Activity: Evaluate Workflow and Integrate Productivity tools

Overview

Your research and study workflow refers to a pattern of activities, steps or practices that are organized around completing goals. There is no one “right” workflow. The practices that make the most sense for you depend on your own needs and habits. Understanding your own patterns and preferences for research may uncover areas where productivity tools may aid you in your goals.

Activity: Evaluate Your Own Workflow

For this activity, you may just want to think about your answers to the following questions, or you may find it most helpful to jot them down on a piece of paper. Are you more of a visual learner? Try making a flow chart or mind map to organize your ideas. See an example of a mindmap below.

 

How do you engage in research?

Are you working with print sources? Using archival sources? Are you primarily using a computer? Depending on the answer, you’ll need a tool that allows you to capture your sources quickly and easily and to keep track of them. Consider implementing a citation manager for this. If you choose to use a digital tool, working with printed sources might require you to transfer information.

How are you taking notes?

Are you taking notes while you read articles? Where are those notes going? You can sync your research and reading practices so that you can remember what articles you’ve read and their main points. Try writing a short overview to remind yourself of the main takeaways. This will save you time later when you’re trying to remember, “Why did I save this citation?”

Some citation managers have a notes area for each entry where you can store these reminders to yourself. Otherwise, you might consider implementing a note-taking tool like Google Docs or OneNote.

Some other tips

• Develop a flow for recording what articles and works you’ve already read, and which you still yet have to read. Especially if you’re using any alerts or notifications to keep updated on new research, you may find yourself with a backlog of information. Consider setting a time once a week or once a month where you sift through new abstracts to flag what is most important.
• Keep tabs on your writing and research time. Tracking the duration and time(s) of day you devote to research and writing will not only make you more conscious of your efforts, but will also keep you on track, inspire you to increase your time, and help you discover patterns that work best for you.
• Don’t forget to take breaks. There are many reasons to take breaks while you are working, even though it may sometimes be tempting to push through. You might try integrating a break time reminder app, like Stretchly, to help keep yourself accountable.