. Paraphrase to simplify or clarify the original author’s point. In your notes, use paraphrases when you need to record details but not exact words.

A summary is a brief condensation or distillation of the main point and most important details of the original source. Write a summary in your own words, with facts and ideas accurately represented. A summary is useful when specific details in the source are unimportant or irrelevant to your research question. You may find you can summarize several paragraphs or even an entire article or chapter in just a few sentences without losing useful information. It is a good idea to note when your entry contains a summary to remind you later that it omits detailed information. See Writing Process Integrating Research for more detailed information and examples of quotations, paraphrases, and summaries and when to use them.

Other Systems for Organizing Research Logs and Digital Note-Taking

Students often become frustrated and at times overwhelmed by the quantity of materials to be managed in the research process. If this is your first time working with both primary and secondary sources, finding ways to keep all of the information in one place and well organized is essential.

Because gathering primary evidence may be a relatively new practice, this section is designed to help you navigate the process. As mentioned earlier, information gathered in fieldwork is not cataloged, organized, indexed, or shelved for your convenience. Obtaining it requires diligence, energy, and planning. Online resources can assist you with keeping a research log. Your college library may have subscriptions to tools such as Todoist or EndNote. Consult with a librarian to find out whether you have access to any of these. If not, use something like the template shown in Figure 13.8 , or another like it, as a template for creating your own research notes and organizational tool. You will need to have a record of all field research data as well as the research log for all secondary sources.

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A Guide to Field Notes for Qualitative Research: Context and Conversation

Affiliation.

• 1 1 Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
• PMID: 29298584
• DOI: 10.1177/1049732317697102

Field notes are widely recommended in qualitative research as a means of documenting needed contextual information. With growing use of data sharing, secondary analysis, and metasynthesis, field notes ensure rich context persists beyond the original research team. However, while widely regarded as essential, there is not a guide to field note collection within the literature to guide researchers. Using the qualitative literature and previous research experience, we provide a concise guide to collection, incorporation, and dissemination of field notes. We provide a description of field note content for contextualization of an entire study as well as individual interviews and focus groups. In addition, we provide two "sketch note" guides, one for study context and one for individual interviews or focus groups for use in the field. Our guides are congruent with many qualitative and mixed methodologies and ensure contextual information is collected, stored, and disseminated as an essential component of ethical, rigorous qualitative research.

Keywords: field notes; qualitative research; research methods.

Publication types

• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Documentation* / methods
• Documentation* / standards
• Focus Groups
• Interviews as Topic
• Qualitative Research*
• Research Design*

Grants and funding

• K08 HS024733/HS/AHRQ HHS/United States

• Peterborough

Useful Research Notes

Why is notetaking important, what should i note.

• Guidelines for good notetaking

5 Notetaking Pitfalls to Avoid

• Note templates

Good notes ask questions, summarize key points, analyse, connect to your thesis, and to other sources.

Taking notes helps you read analytically and critically. Notetaking also provides distance from sources, making it a useful strategy to avoid plagiarism.

Bibliographic or Reference Information

Before taking any notes on content, record the bibliographic information. For books, r ecord the author, title, publisher, place of publication, and date published and for journal articles, you need the name of the journal, the volume and issue numbers, the year published, and pages.

Summary or Paraphrase

Most of your notes will be of summaries of an author’s ideas, arguments, or findings with some paraphrases of more specific ideas. It is essential that you strive for accuracy. Do not confuse what you want research to show with what it does show, and do not make a point out of context. 

Facts and Figures

Be meticulous when you record facts or figures.

Quote thoughtfully and carefully; take note of context so you can be true to the author’s intent.  Remember to always place quotation marks around direct quotations in your notes.

Record important terms or words that need clarification. Your ability to use these words correctly and to define terms clearly will affect the success of your argument and analysis.

Response and Analysis

Record your insights and questions as you read; your notes will then provide that necessary balance between yourself and the material.

• Consider how the interpretation offered by the text addresses your topic and it relates to your thesis.
• Compare and contrast competing arguments between scholars.
• Assess the author’s use of evidence or the logic of his or her argument.
• Ask questions like “how,” “why,” and “so what?”
• Ask how your research supports your thesis or doesn't support it, as the case may be, and how you will have to deal with it in your essay.

Guidelines for Good Notetaking

• Have a clear direction: Maintain a clear focus on the purpose of your work. As you read and research, revise and modify your tentative thesis and outline.
• Organize your notes carefully: set up a folder for your research, save your digital files frequently and clearly label all files.
• Take point-form notes in your own words as much as possible: include your own thoughts and analysis about the reading. Make sure to note references and page numbers for all sources.
• Wait for breaks in the reading (paragraph, sub-section, chapter) before summarizing the author's ideas; then go back to specific details you wish to include.
• Once you have finished the whole text, review your notes, and summarize the key points and how they relate to your work.
• Taking too many notes: without a clear research direction, you may take far too many notes. Consider your purpose; only record ideas relevant to your topic and thesis and which have a place in your outline.
• Using sticky notes or highlighting instead of taking point-from notes: putting ideas into your words makes you think about material more carefully. It also helps avoid plagiarism.
• Copying and pasting from electronic sources: this makes it hard to remember if ideas belong to you or the author. In addition, you may rely too heavily on direct quotation in your paper, with little attention to analysis.
• Incomplete referencing: when you record references at the final stages of writing, it is easier to miss essential information or have difficulty finding the texts again.
• Recording content but not your analysis: ignoring your own response can lead you to a paper with too much summary and not enough analysis.

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42 Timeless Tips On How To Effectively Take Research Notes

Improve your note-taking skills with timeless tips on effectively taking research notes. Enhance your study sessions and research projects today.

Mar 11, 2024

Discover the significance of meticulous note-taking in the realm of academia and research with a deep dive into the world of research notes. Understanding the distinction between primary vs secondary sources is crucial for scholarly pursuits. Uncover how researchers leverage these notes to capture critical insights, citations, and observations, providing a roadmap for future investigations. Gain valuable insights into the meticulous process of documenting, organizing, and analyzing research data for enhanced academic endeavors.

Table of Contents

What are research notes, complete guide on how to effectively take research notes, supercharge your researching ability with otio — try otio for free today.

Research notes are essential tools used by knowledge workers, researchers, and students to document and organize their findings, thoughts, and insights during the research process . These notes serve as a repository of information gathered from various sources such as articles, books, websites, and interviews. They help individuals track their progress, remember important details, and structure their ideas effectively.

