how to create a research log

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Research Log

What is it?

A research log helps writers keep track of what they read and record their own responses to sources as part of their research process This note-taking strategy helps writers become actively involved with the material and clarifies their understanding of the topic while identifying connections (and disconnects) among different sources.

• Create a separate entry for each source.
• Record bibliographic information for the source at the top of the entry.
• Quote and paraphrase the source. When quoting, remember to use quotation marks; when paraphrasing, make sure your language and sentence structure are significantly different from the original. Include page numbers, if available.
• Record your response to or reflection on the quoted and paraphrased material. Consider the following:
• What is significant about this information?
• What does this quotation or paraphrase remind you of?
• In what way is this aligned with what other source authors have said?
• In what way is this different from what other source authors have said?

Research Log Template

Follow the format below for each entry in your research log, adding or removing quotations and paraphrases and corresponding responses and reflections as necessary.  

RESEARCH LOG ENTRY [NUMBER]

Source title:  Source author(s):  Source type and location:   DOI, if applicable: 

  Quotation 1 from the source + paraphrase: 

Response and/or reflections: .

What is significant about this information?  What does this quotation or paraphrase remind you of?  In what way is this aligned with what other source authors have said?  In what way is this different from what other source authors have said?     

Quotation 2 from the source + paraphrase: 

Quotation 3 from the source + paraphrase: , quotation 4 from the source + paraphrase: .

What is significant about this information?  What does this quotation or paraphrase remind you of?  In what way is this aligned with what other source authors have said?  In what way is this different from what other source authors have said?    Copy the structure above for subsequent entries.   

Quotation 5 from the source + paraphrase: 

What is significant about this information?  What does this quotation or paraphrase remind you of?  In what way is this aligned with what other source authors have said?  In what way is this different from what other source authors have said?    Copy the structure above for subsequent entries. 

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Research Process: Making Notes, Synthesizing Information, and Keeping a Research Log

A research log is essentially a journal in which you collect information, ask questions, and monitor the results. Even if you are completing the annotated bibliography for Writing Process: Informing and Analyzing [New Tab] , keeping a research log is an effective organizational tool. Most entries have three parts: a part for notes on secondary sources, a part for connections to the thesis or main points, and a part for your own notes or questions. Record source notes by date and allow room to add cross-references to other entries.

Research Log

Before you create your outline for the research essay, you may want to create a research log similar to the student model. The research log will help you to keep track by recording all secondary source information such as your notes, complete publication data, relation to thesis, and other information as indicated in the right-hand column of the sample entry.

Another Lens: Customize the research log for your needs or preferences. You can apply shading or colour coding [New Tab] headers, rows, and/or columns in the three-column format. Or you can add columns to accommodate more information, analysis, synthesis, or commentary, formatting them as you wish. Consider adding a column for questions only or one for connections to other sources. Finally, consider a different visual format [New Tab] , such as one without columns. Another possibility is to record some of your comments and questions so that you have an aural rather than a written record of these.

Review your assignment and customize your research log to fit the task.

Writing Centre

At this point, or at any other point during the research and writing process, you may find that your school’s writing centre can provide extensive assistance. If you are unfamiliar with the writing centre, now is a good time to pay your first visit. Writing centres provide free peer tutoring for all types and phases of writing. Discussing your research with a trained writing centre tutor can help you clarify, analyze, and connect ideas as well as provide feedback on works in progress.

Quick Launch: Beginning Questions

You may begin your research log with some open pages in which you free write, exploring answers to the following questions. Although you generally would do this at the beginning, it is a process to which you likely will return as you find more information about your topic and as your focus changes, as it may during the course of your research.

• What information have I found so far?
• What do I still need to find?
• Where am I most likely to find it?

These are beginning questions. You will come across general questions or issues that a quick note or free write may help you resolve. The key to this section is to revisit it regularly. Written answers to these and other self-generated questions in your log clarify your tasks as you go along, helping you articulate ideas and examine supporting evidence critically. As you move further into the process, consider answering the following questions in your freewrite:

• What evidence looks as though it best supports my thesis?
• What evidence challenges my working thesis?
• How is my thesis changing from where it started?

