Thread by @lenorepalladino

I am always working to improve my #researchworkflow, but I have a sneaking suspicion that lots of researchers & policy ppl don't know how to set themselves up and so they live in a maelstrom of lost downloaded PDFs, messy google docs, and sticky notes.. & I want to help
🧵1/

"workflow" is distinct from "methods," which are substantive. HOWEVER: research workflows are important.. we must hone our tools to write and think, esp. because our lives and our time when we're *not working* are important too & our work matters 2/

I research and write using memos, which are *structured notes for myself* that have literature and data flowing into them, and can be used to write public articles 3/

it is crucial to have an intermediate step btw the vast amounts of other people's thinking that we consume & the written-down version of our thinking that we share with the world *to actually work thru and organize our thinking*

key point for those of us who are over.. well, I won't say how old, but who had trapper keepers.. we *cannot* structure our work as if we are using digital filing cabinets anymore.. think networks, not folders 5/

I use @devontech's #DevonThink to link my notes on content to the memos that I write to relevant projects & work streams --> b/c I do not want to spend my time trying to remember what content is relevant to a particular topic I may set aside and come back to late 6/

I am using @NotionHQ for teaching --> it's a fantastic resource, free for .edu, and enables networking together all my course modules and materials and tracking all the videos/ blogs/ webinars / datasets that I use 7/

and I use the fantastic @BookendsApp for citation management and PDFs.. ask yourself, why on earth am I still doing this by hand?! 8/

I also highly, highly, highly recommend an app that blocks you from social media & other apps for set periods of time... it's just basic: we can't help ourselves, so take the choice away

I use @freedom_app but there are many options

9/

I also recognize that I am a total nerd and used to love picking out my trapper keepers and tabbed dividers perhaps more than one should... 10/

this is not about pursuit of efficiency or meeting insane productivity standards w/in neoliberal workspaces; it is about recognizing what our brains are good at, and what they are not. 11/

the book takesmartnotes.com is helpful, tho I write organized memos, not brief notes, which are more like sub-sections in a paper and bring together threads from various pieces of content

12/

would really like to hear how others organize research workflows & thinking about running a grad student / rising researcher workshop on this soon, for ppl working in political economy 🧵fin/