How Can Otio Transform Your Research Workflow?

Knowledge workers, researchers, and students today struggle with content overload and the complexities of using multiple tools for their research tasks. Otio offers a solution by providing an AI-native workspace tailored for researchers. It simplifies the research process by enabling users to collect data from diverse sources, extract key takeaways using AI-generated notes, and create draft outputs seamlessly.  With features like AI-generated notes on various content types and AI-assisted writing, Otio streamlines the research process and helps individuals create high-quality research papers and essays efficiently.

Why Otio Stands Out as Your AI Research and Writing Partner

Otio stands out as an invaluable AI research and writing partner due to its ability to streamline the research process from data collection to content creation. By offering features such as AI-generated notes on all content types, interactive chat capabilities similar to ChatGPT, and AI-assisted writing, Otio empowers researchers to enhance their productivity and produce quality outputs faster. Embrace Otio as your AI research and writing partner today and experience a seamless and efficient research journey.

Otio - Your AI Research and Writing Partner

Knowledge workers, researchers, and students today suffer from content overload and are left to deal with it using fragmented, complex, and manual tooling. Too many of them settle for stitching together complicated bookmarking, read-it-later, and note-taking apps to get through their workflows. Now that anyone can create content with the click of a button - this problem is only going to get worse. Otio solves this problem by providing one AI-native workspace for researchers. It helps them: 

A wide range of data sources, from bookmarks, tweets, and extensive books to YouTube videos.

2. Extract key takeaways

With detailed AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat.

Draft outputs using the sources you’ve collected. Otio helps you to go from reading list to first draft faster. Along with this, Otio also helps you write research papers/essays faster. Here are our top features that are loved by researchers: AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enables you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT, as well as AI assisted writing. Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today!

Related Reading

• How To Read A Research Paper • Sources For Research Paper • How Many Sources Should A Research Paper Have • How To Read Scientific Papers • How To Find Sources For A Research Paper • Google Scholar Search Tips • Literature Synthesis

1. Use a Consistent Format

Create a clear structure for your notes to easily find and review information later.

2. Summarize Key Points

Condense information into concise summaries to grasp the main ideas quickly.

3. Organize by Topic

Categorize your notes by subject to maintain a logical flow of information.

4. Use Keywords

Highlight essential terms to quickly identify important concepts when revisiting your notes.

5. Include Citations

Record sources alongside your notes to ensure proper referencing in your research.

6. Use Abbreviations

Develop a list of abbreviations for common terms to streamline note-taking.

7. Visual Aids

Incorporate diagrams, charts, or tables to enhance understanding and retention.

8. Incorporate Quotations

Capture direct quotes accurately to support your arguments and findings.

9. Review Regularly

Schedule time to review and update your notes to reinforce retention.

10. Utilize Color Coding

Assign colors to different categories for a visual organization method.

11. Mind Mapping

Create visual representations of ideas to establish relationships between different concepts.

12. Include Page Numbers

Note the page numbers of your sources to locate information easily when needed.

13. Group Information

Group related details together for a comprehensive overview of specific topics.

14. Limit Bullet Points

Use bullet points sparingly to avoid overwhelming your notes with fragmented information.

15. Record Questions

Pose questions based on your notes to guide further research or critical thinking.

16. Define Acronyms

Define acronyms or abbreviations to ensure clarity in your notes.

17. Active Listening

Engage actively during lectures or interviews to capture essential points accurately.

18. Paraphrase

Rewrite information in your own words to deepen understanding and promote retention.

19. Avoid Plagiarism

Attribute ideas correctly and refrain from copying verbatim text without citation.

20. Separate Personal Insights

Distinguish your thoughts from the original content to maintain clarity.

21. Utilize Software Tools

Explore note-taking apps or software for digital organization and accessibility.

22. Create Templates

Establish templates for different types of research to streamline the note-taking process .

23. Prioritize Information

Focus on recording critical details over minor or tangential points.

24. Use Symbols

Employ symbols or icons to denote importance levels or key concepts in your notes.

25. Establish Timelines

Note dates or timelines within your research to track the progression of ideas or events.

26. Develop an Index

Create an index or table of contents for quick reference to specific topics within your notes.

27. Collaborate with Peers

Share notes with colleagues to gain diverse perspectives and enrich your research.

28. Track Sources

Keep a detailed record of all sources consulted to facilitate accurate referencing.

29. Embrace Digitalization

Digitize handwritten notes for easy access and searchability across platforms.

30. Prioritize Clarity

Ensure your notes are clear and concise to facilitate comprehension during review sessions.

31. Use Cross-References

Link related notes or concepts to establish connections within your research.

32. Emphasize Key Terms

Highlight crucial terms or concepts to draw attention to pivotal ideas.

33. Review and Edit

Regularly review and edit your notes for accuracy, relevance, and coherence.

34. Remove Redundancy

Eliminate redundant information to streamline your notes and enhance clarity.

35. Stay Updated

Continuously update your notes with new insights or discoveries to maintain relevance.

36. Engage with Multimedia

Incorporate multimedia elements like images or videos to enrich your notes.

37. Leverage Text Formatting

Utilize bold, italics, or underline for emphasis and hierarchy in your notes.

38. Seek Feedback

Share your notes with mentors or peers for constructive feedback and improvement.

39. Practice Active Reading

Engage critically with sources to extract essential information effectively.

40. Utilize Templates

Utilize note-taking templates for structured and efficient information organization.

41. Be Selective

Focus on capturing information that directly contributes to your research objectives.

42. Stay Consistent

Maintain a regular note-taking routine to cultivate a habit and enhance productivity.

AI research and writing partner

Knowledge workers, researchers, and students today suffer from content overload and are left to deal with it using fragmented, complex, and manual tooling. Too many of them settle for stitching together complicated bookmarking, read-it-later, and note-taking apps to get through their workflows. Now that anyone can create content with the click of a button - this problem is only going to get worse. Otio solves this problem by providing one AI-native workspace for researchers. It helps them:

Draft outputs using the sources you’ve collected. Otio helps you go from reading list to first draft faster. Along with this, Otio also helps you write research papers/essays faster. Here are our top features that are loved by researchers: AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enables you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT, as well as AI-assisted writing.  Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today!