Creating the Research Log

As you gather source material for your argumentative research paper, keep in mind that the research is intended to support original thinking. That is, you are not writing an informational report in which you simply supply facts to readers. Instead, you are writing to support a thesis that shows original thinking, and you are collecting and incorporating research into your paper to support that thinking. Therefore, a research log, whether digital or handwritten, is a great way to keep track of your thinking as well as your notes and bibliographic information.

In the model below, the author records the correct MLA bibliographic citation for the source. Then, she records a note and includes the in-text citation here to avoid having to retrieve this information later. Perhaps most important, Tran records why she noted this information—how it supports her thesis: The human race must turn to sustainable food systems that provide healthy diets with minimal environmental impact, starting now . Finally, she makes a note to herself about an additional visual to include in the final paper to reinforce the point regarding the current pressure on food systems. And she connects the information to other information she finds, thus cross-referencing and establishing a possible synthesis. Use a format similar to that in Table 1 to begin your own research log.

Types of Research Notes

Bibliographic notes.

These identify the source you are using. When you locate a useful source, record the information necessary to find that source again. It is important to do this as you find each source, even before taking notes from it. If you create bibliographic notes as you go along, then you can easily arrange them in alphabetical order later to prepare the reference list required at the end of formal academic papers. If your instructor requires you to use MLA formatting for your essay, be sure to record the following information:

• Title of source
• Title of container (larger work in which source is included)
• Other contributors
• Publication date

When using MLA style with online sources, also record the following information:

• Date of original publication
• Date of access
• DOI (A DOI, or digital object identifier, is a series of digits and letters that leads to the location of an online source. Articles in journals are often assigned DOIs to ensure that the source can be located, even if the URL changes. If your source is listed with a DOI, use that instead of a URL.)

It is important to understand which documentation style your instructor will require you to use. Check the Georgian Library Citation Guide for more details on APA.

Informational Notes

These notes record the relevant information found in your sources. When writing your essay, you will work from these notes, so be sure they contain all the information you need from every source you intend to use. Also try to focus your notes on your research question so that their relevance is clear when you read them later. To avoid confusion, work with separate entries for each piece of information recorded. At the top of each entry, identify the source through brief bibliographic identification (author and title), and note the page numbers on which the information appears. Also helpful is to add personal notes, including ideas for possible use of the information or cross-references to other information. As noted in Using Sources to Support your Writing you will be using a variety of formats when borrowing from sources. Below is a quick review of these formats in terms of note-taking processes. By clarifying whether you are quoting directly, paraphrasing, or summarizing during these stages, you can record information accurately and thus take steps to avoid plagiarism.

Direct Quotations, Paraphrases, and Summaries

A direct quotation is an exact duplication of the author’s words as they appear in the original source. In your notes, put quotation marks around direct quotations so that you remember these words are the author’s, not yours. One advantage of copying exact quotations is that it allows you to decide later whether to include a quotation, paraphrase, or summary. ln general, though, use direct quotations only when the author’s words are particularly lively or persuasive.

A paraphrase is a restatement of the author’s words in your own words. Paraphrase to simplify or clarify the original author’s point. In your notes, use paraphrases when you need to record details but not exact words.

A summary is a brief condensation or distillation of the main point and most important details of the original source. Write a summary in your own words, with facts and ideas accurately represented. A summary is useful when specific details in the source are unimportant or irrelevant to your research question. You may find you can summarize several paragraphs or even an entire article or chapter in just a few sentences without losing useful information. It is a good idea to note when your entry contains a summary to remind you later that it omits detailed information. See Paraphrasing and Summarizing for more detailed information and examples of quotations, paraphrases, and summaries and when to use them.

