Hi there, this question might actually be suited to one of our regular panel topics, like Monday Methods or maybe even the Friday Free For All. Contact /u/Daeres to see if the subject of note-taking and how one researches in general might be something worth a panel discussion day over.

Alternately, I think this kind of question would also work in /r/AskAcademia, which is a whole sub the functioning ins and outs of research of all stripes.