The Best Note Taking/Task Manager App for Data Science Research Projects

Notion at first appears like any other note taking app but it quickly becomes apparent that some of the features included make it stand out.

It is the first app I have found that combines notes, task management and project planning in an amazingly well connected manner. Best of all, none of the features are locked behind paywalls. I am still learning to utilise all the features but wanted to demonstrate how it has already helped me improve my research projects.

Source: Verge

Best features I’ve found so far:

Markdown notes with LaTeX math and code cell supported
Can be used for task management, meeting logs and file archives
Best pricing model I’ve seen for doing so many things
Multiple formats for literature review/reference tables
Pages and content can be linked which is amazing for keeping track of references and sources!

Just to note, I am in no way affiliated with the app just am someone excited about some of unique features. In addition to showing this in writing, I have demonstrated this in a video. I am new to presenting in this way so appreciate any feedback. The template shown is available publicly here.

Key Features

1. Markdown Notes

Unlike some editors created for writers, notes can be written in markdown and this includes LaTeX math and code cells. Other embeds can also be included including Google Maps, Tweets, Github Repos, Videos and more!

Markdown Page Demo

2. Task Management

Check lists can be used to keep track of tasks to do in the project. I also utilise an archive where all completed tasks are saved so that when it comes to review meetings later on I can easily demonstrate each of the tasks I completed.

Task Management

Archiving Tasks

3. Literature Review, References and Interlinking Pages

One of the best features about Notion is that I can use it to keep track of all my references for a project in a range of formats. I have always found that a simple table (e.g. using Excel) can be effective but sometimes it helps to view it in a board style.

Furthermore, I can add tags which is use to keep track of the paper’s topic, the publication it was submitted to and the type of reference (e.g. article, book, link, etc). These tags can then be used for filtering or sorting which can make it much easier to find the resources I need for a specific section.

Lastly, by giving each reference a “Reference Tag” we can link these in text elsewhere. This link is inline but can also be opened to show the full information of the reference including any notes I made. This can be used with any content I create including other notes, meetings and files.