• How To Tell If An Article Is Peer Reviewed • Reliable Sources For Research • Literature Search • How To Summarize A Research Article • Best Databases For Research • Using Ai For Research • Summarize Research Paper Ai • How To Use Chat Gpt For Research • How To Search For Research Articles

Research notes are a crucial aspect of any researcher's workflow, serving as the foundation for organizing, synthesizing, and retaining information gathered during the research process. These notes provide a roadmap for the researcher, aiding in the development of ideas, analysis, and ultimately, the creation of insightful and well-supported research papers or projects.

Setting Up Your Note-Taking System

1. choose the right tools.

Select a note-taking tool that aligns with your preferences and needs. Whether it's digital tools like Otio or traditional pen and paper, ensure it complements your research style.

2. Create a Structure

Establish a consistent and intuitive organizational system for your notes. Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, or numbering to categorize information effectively.

3. Utilize Templates

Develop templates for different types of research notes, such as literature reviews, interview summaries, or data analysis. Templates can streamline your note-taking process and maintain consistency.

Effective Note-Taking Strategies

1. active reading.

Engage with the material actively by highlighting key points, jotting down questions, and summarizing main ideas. This helps in digesting and internalizing the content.

2. Summarize and Paraphrase

Rather than copying verbatim, condense information into your own words. This aids in comprehension and prevents plagiarism when incorporating sources into your work.

3. Cite Sources Properly

Always record the sources of your information alongside your notes. Include bibliographic details or hyperlinks to ensure proper referencing and easy retrieval when needed.

Organizing and Reviewing Your Notes

1. create a tagging system.

Employ tags or labels to categorize and link related notes. This enables quick retrieval of information based on topics, themes, or keywords.

2. Regular Review

Schedule periodic reviews of your notes to reinforce learning, identify connections between ideas, and clarify any ambiguities. This practice enhances retention and aids in synthesizing information.

3. Revision and Refinement

Continuously refine and update your notes as your research progresses. Add new insights, revisit older notes for relevance, and connect disparate pieces of information to enhance the coherence of your work.

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Otio addresses the content overload challenge faced by knowledge workers, researchers, and students by offering an all-in-one AI-native workspace. By allowing users to seamlessly collect data from various sources such as bookmarks, tweets, articles, and videos, Otio simplifies the initial stage of the research process. This aggregation feature not only saves time but also ensures that users have a comprehensive set of resources at their disposal.

AI-Generated Notes and Source-Grounded Q&A Chat

One of Otio 's standout features is its ability to extract key takeaways from collected sources by providing detailed AI-generated notes. These notes offer a condensed version of the content, making it easier for researchers to grasp essential information quickly. The source-grounded Q&A chat function enables users to engage with their collected material in a conversational manner, facilitating a deeper understanding of the content.

Efficient Drafting with Otio

Transitioning from reading materials to drafting outputs is often a time-consuming process for researchers. Otio streamlines this transition by assisting users in creating draft outputs directly from the sources they have collected. This feature not only accelerates the writing process but also ensures that the drafted content remains closely tied to the original sources, enhancing the overall quality of the output.

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In addition to its data collection and note-taking capabilities, Otio offers AI-assisted writing functionality to help users compose research papers and essays more efficiently. By leveraging AI technology, Otio provides users with writing suggestions, grammar corrections , and structural guidance, empowering them to produce high-quality written work in less time.

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Otio's comprehensive suite of features, including AI-generated notes, source-grounded Q&A chat, efficient drafting tools, and AI-assisted writing, make it a valuable asset for knowledge workers, researchers, and students looking to streamline their research workflows. By integrating Otio into their processes, users can enhance their productivity, improve the quality of their work, and ultimately, achieve greater success in their research endeavors.

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Note-taking for Research

As you determine which sources you will rely on most, it is important to establish a system for keeping track of your sources and taking notes. There are several ways to go about it, and no one system is necessarily superior. What matters is that you keep materials in order; record bibliographical information you will need later; and take detailed, organized notes.

Keeping Track of Your Sources

As you conduct research, taking time to keep track of source information and to organize that information now will help ensure that you are not scrambling to find it at the last minute, which easily leads to problems ranging from incomplete essays to plagiarism. Throughout your research, record bibliographical information for each source as soon as you begin using it. Maintaining an electronic list (even by copying and pasting information) can be quick and efficient, but you may instead feel more in control of the information you’ve collected by using pen-and-paper methods, such as a notebook or note cards.

The table below shows the kinds of details you should record for commonly used source types. Use these details to develop a working bibliography —a preliminary list of sources that you will later use to develop the final Works Cited page of your essay.

Details for Commonly Used Source Types

Your research may involve less common types of sources not listed above. For additional information on citing different sources, see the chapter MLA Format and Citation.

Taking Notes Efficiently

Good researchers stay focused and organized as they gather information from sources. Before you begin taking notes, take a moment to step back and think about your goal as a researcher—to find information that will help you answer your research question. When you write your essay, you will present your conclusions about the subject supported by your research. That goal will determine what information you record and how you organize it.

Writers sometimes get caught up in taking extensive notes, so much so that they lose sight of how their notes relate to the questions and ideas they started out with. Remember that you do not need to write down every detail from your reading. Focus on finding and recording details that will help you answer your research questions. The following strategies will help you take notes efficiently.

Use Headings to Organize Ideas

Whether you use old-fashioned index cards or organize your notes using word-processing software, such as MS Word or Google Docs, record just one major point from each source at a time, and use a heading to summarize the information covered. Keep all your notes in one file, digital or otherwise. Doing so will help you identify connections among different pieces of information. It will also help you make connections between your notes and the research questions and subtopics you identified earlier.

Know When to Summarize, Paraphrase, or Directly Quote a Source

Your notes will fall under three categories—summary notes, paraphrased information, and direct quotations from your sources. Effective researchers make choices about which type of notes is most appropriate for their purpose.

• Summary notes give an overview of the main ideas in a source in a few sentences or a short paragraph. A summary is considerably shorter than the original text and captures only the major ideas. Use summary notes when you do not need to record specific details but you intend to refer to broad concepts the author discusses.
• Paraphrased notes restate a fact or idea from a source using your own words and sentence structure, particularly in a way that better suits your purpose and audience than the way the original source said it.
• Direct quotations use the exact wording used by the original source and enclose the quoted material in quotation marks. It is a good strategy to copy direct quotations when an author expresses an idea in an especially lively or memorable way. However, do not rely exclusively on direct quotations in your note taking.