Other Systems for Organizing Research Logs and Digital Note-Taking

Students often become frustrated and at times overwhelmed by the quantity of materials to be managed in the research process. If this is your first time working with both primary and secondary sources, finding ways to keep all of the information in one place and well organized is essential.

Because gathering primary evidence may be a relatively new practice, this section is designed to help you navigate the process. As mentioned earlier, information gathered in fieldwork is not catalogued, organized, indexed, or shelved for your convenience. Obtaining it requires diligence, energy, and planning. Online resources can assist you with keeping a research log. Your college library may have subscriptions to tools such as Todoist or EndNote. Consult with a librarian to find out whether you have access to any of these. If not, use something like the template shown in Figure 1, or another like it, as a template for creating your own research notes and organizational tool. You will need to have a record of all field research data as well as the research log for all secondary sources.

Attribution & References

Except where otherwise noted, this section is adapted from “ 13.5 Research Process: Making Notes, Synthesizing Information, and Keeping a Research Log ” In  Writing Guide with Handbook (OpenStax) by Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey and featuring Toby Fulwiler, licensed under CC BY 4.0 .

Access for free at Writing Guide with Handbook (OpenStax)

Chai, B. C., van der Voort, J. R., Grofelnik, K., Eliasdottir, H. G., Klöss, I., Perez-Cueto, J. A. (2019). Which diet has the least environmental impact on our planet? A systematic review of vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous diets.  Sustainability , 11 (40), 4110.  https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154110

English for Degree Entrance Preparation Copyright © by Carrie Molinski and Sue Slessor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Information Literacy Toolkit

Research log.

• Welcome to the Toolkit
• Assignment design rubric for research assignments
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• Annotated Bibliography
• Avoiding Plagiarism Tutorial
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• Developing a Research Question
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• How to Read a Scholarly Source (humanities)
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• Research Question Abstract
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• Using Scholarly Sources (Synthesizing Sources)
• Why Use Sources Exercise
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• UGS 302: Tales of Troy
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Assignment Description

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Suggested web-based solutions for research logs

• Google Drive (Documents) Google Documents are easy to use, can be accessed from any device at any time, and allow students and the instructor to see who is contributing with the "history" feature. - Cons - at least one student must have a Google account. - Pros - easy to see who has added what, can be shared with group members who don't have an account
• Padlet Padlet users can create a virtual bulletin board where they can post links and text, organized any way. - Cons - At least one student (or the instructor) has to have an account - Pros - easy to organize items by topic, flexible, easy to use.
• Toolkit Feedback If you use toolkit materials or notice an omission, please give us feedback.
• Research Log Assignment - Google Drive Link
• Research Log Assignment - Download Link
• Research Log Rubric
• Last Updated: Apr 11, 2024 7:44 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/toolkit

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A research log or calendar is a worksheet you use to record the facts about your genealogy searches and sources. It might sound like just another thing to do, but it’ll save you time in the long run: You’ll have a record of everything you did so you won’t repeat steps, you’ll easily be able to see which library or website held such-and-such a document, and you can avoid aimless searching by having a strategy in place.

You also can use the research log as a to-do list: As you learn about resources that might cover your ancestors, write the title and location on in your log. When you check the source, record the results.

Here at Family Tree we have several free, downloadable forms you can use to start your log. Thomas MacEntee offers his version for free over on his website.

You might find that using an app is a better option for you. Janine Adams, author of Organize Your Family History, shares her informal research log using Evernote here.

Or, you can use database software to create a computerized log. Keep a separate log (or spreadsheet) for each family or ancestor you’re searching; write the name(s) at the top of the form.

Then, whenever you check a resource, fill in the fields:

• Search Date : The date you did this search
• Where Available : This might be a Web site URL or repository name
• Call # : The call number of a book or film number of a roll of microfilm
• Title/Author/Publisher/Year or Record Identification Information : This information will help you track down the source again, should you need to. If it’s an online database, include the database title. If it’s microfilmed court records, write the title of the roll and the court file number and date.
• Notes : Note the results of your search here—what did you find, and was it what you were looking for?
• Page #s : If you found your information in a book or ledger (in print or on microfilm), write the page number.

