Research | Notion Template

We all know the importance of research, but few of us know how to make it intuitive.

After years of school projects and university papers, I realised that existing tools were ultimately unable to organise the inherently messy nature of the research process. I’d read a paper, stumble on a complex term, then encounter it again in another work — only to forget what it meant. Or I’d keep a messy list of links to papers with no record of what each was about, who wrote it, or why it mattered, leaving me sifting endlessly sometimes when I wanted just to find that one quote or that one concept. I wished for a place to store and connect these scattered fragments of knowledge.

So I built this Research Template. The crux of it lies in its two strengths: it is 1) visual and 2) interconnected. At a glance, you can a piece of literature's key findings, author, publication date, category, and importance — no digging required. As you take notes, you can quickly capture terms, its definitions, and overarching concepts. Later, when you encounter them again further on in your research process, you can instantly search for them in your database and link them to other pieces of literature. This helps to build an interconnected web of literature, terms, and concepts, where your knowledge is recorded, accessible and convenient. A great project starts with great research.

This template offers:

1. Brainstorming Area: Capture preliminary ideas, questions, and key concepts. This section is perfect for working ideas you want to explore further.
2. Resources Section: In this section, there are links to "Concepts" and "Terms" databases which are linked to literature. This makes it easy to get an overview of the concepts and terms you are working with as you read the literature, while also being able to identify where you got the concept or term from.
3. Quick Notes: A dedicated space for jotting down immediate action items or reminders, ensuring that nothing gets overlooked.
4. To-Do List: Track research tasks along with their due dates. Once completed, simply check them off to keep an updated view of your progress
5. Literature Section: Organise sources by categories and importance, with summaries that highlight key points. This layout enables a clear view of each source’s relevance to your work, making it easier to review and synthesise information.

This template simplifies and enhances the research experience, helping students maintain organisation, track progress, and keep all essential information within reach.