Most of your notes should be paraphrased from the original source. Paraphrasing as you take notes is usually a better strategy than copying direct quotations, because it forces you to think through the information in your source and understand it well enough to restate it. In short, it helps you stay engaged with the material instead of simply copying and pasting. For more information on this, see the section Summary, Paraphrasis, and Quotation.

Maintain Complete, Accurate Notes

Regardless of the format used, any notes you take should include enough information to help you organize ideas and locate them instantly in the original text if you need to review them. Make sure your notes include the vital bibliographic information noted above.

Throughout the process of taking notes, be scrupulous about making sure you have correctly attributed each idea to its source. Always include source information so you know exactly which ideas came from which sources. Use quotation marks to set off any words for phrases taken directly from the original text. If you add your own responses and ideas, make sure they are distinct from ideas you quoted or paraphrased.

Finally, make sure your notes accurately reflect the content of the original text. Make sure quoted material is copied verbatim. If you omit words from a quotation, use ellipses to show the omission and make sure the omission does not change the author’s meaning. Paraphrase ideas carefully, and check your paraphrased notes against the original text to make sure that you have restated the author’s ideas accurately in your own words. For more information on this, see the section Summary, Paraphrasis, and Quotation.

Use a System That Works for You

There are several formats you can use to take notes. No technique is necessarily better than the others—it is more important to choose a format you are comfortable using. Choosing the format that works best for you will ensure your notes are organized, complete, and accurate. Consider implementing one of these formats when you begin taking notes:

• Use index cards. This traditional format involves writing each note on a separate index card. It takes more time than copying and pasting into an electronic document, which encourages you to be selective in choosing which ideas to record. Recording notes on separate cards makes it easy to later organize your notes according to major topics. Some writers color-code their cards to make them still more organized.
• Use note-taking software. Word-processing and office software packages often include different types of note-taking software. Although you may need to set aside some time to learn the software, this method combines the speed of typing with the same degree of organization associated with handwritten note cards.
• Maintain a research notebook. Instead of using index cards or electronic note cards, you may wish to keep a notebook or electronic folder, allotting a few pages (or one file) for each of your sources. This method makes it easy to create a separate column or section of the document where you add your responses to the information you encounter in your research.
• Annotate your sources. This method involves making handwritten notes in the margins of sources that you have printed or photocopied. If using electronic sources, you can make comments within the source document. For example, you might add comment boxes to a PDF version of an article. This method works best for experienced researchers who have already thought a great deal about the topic because it can be difficult to organize your notes later when starting your draft.

Choose one of the methods from the list to use for taking notes. Continue gathering sources and taking notes. In the next section, you will learn strategies for organizing and synthesizing the information you have found.

The Writing Textbook Copyright © 2021 by Josh Woods, editor and contributor, as well as an unnamed author (by request from the original publisher), and other authors named separately is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to take Research Notes

How to take research notes.

Your research notebook is an important piece of information useful for future projects and presentations. Maintaining organized and legible notes allows your research notebook to be a valuable resource to you and your research group. It allows others and yourself to replicate experiments, and it also serves as a useful troubleshooting tool. Besides it being an important part of the research process, taking detailed notes of your research will help you stay organized and allow you to easily review your work.

Here are some common reasons to maintain organized notes:

• Keeps a record of your goals and thoughts during your research experiments.
• Keeps a record of what worked and what didn't in your research experiments.
• Enables others to use your notes as a guide for similar procedures and techniques.
• A helpful tool to reference when writing a paper, submitting a proposal, or giving a presentation.
• Assists you in answering experimental questions.
• Useful to efficiently share experimental approaches, data, and results with others.

Before taking notes:

• Ask your research professor what note-taking method they recommend or prefer.
• Consider what type of media you'll be using to take notes.
• Once you have decided on how you'll be taking notes, be sure to keep all of your notes in one place to remain organized.
• Plan on taking notes regularly (meetings, important dates, procedures, journal/manuscript revisions, etc.).
• This is useful when applying to programs or internships that ask about your research experience.

Note Taking Tips:

Taking notes by hand:.

• Research notebooks don’t belong to you so make sure your notes are legible for others.
• Use post-it notes or tabs to flag important sections.
• Start sorting your notes early so that you don't become backed up and disorganized.
• Only write with a pen as pencils aren’t permanent & sharpies can bleed through.
• Make it a habit to write in your notebook and not directly on sticky notes or paper towels. Rewriting notes can waste time and sometimes lead to inaccurate data or results.

Taking Notes Electronically

• Make sure your device is charged and backed up to store data.
• Invest in note-taking apps or E-Ink tablets
• Create shortcuts to your folders so you have easier access
• Create outlines.
• Keep your notes short and legible.

Note Taking Tips Continued:

Things to avoid.

• Avoid using pencils or markers that may bleed through.
• Avoid erasing entries. Instead, draw a straight line through any mistakes and write the date next to the crossed-out information.
• Avoid writing in cursive.
• Avoid delaying your entries so you don’t fall behind and forget information.

Formatting Tips

• Use bullet points to condense your notes to make them simpler to access or color-code them.
• Tracking your failures and mistakes can improve your work in the future.
• If possible, take notes as you’re experimenting or make time at the end of each workday to get it done.
• Record the date at the start of every day, including all dates spent on research.

Types of media to use when taking notes:

Traditional paper notebook.

• Pros: Able to take quick notes, convenient access to notes, cheaper option
• Cons: Requires a table of contents or tabs as it is not easily searchable, can get damaged easily, needs to be scanned if making a digital copy

Electronic notebook  

• Apple Notes  
• Pros: Easily searchable, note-taking apps available, easy to edit & customize
• Cons: Can be difficult to find notes if they are unorganized, not as easy to take quick notes, can be a more expensive option

Combination of both

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Gould library, reading well and taking research notes.

• How to read for college
• How to take research notes
• How to use sources in your writing
• Tools for note taking and annotations
• Mobile apps for notes and annotations
• Assistive technology
• How to cite your sources

Be Prepared: Keep track of which notes are direct quotes, which are summary, and which are your own thoughts. For example, enclose direct quotes in quotation marks, and enclose your own thoughts in brackets. That way you'll never be confused when you're writing.

Be Clear: Make sure you have noted the source and page number!

Be Organized: Keep your notes organized but in a single place so that you can refer back to notes about other readings at the same time.

Be Consistent: You'll want to find specific notes later, and one way to do that is to be consistent in the way you describe things. If you use consistent terms or tags or keywords, you'll be able to find your way back more easily.