Last updated, January 2023

Diane Haddad

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Libraries and Archives, Research

What Are Research Logs and Why Should I Use Them?

What is the difference between to-do lists and research logs.

A to-do list is just that… a simple list of things you need to do. It might be writing a letter, making a phone call, looking up a date, or any number of other things.

A research log on the other hand is a list of all the sources you have looked at towards a single research goal. Your research log lets you easily trace back through the documents you have looked at, and if done properly, your research log can even lay out your research plan for that goal.

Creating a Research Log

The first step in creating a research log is to define your research goal. That research goal might be very general, like “All sources I have looked at regarding James Brown.” But it might also be quite specific, like “All sources I have looked at to try and determine where James Brown was born.” Research logs are particularly useful for trying to knock down those brick walls, so be as specific about the particular problem as you can.

Log Your Research

Once you have a goal defined, you simply keep track of every source you look at towards that goal. Every time you do a search, record the following information:

• The date of the search
• What you were looking for
• What source you looked at
• Where the source was located
• The results of your search

When should you record a search in your log? Here are 3 situations:

• You searched and found something you were looking for This is what most people think of when you mention a research log… a list of all the sources you looked at and found useful information in.
• You searched and didn’t find what you were looking for Why bother keeping track of sources that didn’t have what you were looking for? How about to remind you that you don’t need to keep checking that same document every year when it hasn’t changed for the last hundred years?
• You want to search a document but haven’t had a chance yet By adding sources that you want to look at to your research log, you are creating a plan of attack for your goal (also known as a research plan). Write down what you want to find and where you plan to look. When you finally get the chance to view that document you can add the search date and the results of your search.

Be Specific

When recording a search in your log, try to be as specific as possible about what you are looking for, where you looked, and what you found. It’s easy to get lazy and just put something like:

Searching for information about James Brown in the 1880 census and didn’t find anything.

You will find that as your genealogical skills improve (from taking classes, attending conferences, and just plain old practice), you will discover that there is usually more than one way to analyze a particular record. If your research logs are too general, you may not remember what specific information you looked for, which particular form you viewed, or even what it was that you didn’t find 😉

If you are looking for a birth date, say that you were looking for a birth date.  If you are later looking for christening information you will be able to see that you weren’t specifically looking for that at the time, so you may want to check the source again.  Of course if you recorded that you didn’t find that birth date but did find a christening date, you won’t have to go back and recheck it later.

If you are looking in the 1880 US Census Population Schedule for Podunk, NY, make sure to record that specifically.  If you happen to find it online, also record the link to the original.  One note though… do not skip recording the information just because you have the link… links can disappear !

Using RootsMagic 5’s New Research Logs

RootsMagic 5 added a full feature Research Manager which lets you create unlimited research logs using the techniques I’ve described above.  You can create research logs for people, families, events, places, or just plain old general research logs.  To see RootsMagic’s research logs in action, visit:

http://www.rootsmagic.com/webinars

and watch the free webinar #32 “New Research Log and Manager in RootsMagic 5”.

5 thoughts to “What Are Research Logs and Why Should I Use Them?”

Great information on how to do a Research Log, I have done much research but never put anything into a log to show what I have looked at to get the info I have. This will help much. I am going back to enter all the Sources I have looked into so I have a record of where I went and what I have found. I will have to relook at some to see if they have positive or negetive results. Thanks so much for all the work you do on these Webnars they have been very helpful to me a novice in genealogy.

how to do a Research Log, I have done much research but never put anything into a log to show what I have looked at to get the info I have. This will help much.see example

I have dial up. It takes too long to download. Very interested in webinars. Thank you for having them

We do sell the Webinars on CD. There are 10 webinars on each CD. You can purchase them at: http://www.rootsmagic.com/Store/ ?

