1. Fleeting notes
This is an idea-capture stage where any kinds of new ideas are recorded, useful or not. This is essentially a brain dump and it helps us focus more on the generating ideas instead of remembering them.
2. Literature notes
To me, it is a more elaborated version of [[]]❌ with additional source information. When reading a paper or an article, some sentences or paragraphs seem worth remembering, so instead of copying the text verbatim, we can rephrase it as if we are explaining it to someone else in our notes, adding references, comments, and ideas inspired as a result.
3. Permanent notes
So far, we should have gathered a lot fragmented notes on hour hand. What we need to do is to go through them daily to see if there is an idea merging from those notes. Similarly in [[]]❌, use your own words to describe it.
By this time, remove all those fleeting notes and properly archive literature notes.
4. Making connections
An idea is lost unless it is in the right context. To make sure there is a context for an idea, we need to draw connections between ideas, to articulate the relations between [[]]❌. If necessary, create an index file or a MOC file to link to this idea.
5. Discovering ides, topics and questions
New ideas or topics would pop up as you going through the process. If this is something you are interested in pursuing, read more related research on this and build more notes! This becomes a positive feedback loop that notes drive the higher idea and the higher idea drives the reading. As a result, it reinforces the topic as a whole for you to build a stronger body for the paper.
6. Sourcing for a project
Once you have enough materials on a topic, find a structure, an ordering or a layout and gather all the notes in the right place/section.
7. Drafting
Translate your notes for each section into something coherent, logically sound paragraphs for your paper.
8. Revision
Edit and proofread your drafts.