Recording what you find

Take full notes

Whether you take notes on cards, in a notebook, or on the computer, it's vital to record information accurately and completely. Otherwise, you won't be able to trust your own notes. Most importantly, distinguish between (1) direct quotation; (2) paraphrases and summaries of the text; and (3) your own thoughts. On a computer, you have many options for making these distinctions, such as parentheses, brackets, italic or bold text, etc.

Know when to quote, paraphrase, and summarize

• Summarize when you only need to remember the main point of the passage, chapter, etc.
• Paraphrase when you are able to able to clearly state a source's point or meaning in your own words.
• Quote exactly when you need the author's exact words or authority as evidience to back up your claim. You may also want to be sure and use the author's exact wording, either because they stated their point so well, or because you want to refute that point and need to demonstrate you aren't misrepresenting the author's words.

Get the context right

Don't just record the author's words or ideas; be sure and capture the context and meaning that surrounds those ideas as well. It can be easy to take a short quote from an author that completely misrepresents his or her actual intentions if you fail to take the context into account. You should also be sure to note when the author is paraphrasing or summarizing another author's point of view--don't accidentally represent those ideas as the ideas of the author.

Example of reading notes

Here is an example of reading notes taken in Evernote, with citation and page numbers noted as well as quotation marks for direct quotes and brackets around the reader's own thoughts.

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• Next: How to use sources in your writing >>
• Last Updated: Feb 7, 2024 12:22 PM
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Research Process :: Step by Step

• Introduction
• Select Topic
• Identify Keywords
• Background Information
• Develop Research Questions
• Refine Topic
• Search Strategy
• Popular Databases
• Evaluate Sources
• Types of Periodicals
• Reading Scholarly Articles
• Primary & Secondary Sources
• Organize / Take Notes
• Writing & Grammar Resources
• Annotated Bibliography
• Literature Review
• Citation Styles
• Paraphrasing
• Privacy / Confidentiality
• Research Process
• Selecting Your Topic
• Identifying Keywords
• Gathering Background Info
• Evaluating Sources
• Zotero Guide by Morgan Rowe-Morris Last Updated Dec 8, 2023 3407 views this year
• EndNote Guide by Engineering Librarian Last Updated May 10, 2024 1455 views this year

Focus on the information in the article that is relevant to your research question (you may be able to skim over other parts).  Think critically about what you read and build your argument based on it.

Organize your Notes

• After you take notes, re-read them. 
• Then re-organize them by putting similar information together. Working with your notes involves re-grouping them by topic instead of by source. Re-group your notes by re-shuffling your index cards or by color-coding or using symbols to code notes in a notebook. 
• Review the topics of your newly-grouped notes. If the topics do not answer your research question or support your working thesis directly, you may need to do additional research or re-think your original research. 
• During this process you may find that you have taken notes that do not answer your research question or support your working thesis directly. Don't be afraid to throw them away. 

It may have struck you that you just read a lot of "re" words: re-read, re-organize, re-group, re-shuffle, re-think. That's right; working with your notes essentially means going back and reviewing how this "new" information fits with your own thoughts about the topic or issue of the research.

Grouping your notes will enable you to outline the major sections and then the paragraphs of your research paper.

https://www.esc.edu/online-writing-center/resources/research/research-paper-steps/taking-notes/

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• Next: Writing & Grammar Resources >>
• Last Updated: May 13, 2024 11:24 AM
• URL: https://libguides.uta.edu/researchprocess

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• Note-taking

Think about how you take notes during class. Do you use a specific system? Do you feel that system is working for you? What could be improved? How might taking notes during a lecture, section, or seminar be different online versus in the classroom? 

Adjust how you take notes during synchronous vs. asynchronous learning (slightly) . 

First, let’s distinguish between  synchronous  and  asynchronous  instruction. Synchronous classes are live with the instructor and students together, and asynchronous instruction is material recorded by the professor for viewing by students at another time. Sometimes asynchronous instruction may include a recording of a live Zoom session with the instructor and students. 

With this distinction in mind,  here are some tips on how to take notes during both types of instruction:

Taking notes during live classes (synchronous instruction).

Taking notes when watching recorded classes (asynchronous instruction)., check in with yourself., if available, annotate lecture slides during lecture., consider writing notes by hand., review your notes., write down questions..

Below are some common and effective note-taking techniques: 

Cornell Notes

If you are looking for help with using some of the tips and techniques described above, come to the ARC’s note-taking workshop, offered several times every semester.

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Research methods--quantitative, qualitative, and more: overview.

• Quantitative Research
• Qualitative Research
• Data Science Methods (Machine Learning, AI, Big Data)
• Text Mining and Computational Text Analysis
• Evidence Synthesis/Systematic Reviews
• Get Data, Get Help!

About Research Methods

This guide provides an overview of research methods, how to choose and use them, and supports and resources at UC Berkeley. 

As Patten and Newhart note in the book Understanding Research Methods , "Research methods are the building blocks of the scientific enterprise. They are the "how" for building systematic knowledge. The accumulation of knowledge through research is by its nature a collective endeavor. Each well-designed study provides evidence that may support, amend, refute, or deepen the understanding of existing knowledge...Decisions are important throughout the practice of research and are designed to help researchers collect evidence that includes the full spectrum of the phenomenon under study, to maintain logical rules, and to mitigate or account for possible sources of bias. In many ways, learning research methods is learning how to see and make these decisions."

The choice of methods varies by discipline, by the kind of phenomenon being studied and the data being used to study it, by the technology available, and more.  This guide is an introduction, but if you don't see what you need here, always contact your subject librarian, and/or take a look to see if there's a library research guide that will answer your question. 

Suggestions for changes and additions to this guide are welcome! 

START HERE: SAGE Research Methods

Without question, the most comprehensive resource available from the library is SAGE Research Methods.  HERE IS THE ONLINE GUIDE  to this one-stop shopping collection, and some helpful links are below:

• SAGE Research Methods
• Little Green Books  (Quantitative Methods)
• Little Blue Books  (Qualitative Methods)
• Dictionaries and Encyclopedias  
• Case studies of real research projects
• Sample datasets for hands-on practice
• Streaming video--see methods come to life
• Methodspace- -a community for researchers
• SAGE Research Methods Course Mapping

Library Data Services at UC Berkeley

Library Data Services Program and Digital Scholarship Services

The LDSP offers a variety of services and tools !  From this link, check out pages for each of the following topics:  discovering data, managing data, collecting data, GIS data, text data mining, publishing data, digital scholarship, open science, and the Research Data Management Program.