I haven’t done much as far as using a research log but plan on starting to use one from now on.

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Research Logs: Part 1

Lesson content.

• Research Logs Handout

Learn Genealogy – Research Logs & Research Planning

A side note: I have a confession to make… I’m addicted… to software… to saving time… to making my job easier.  I will take EXTRA TIME to learn software that will ultimately save me tons of time. I’m a huge believer in making the software do the work for me.  Therefore, learn the basics of spreadsheets.  You don’t have to do math for this, I promise. So here’s my… “kill-two-birds-with-one-stone” research tip.     Use your Research Planning in combination with your Research Log … by  using spreadsheets !    Especially when researching on location, time always seems to be in short supply. As long as you need to keep a Research Log… and you need to properly and strategically plan your research , why not do them both in one document .  This is especially helpful when planning for research trips. Here’s how:  Use your favorite spreadsheet (like Excel or Google Sheets) and create a Research Log and Research Plan on one page .  Next, develop a research question for a given ancestor or family group, then create a prioritized plan in your spreadsheet that looks like a Research Log except it doesn’t have the results yet.  However, with advanced planning, it should already have the item…  say a book, the author, the location, etc. in the Research Plan/Log in advance of your actual research .  Then when you’re at the library, archive you can follow the prioritized plan and save valuable time, by not having to write down every detail when time is short.  You should do this at home too.

By doing this, you can also embed web links to the source with one click, you’ll have the start of a source citations, and the results you found collectively in one place. In t his example, I used different tabs across the bottom for different counties, I was researching on a trip to Salt Lake City. You can store the spreadsheet on your computer or use a cloud service like Google Sheets for easy access anywhere. Keep in mind, that web links and cloud based documents will need access to the internet while researching on location.  Most libraries, archives and, public locations have free access to the internet.  I prefer to use my “Personal Hotspot” found in the Settings on my cell phone, because its private and I find it to be faster than most public wifi services. However, cell phone “Hotspots” are only as good as the cell service at the location. With Research Logs, the results (positive or negative), the facts found, the source information , are all in one place .  From here you can cut and paste your positive finding and source information into your Research Notes .   All of this is a vital time saver, helps prevent repeating the same research, and will help you to accurately prove your lineage. I’ve created a free Excel template you can download here.  Research Log Template I hope this helps you as much as it has for me. I was not a fan of keeping Research Logs in the past.  But when you’re out at the library or on a trip, time is always in short supply. Once I started really making good research plans in an effort to save time, I realized that I could keep the results on the same page. Then I started doing all of that on my little Surface Pro (which I absolutely love for genealogy), my research techniques drastically improved.   Now, not only do I have a detailed research plan, and research log, I have the beginnings of my next step to write my research notes and source citations. Many times, if I write the positive findings clearly in my research log, I simply cut and paste them into my research notes. Make sure you reference that you have a research log in your research notes, so you can continue on for the next trip. Lastly, I file them just like I do for my research notes… SURNAME, First Name and Research Log.  I preface also preface it with a 2 so that that file rises to 2nd place in that person’s electronic folder. Another tip: I’ve started using Google Drive, Docs and Sheets so that I can access these documents on any device. That may or may not be an option for you, but I’ve found the Google Docs and Google Sheets to be the most reliable of the cloud based document sharing.   Sometimes, before a big trip to say… Salt Lake City… I’ll upload my family files to Google Docs so I can access and edit them from anywhere on any device (as long as you have your login). If you found this helpful… Comments are welcome at the bottom of the page.  How do you use research logs? Follow  this blog at the link above. Subscribe to the NCAncestry YouTube Channel. Subscribe to the  Learn Genealogy YouTube Channe l. Take Our Poll

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Prints a research log (task folder).

To print a research log:

1. Select the Publish page

2. Select "All reports and charts"

3. Select "Research Log"

4. Select your options from the Reports Settings panel:

A. Folder - Select which folder (research log) to print

B. Filter - Choose how you want to filter the tasks. RootsMagic will open the Filter Tasks form for you to customize your list.

