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11 ways to Evernote your medical research

Evernote is a respository for notes, PDFs, images and even handwritten scribbles. It takes your dross and makes it accessible and searchable. EfficientMD recently shared how medicos can take advantage of it, and I reckon researchers should not be ignored. So here are my suggestions for “Evernote-ing” your research.

1. Reagent capture. Photograph all reagents you use, then tag with the experiment. When it comes to writing up, data like manufacturer, concentration and proper name will be available. Even if you take years to write your thesis.
   

2. Track use-by dates. I have reagents that I can store and reuse once made up. I take a photo of them so I can check if they are in date when planning a new experiment
   

3. Track experiment numbers. I can never remember which slide and animal numbers are which. Previously, I went running back to my computer. I now have a text list, that I can access on my phone, wherever I need them.

4. Keep phone messages. Take a photo of all those handwritten phone messages and process them later, or search them.

   This example note is searchable. I can search for FITC and it shows me this note. Really.

   

5. Access your reprints. Drop PDFs of your published articles to Evernote, and you will never be stuck for a copy when you are at a conference again.

6. Index your recipes. Take a photo of all the little notes and recipes you have around your experimental area, and then you can search them from your desk.
   

7. Save your protocols. When I have a new experiment, I add a copy of the protocol to Evernote. If I get stuck in the lab, or forget my lab book, I can always access the protocol.

8. Keep experimental proof. When I work with animals, the cage is marked with a reference card, which includes a lot of information about the animal (like their age) that I don’t normally keep track of. A photo keeps this information if I need it later. It also acts as proof of my experimental records.
   

9. Save your extra project ideas. Over time, I have found extra papers and topics that I would love to look into if I have the time, but are strictly an extension to scope. Instead of cluttering my reference material with scientific articles I may never use, I store them in Evernote, tagged with “PhDextras”.

10. Follow up presentations. If I see an interesting technique in a presentation, I write a quick note in Evernote in my phone, or even photograph the slide, and I can PubMed it later

11. Keep track of meetings. Evernote text notes are great for taking notes in PhD supervisors’ meetings. When I am back at my desk, I can distribute the notes into my task manager (or tag them with “PhDextras”)

Medical research is the ultimate creator of notes and information snippets. Pulling all of them together is important to the completeness and reproducibility of results. Evernote is a great tool to help with this. How do you “Evernote” your research?

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