Be sure also to check out the visual guide to where to seek assistance on campus with any research question you may have!

Library GIS Services

Other Data Services at Berkeley

D-Lab Supports Berkeley faculty, staff, and graduate students with research in data intensive social science, including a wide range of training and workshop offerings Dryad Dryad is a simple self-service tool for researchers to use in publishing their datasets. It provides tools for the effective publication of and access to research data. Geospatial Innovation Facility (GIF) Provides leadership and training across a broad array of integrated mapping technologies on campu Research Data Management A UC Berkeley guide and consulting service for research data management issues

General Research Methods Resources

Here are some general resources for assistance:

• Assistance from ICPSR (must create an account to access): Getting Help with Data , and Resources for Students
• Wiley Stats Ref for background information on statistics topics
• Survey Documentation and Analysis (SDA) .  Program for easy web-based analysis of survey data.

Consultants

• D-Lab/Data Science Discovery Consultants Request help with your research project from peer consultants.
• Research data (RDM) consulting Meet with RDM consultants before designing the data security, storage, and sharing aspects of your qualitative project.
• Statistics Department Consulting Services A service in which advanced graduate students, under faculty supervision, are available to consult during specified hours in the Fall and Spring semesters.

Related Resourcex

• IRB / CPHS Qualitative research projects with human subjects often require that you go through an ethics review.
• OURS (Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships) OURS supports undergraduates who want to embark on research projects and assistantships. In particular, check out their "Getting Started in Research" workshops
• Sponsored Projects Sponsored projects works with researchers applying for major external grants.
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• Last Updated: Apr 25, 2024 11:09 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/researchmethods

Research note

• Extensions or updates to previously published research
• The reporting of additional controls 
• Short descriptions of research projects that did not provide publishable results but represent valuable information regarding protocol and data collection
• Additions to established (software) tools and experimental or computational methods, e.g. new functionality of user interface, improvements in performance or the release on a new platform
• Replication studies
• Null results
• Data management plans

Authors must clearly acknowledge any work upon which they are building, both published and unpublished. 

Manuscripts reporting results of a clinical trial must conform to CONSORT 2010 guidelines. Authors of randomized controlled trials should submit a completed CONSORT checklist alongside their manuscript, available at  www.consort-statement.org .

Please note that pooled analyses of selected published research and bibliometric analyses will not be considered. Studies reporting descriptive results from a single institution or region will only be considered if analogous data have not been previously published in a peer reviewed journal and the conclusions provide distinct insights that are of relevance to a regional or international audience.

BMC Research Notes does not consider systematic reviews or meta-analyses. These should be published as full research articles in one of our BMC Series sister journals.  Additional criteria apply if your manuscript describes a software tool or data management plan. Please click on the respective link below to view these. These manuscripts should be submitted as a research note.

• Data management plan

Image integrity and standards Cropped gels and blots can be included in the main text if it improves the clarity and conciseness of the presentation. In such cases, the cropping of the blot must be clearly evident and must be mentioned in the figure legend. Corresponding uncropped full-length gels and blot must be included in the supplementary files. These uncropped images should indicate where they were cropped, be labelled as in the main text and placed in a single supplementary figure. The manuscript's figure legends should state that 'Full-length blots/gels are presented in Supplementary Figure X'. Further information can be found under 'Digital image integrity' which are detailed on our  Standards of Reporting  page.

Data sharing BMC Research Notes strongly supports open research, including transparency and openness in reporting. Further details of our Data availability policy can be found on the journal's About  page.

BMC Research Notes  strongly encourages that all datasets on which the conclusions of the paper rely should be available to readers. We encourage authors to ensure that their datasets are either deposited in publicly available repositories (where available and appropriate) or presented in the main manuscript or additional supporting files whenever possible. Please see Springer Nature’s  data repository guidance . Where a widely established research community expectation for data archiving in public repositories exists, submission to a community-endorsed, public repository is mandatory. A list of data where deposition is required, with the appropriate repositories, can be found on the  Editorial Policies Page .

Authors who need help depositing data may wish to contact our  Research Data Support Helpdesk . The use of the service is optional and does not imply or guarantee that a manuscript will be accepted.

Preparing your manuscript

The information below details the section headings that you should include in your manuscript and the information required within each section. For a one-page summary of what a research note article should look like, please click here .

Please ensure you adhere to the word limits for research notes:

• Abstract: 200 words
• Introduction, main text and limitations together: 2000 words

List of abbreviation, declarations, references, figures, figure headings, figure legends, tables, table headings and table legends do not count towards the above stated word limits.

Please note that your manuscript must include a ‘Declarations’ section including all of the subheadings (please see below for more information).  For all research involving human subjects, written informed consent to participate in the study must be obtained from participants (or their parent or legal guardian in the case of children under 16). BMC Research Notes does not consider research where only verbal informed consent has been obtained.

Please limit the number of tables and figures in your manuscript to 3 in order to be consistent with a note article type. Additional figures and/or tables can be included as supplementary files.

The title page should:

• Present a title that includes a clear description of what the manuscript reports
• If a collaboration group should be listed as an author, please list the group name as an author. If you would like the names of the individual members of the group to be searchable through their individual PubMed records, please include this information in the “Acknowledgements” section in accordance with the instructions below
• Indicate the corresponding author

The abstract should not exceed 200 words. Please minimize the use of abbreviations and do not cite references in the abstract. The abstract must include the following separate sections:

• Objective: The purpose and objective of the research presented.
• Results: A brief summary of the main findings.

If the data presented is a single observation or the side product of another research project then authors should state this in the abstract under objective.

Professionally produced Visual Abstracts BMC Research Notes will consider visual abstracts. As an author submitting to the journal, you may wish to make use of services provided at Springer Nature for high quality and affordable visual abstracts where you are entitled to a 20% discount. Click here to find out more about the service, and your discount will be automatically be applied when using this link.

Three to ten keywords representing the main content of the article.

Introduction

The introduction should be brief and provide the motivation/objective for the work presented in the manuscript, e.g.

• Where does the data come from?
• Why was the data obtained?

If the data presented is a single observation or the side product of another research project then authors should state this in the introduction. This will not negatively impact editorial assessment as BMC Research Notes aims to make single observations available to the scientific community.

We are not looking for a detailed and lengthy introduction to the topic and authors should instead cite relevant review articles. Authors should not provide a general review of the related literature but instead cite relevant work if the manuscript extends previously published or unpublished research.