C. Sort by - Choose how you want to filter your list

• Task Name

• Start date

• End date

• Status

• Priority

• Ref #

D. Date - Include date column

E. Ref# - Include ref# column

F. Goal - Include goal column

G. Source - Include source column

H. Repository - Include repository column

I. Result - Include result column

J. Preparer - Choose whether to print preparer info at the end of the report

5. Choose the various layout and style settings for the report

6. Click the "Generate Report" button to generate the report and display it in the Report Viewer. From there you can modify the report settings, send the report to your printer, or save the report to disk.

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CoLPS: Introduction to Legal Research for 1L's

• Research Log and Strategy
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Why Use a Research Log?

Research Logs are useful for Legal Research because it:

• Helps you organize, avoid duplication and save time
• Provides a list of words and phrases that are useful in searching other materials
• Facilitates construction of Bluebook or ALWD citations
• Speeds your return to a specific resource as your research progresses
• Allows someone who is familiar with the topic to confirm that you searched the relevant sources OR that you missed critical sources

Example Template

Research Log (Sample Template)

Preliminary Analysis from Step 1 of Legal Research Strategy:

Jurisdiction:

Legal concepts:

Downloadable Research Logs

• Research Log Template #1
• Research Log Template #2

Westlaw and Lexis - Search Commands

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• Last Updated: Dec 14, 2023 4:18 PM
• URL: https://resources.nu.edu/1Lresearch

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13.4 Annotated Student Sample: Research Log

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to inquire, learn, think critically, and communicate when reading in varying rhetorical and cultural contexts.
• Identify and analyze relationships between ideas, patterns of organization, and interplay between verbal and nonverbal elements in written texts.
• Practice and apply strategies such as interpretation, synthesis, response, and critique to compose texts that integrate the writer’s ideas with those from appropriate sources.

Introduction

Lily Tran created this log entry during the research process for an argumentative research paper assigned in her first-year composition class, as shown in this Annotated Student Sample .

Living by Their Own Words

Planning to write.

public domain text Freewrite: I found this photograph in an article I was reading about food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. I copied and pasted it here as inspiration for my argumentative research paper. end public domain text

annotated text Lily Tran includes a visual in the freewrite section of her research log. The visual may or may not appear in the final paper, but here, it serves to stimulate her writing and thinking about her topic and possibly connect to other information she finds. end annotated text

public domain text For a sustainable future, food production and processing have to change. So does global distribution. end public domain text

annotated text Tran begins to establish problem-and-solution reasoning, recognizing that there are different stages to food production and that all will be affected by any proposed solution. end annotated text

public domain text The necessary changes will affect nearly all aspects of life, including world hunger, health and welfare, use of land resources, habitats, water, energy use and production, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and economics, as well as cultural and social values. end public domain text

annotated text Tran also employs cause-and-effect reasoning in beginning to think about the effects of any proposed change. end annotated text

public domain text These needed changes may not be popular, but people will have to accept them. end public domain text

annotated text She recognizes potential counterarguments to address if the paper is to be persuasive. end annotated text

Discussion Questions

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Research: Smaller, More Precise Discounts Could Increase Your Sales

• Dinesh Gauri,
• Abhijit Guha,
• Abhijit Biswas,
• Subhash Jha

Why bigger discounts don’t necessarily attract more customers.

Retailers might think that bigger discounts attract more customers. But new research suggests that’s not always true. Sometimes, a smaller discount that looks more precise — say 6.8% as compared to 7% — can make people think the deal won’t last long, and they’ll buy more. In a series of nine experimental studies involving around 2,000 individuals considering online or retail purchases of a variety of products, the authors found precise discount depths — the difference between the original and sale price — can increase purchase intentions by up to 21%.