For data management plans, the introduction should briefly summarize the research project for which the data management plan was written.

This should contain the body of the research note, and may also be broken into subsections with short and informative headings. Methods should be described in sufficient detail to allow repeatability. Authors should concisely describe the data or results they present and provide a critical discussion of the findings within the context of the research field. If an observation cannot be explained or put in context of the current literature then authors are encouraged to state that.

Limitations

BMC Research Notes considers scientifically valid manuscripts irrespective of the interest of a study or its likely impact. In order to ensure submissions to BMC Research Notes are of maximum benefit to the research community, authors should clearly state the limitations of their work.

Introduction, main text and limitations together must not exceed 2000 words.

List of abbreviations

If abbreviations are used in the text they should be defined in the text at first use, and a list of abbreviations should be provided.

Declarations

All manuscripts must contain the following sections under the heading 'Declarations':

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Consent for publication, availability of data and materials, competing interests, authors' contributions, acknowledgements.

• Authors' information (optional)

Please see below for details on the information to be included in these sections.

If any of the sections are not relevant to your manuscript, please include the heading and write 'Not applicable' for that section. 

Manuscripts reporting studies involving human participants, human data or human tissue must:

• include a statement on ethics approval and consent (even where the need for approval was waived)
• include the name of the ethics committee that approved the study and the committee’s reference number if appropriate

Studies involving animals must include a statement on ethics approval and for experimental studies involving client-owned animals, authors must also include a statement on informed consent from the client or owner.

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Take Notes by Hand for Better Long-Term Comprehension

• Academic Achievement
• Cognitive Processes
• Cognitive Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Long-Term Memory

Dust off those Bic ballpoints and college-ruled notebooks — research shows that taking notes by hand is better than taking notes on a laptop for remembering conceptual information over the long term. The findings are published in Psychological Science , a journal of the Association for Psychological Science .

Walk into any university lecture hall and you’re likely to see row upon row of students sitting behind glowing laptop screens. Laptops in class have been controversial, due mostly to the many opportunities for distraction that they provide (online shopping, browsing Reddit, or playing solitaire, just to name a few). But few studies have examined how effective laptops are for the students who diligently take notes.

“Our new findings suggest that even when laptops are used as intended — and not for buying things on Amazon during class — they may still be harming academic performance,” says psychological scientist Pam Mueller of Princeton University, lead author of the study.

Mueller was prompted to investigate the question after her own experience of switching from laptop to pen and paper as a graduate teaching assistant:

“I felt like I’d gotten so much more out of the lecture that day,” says Mueller, who was working with psychology researcher Daniel Oppenheimer at the time. “Danny said that he’d had a related experience in a faculty meeting: He was taking notes on his computer, and looked up and realized that he had no idea what the person was actually talking about.”

Mueller and Oppenheimer, who is now at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, conducted a series of studies to investigate whether their intuitions about laptop and longhand note-taking were true.

In the first study, 65 college students watched one of five TED Talks covering topics that were interesting but not common knowledge. The students, who watched the talks in small groups, were either given laptops (disconnected from Internet) or notebooks, and were told to use whatever strategy they normally used to take notes.

The students then completed three distractor tasks, including a taxing working memory task. A full 30 minutes later, they had to answer factual-recall questions (e.g., “Approximately how many years ago did the Indus civilization exist?”) and conceptual-application questions (e.g., “How do Japan and Sweden differ in their approaches to equality within their societies?”) based on the lecture they had watched.

The results revealed that while the two types of note-takers performed equally well on questions that involved recalling facts, laptop note-takers performed significantly worse on the conceptual questions.

The notes from laptop users contained more words and more verbatim overlap with the lecture, compared to the notes that were written by hand. Overall, students who took more notes performed better, but so did those who had less verbatim overlap, suggesting that the benefit of having more content is canceled out by “mindless transcription.”

“It may be that longhand note takers engage in more processing than laptop note takers, thus selecting more important information to include in their notes, which enables them to study this content more efficiently,” the researchers write.

Surprisingly, the researchers saw similar results even when they explicitly instructed the students to avoid taking verbatim notes, suggesting that the urge to do so when typing is hard to overcome.

The researchers also found that longhand note takers still beat laptop note takers on recall one week later when participants were given a chance to review their notes before taking the recall test. Once again, the amount of verbatim overlap was associated with worse performance on conceptual items.

“I don’t anticipate that we’ll get a mass of people switching back to notebooks,” says Mueller, “but there are several new stylus technologies out there, and those may be the way to go to have an electronic record of one’s notes, while also having the benefit of being forced to process information as it comes in, rather than mindlessly transcribing it.”

“Ultimately, the take-home message is that people should be more aware of how they are choosing to take notes, both in terms of the medium and the strategy,” Mueller concludes.

As a pre-technology student and a busy working mother who was always forgetting the list I’d written, I’ve always known that writing something down is akin to writing it on the brain,

But, lots of luck convincing today’s younger students who believe they know best. After all, they’re so special they were given stars, trophies and awards just for showing up, permitted to earn a misleading GPA higher than 4.0 ’cause the grading system is so much easier, and permitted to be valedictorian, the best along with 72 other students, each of whom are also the best…as if that could ever make sense

So, naturally, they believe, as tech-era kids, they have a special gift for multi-tasking, yet they lack the cognitive ability to conduct an in-depth analysis of that concept that would reveal what the studies at Stanford have shown — that there’s really no such thing ’cause you can’t really do two things simultaneously, and when we try, one of the two tasks will lack quality.

This should be a heads-up for proponents of digital learning. Some of the old methodologies will always be better than learning with a keyboard and screen, because the claims that it can revolutionize education are no more valid than Thomas Edison’s claim in 1922 that motion pictures would do so and no more valid than the same claims about radio and TV.

Dear Martha Lyon, I just want to make sure that you have any Idea what you are talking about when going on this tirade about the younger generation. When looking at this study, it can be seen that Craik & Tulving (1975) is used to explain the findings and while this is a very valid theory with high heuristic validity, it might become outdated as time progresses and Laptop use becomes more common. Replicating Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014) showed that as people get more familiar with note-taking on a laptop, the negative side effects decrease. Also when looking at your comment, using distractions and media induced multitasking as the scapegoat is not right, because Craik & Tulving (1975) is much more important for the results of this study. From this study, all we can conclude is that there might be some kind of disadvantage when using laptop instead of Longhand notetaking, but we have no Idea why so we can’t reject that it might have been a participant bias. Caution should rule the day. Recent history is populated with examples of the public –and even scientists—leaping to conclusions from a sparse number of studies. That was the case several years ago when initial studies had indicated that beta-carotene had cancer-fighting properties. After more studies were done, the scientific community later rejected the initial finding. Personally, I also prefer using pen and paper to take notes, but please check all the research and do some critical thinking before you write such a negative comment next time.