Discounts are an important promotional tactic retailers use to drive sales. So much so that discounts were a major factor for three out of four U.S. online shoppers in 2023 , luring consumers away from shopping at other retailers, getting them to increase their basket size, and convincing them to make purchases they otherwise wouldn’t. Discounts have a particularly strong impact on food purchases, where 90% of consumers reported stocking up on groceries when they were on sale .

• DG Dinesh Gauri is a professor and Walmart chair in the department of marketing at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. He is also the executive director of retail information at the Walton College. His research and teaching interests include retailing, pricing, marketing analytics, retail media, e-commerce and social media marketing. He advises for various companies in these areas and is a recognized leader in marketing.
• AG Abhijit Guha is an associate professor in the department of marketing at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. His research and teaching interests include retailing, pricing, and artificial intelligence.
• AB Abhijit Biswas is the Kmart endowed chair and professor of marketing, chair of the department of marketing, and distinguished faculty fellow at the Mike Ilitch School of Business, Wayne State University. His research and teaching interests include retailing, pricing and advertising. He has published over a hundred articles, majority of which are in academic journals including the Journal of Marketing , Journal of Marketing Research , etc.
• SJ Subhash Jha is an associate professor of marketing at the Fogelman College of Business & Economics at the University of Memphis. His research and teaching interests include retailing, pricing, online reviews and role of haptic cues.

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Which social media platforms are most common, who uses each social media platform, find out more, social media fact sheet.

Many Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information and entertain themselves. Explore the patterns and trends shaping the social media landscape.

To better understand Americans’ social media use, Pew Research Center surveyed 5,733 U.S. adults from May 19 to Sept. 5, 2023. Ipsos conducted this National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS) for the Center using address-based sampling and a multimode protocol that included both web and mail. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race and ethnicity, education and other categories.

Polls from 2000 to 2021 were conducted via phone. For more on this mode shift, read our Q&A.

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and  its methodology ­­­.

A note on terminology: Our May-September 2023 survey was already in the field when Twitter changed its name to “X.” The terms  Twitter  and  X  are both used in this report to refer to the same platform.

YouTube and Facebook are the most-widely used online platforms. About half of U.S. adults say they use Instagram, and smaller shares use sites or apps such as TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter (X) and BeReal.

Note: The vertical line indicates a change in mode. Polls from 2012-2021 were conducted via phone. In 2023, the poll was conducted via web and mail. For more details on this shift, please read our Q&A . Refer to the topline for more information on how question wording varied over the years. Pre-2018 data is not available for YouTube, Snapchat or WhatsApp; pre-2019 data is not available for Reddit; pre-2021 data is not available for TikTok; pre-2023 data is not available for BeReal. Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2012-2023.

Usage of the major online platforms varies by factors such as age, gender and level of formal education.

% of U.S. adults who say they ever use __ by …

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This fact sheet was compiled by Research Assistant  Olivia Sidoti , with help from Research Analyst  Risa Gelles-Watnick , Research Analyst  Michelle Faverio , Digital Producer  Sara Atske , Associate Information Graphics Designer Kaitlyn Radde and Temporary Researcher  Eugenie Park .

Follow these links for more in-depth analysis of the impact of social media on American life.

• Americans’ Social Media Use  Jan. 31, 2024
• Americans’ Use of Mobile Technology and Home Broadband  Jan. 31 2024
• Q&A: How and why we’re changing the way we study tech adoption  Jan. 31, 2024

Find more reports and blog posts related to  internet and technology .

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How to make money from medical research and donations

• You can make thousands of dollars by donating some time or body parts to science.
• But these procedures are not all painless, and not everyone can participate.
• Below is a short list, though be warned: these strategies aren't all easy money.

Get dysentery. Play cards with someone who has the flu . Or, spend 45 days trapped in a tiny apartment with three total strangers.

These are just a few of the many ways you can get paid for helping out with scientific research. If you want to aid the science community and potentially save some lives while making a little extra cash, there are some unconventional options to consider.

Below is a short list, though be warned: these strategies aren't all exactly easy money.