I usually write everything down using pen and paper.

I’m an older adult (58) and I’ve been working in IT for about 25 years. I agree that writing leads to better retention than typing but … I now write on a tablet which captures and saves my work. I can also use character recognition to transcribe my notes. So I find I get the technological benefits of a computer with the human benefits of writing by using a stylus and touch screen tablet. Best of both worlds? Has anyone studied tablets?

I would guess the benefit comes from the use of the hand to write. Whether the hand is writing on paper, a screen or hand made vellum is probably immaterial. I have noticed very tech savvy students using a tablet and stylus to hand write notes.

Great article – just about to take up a course of study and wondered if I should get into the 21st Century by taking notes on my laptop. This has helped me in making the decision to stick to taking notes by hand and subsequently have found a couple a really nice blank notebooks to use during my course.

In college I took notes by hand as fast as I could. I would stay up very late at night transcribing them to make them more legible. Studying before mid-terms and finals was much easier, and I did very well (graduated with honors). In graduate school, I already knew how to process the information to take notes effectively. This worked out well too–completed a Ph.D. and an MBA.

I think this was true if we take notes on laptops we would never take the time to go over them as if we were to take them on paper

Working as a clinical psychologist in a hospital (I’m now retired) I had always used pen and paper to take interview notes, even as come colleagues were beginning to use laptops to do the same. I type faster than I write (especially if I try to write legibly), but the cognitive process is different. It is easier to engage with an interviewee while holding a pen than it is when ‘tending’ a computer. The same could be said about taking notes in lectures. I feel that the process of writing by hand provides an improved level of learning and analysis. The information is ‘digested’ rather than merely recorded.

My contention is dependent on my experience as a student, of course. Had I grown up with computers in my classrooms and lecture halls perhaps I wouldn’t make this assertion.

This research report is good guidance, but many variables would have to be included for a more definitive statement. A student’s learning history and style, as well the subject matter of the lecture would have to be assessed.

I am a second year college student. I always take notes using my notebook and pen for all my classes. I feel like taking longhand notes is more efficient than typing. Sometimes, I also print out the power point slides and take notes on it lecture. I am not one of those students who would use a laptop to take notes and it is very distracting to be honest.

Also one more thing. To be honest, I feel like typing notes on the laptop is only going to make us more lazy and will not make us productive and efficient.

I’m a second-year college student right now. I believe that notes in a lecture should definitely be taken by hand simply because the laptop is too much of a distraction. However, if you’re taking notes out of a textbook, the laptop is much more efficient.

This does not seem to be a well-controlled study. They compared students who chose to use paper and pen over those who used a computer. A better study might have compared students who had to use pen and paper vs. those who had to use computer. In addition, this ignores other electronic technologies, like using electronic pens (e.g., the Apple pen) and touch screens, and other ways to organize notes (e.g., electronic sticky notes) or other software. Furthermore, the study does not address what about writing is more effective than electronic notes.

It is unrealistic to expect a study to address all these points. However, I wanted to point out that the study (or any study) is perfect. The authors provide some thought provoking ideas as well as ideas to help our kids learn better.

I explain to my students every course start why I: a) insist they take notes, b) why my slides and handouts have so little information on them, and, c) why it is a better method than passively reading a wordy slide or handout. a) The students have to process the information through their brains and interpret the words to put them on paper. It imprints that information and it is better retained. I have seen that over the years. b) Having only the high points of the topic on the slides, but fleshing it out with the lecture makes them take notes about the lecture and ask questions about what they didn’t understand. c) Passive learning is little more than memorization and does not encourage critical thinking. I have taught nursing for many years. As a nursing student, my method was to take copious notes in class, then go home and transcribe them with my typewriter. Anything I didn’t understand or I missed, I hauled out my textbook and added it to the notes. I made my own review for testing. I was not the most brilliant student in the class, but I made up for it by putting in the work. This is what is missing with passive learning. They are reading someone else’s interpretation of the topic and just memorizing. Little is retained. I can actually still recall some of the lessons from years ago as a student. That is why I push so hard for students to take notes. They may remember being entertained by an instructor’s class, but do they remember the lessons?

what a wonderful and well research experiment

overwhelming data, in favor of handwritten notes

very helpfull

I’m a builder for a large national construction company and have watched as e-documentation has taken over our industry. I’m a believer (and practitioner) in pencil and paper over computer. But I’ve also seen these trends in the projects we deliver. Those that have an electronic set up for their project (drawings, specifications etc) are seamingly less likely to recite project requirements when questioned, a common response is “I’ll have to look it up”. When visiting sites that still manage documents the old way… plan table with a paper copy that has all changes posted in hand, those project team members have an ability to quote drawing numbers, references and know the details with far greater consistency than their counterparts… I always thought it was just different staff, but in my own little validation the common thread for me is those that use pencil and paper… great piece and interesting insight.

I like taking notes because I can go back an look at things I need refresh on

I am a grandmother of 6 and a great-grandmother of 2 (73). I haven’t seen computer until 35 years later.I write everything down in pen and paper because that’s all we had in the 40’s. I takes notes in school with pen and paper over laptop, it’s more convenient and no distractions.

I am a third-year college student and I have found taking notes on my laptop to be more effective than traditional note-taking. I have a program that has my notes cloud saved on to all my devices so that I can have access to them whenever I would like (i.e. phone, tablet, laptop, desktop). There is no risk of forgetting my notebook or grabbing the wrong notebook before class. Also, electronic note-taking eliminates the problem of having unreadable work or misspellings. Lastly, it makes sharing notes with my classmates much easier. Instead of having them borrow my notebook to copy them, it is as simple as a text or an email away.

I like the idea of using a stylus or pen and tablet its the best of both worlds. Why argue with results ! Just adapt and overcome you will be better for it.

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For more information about this research, please contact study author: Pam A. Mueller

For a copy of the research article and access to other null research findings, please contact: - 202.293.9300

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Attempts to replicate previous studies suggest writing notes by hand may offer no benefit over typing.

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