Sell your blood plasma

Payout (per donation): around $50

Plasma is the largest component in human blood. It's a protein-rich liquid that contains mostly water but is also filled with enzymes, antibodies, and salts. This gooey, sticky yellow-ish stuff can be used to create therapies that treat people with blood clotting disorders, autoimmune diseases, and even burn victims. Donating plasma is often called "the gift of life" since treatments for some conditions can't be made synthetically and require this kind of human contribution.

During plasma donation, blood is drawn and an automated machine separates the plasma from other blood components, which are returned to the donor. Plasma donation pay varies from site to site, but the average payout is typically around $50 per donation. You can donate safely roughly once a month, according to the American Red Cross , and a typical session takes less than two hours. Find a licensed and certified plasma center near you.

Donate your sex cells

Payout for eggs (per donation): usually $10,000 to $12,000;

Payout for sperm (per donation): typically $35-$150

Egg and sperm donation can allow couples who have trouble conceiving naturally to become parents by using a donor's sex cells. But the time commitment and risk involved in a woman's egg donation is far steeper than what a man goes through donating his sperm.

In the United States, egg donors generally net around $10,000-$12,000. Weill Cornell outlines the standard steps for egg donation , which requires about a four-week time commitment.

During the egg donation cycle, patients are injected with fertility drugs so that the ovaries make more mature eggs than normal. (Eligible women are generally between the ages of 21 and 30). The egg retrieval procedure takes about 20 minutes but may require several days of recovery. Donors should be aware of the risks involved (largely related to the hormones used) before signing up.

Related stories

Men are generally paid anywhere from $35 to $150 per sperm donation, according to The Sperm Bank of California , but sperm donation can really start to add up if you regularly donate samples (many programs require a six-month or one-year donation commitment).

Donors should bear in mind that even if they choose to donate anonymously, sperm and egg donation is never really 100% incognito. Your DNA always knows who you are.

Spend 45 days on a fake spaceship

Payout: $160/day

NASA will pay you to spend 45 days traveling in space. Well, sort of.

You'll actually be on the ground the whole time in Houston, Texas, but you'll be locked inside a model space capsule (650 square feet) along with three strangers. This simulation is designed to study what being cooped up for a very long time inside a spaceship might do to a person, both physically and mentally. NASA wants to check this out thoroughly before they start sending astronauts on missions to Mars, or to explore faraway asteroids.

Participants in NASA's human research program share a capsule with each other that includes some workspace for doing lab experiments, a little kitchen table for eating meals that are just like what's served aboard the International Space Station, plus an exercise bike and some free weights. There's no internet, but you do get your own little cozy sleeping pod on the top floor.

The fake astronauts "on board" the capsule in May and June of 2024 include an aerospace engineering professor, a US Air Force Reserve member, a commercial pilot, and a biomedical engineer.

And that mission is nothing compared to NASA's CHAPEA Mars simulation , which keeps recruits in a simulated habitat of the red planet for 378 days. (NASA declined to comment on how much CHAPEA pays).

Take part in a clinical trial

Payout: Varies by program

The National Institutes of Health run a searchable database, ClincalTrials.gov , that rounds up human clinical studies ongoing around the world. Participants may be guinea pigs for new medical products, like drugs to treat high blood pressure, or they take part in observational research, like a study that records the effects of different lifestyles on heart health.

Subjects are generally paid to participate in such clinical trials, and most of the time, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. For example, a participant in one study in which participants were exposed to dysentery-causing bacteria was paid over $7,000, while a single blood draw or lab visit for a more straightforward study may only be worth $100 or so.

If you do decide to enroll in a study, choose wisely and carefully because not all of the studies on the site are regulated or evaluated for safety by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Enroll in a psychological study

Paid psychological studies, such as those that examine human behavior and brain function, may not generate as high of a return as clinical trials, but they are generally lower risk and require a shorter time commitment.

Most research universities keep an online database of studies so people can easily sign up. For example, here's a list of the most recent paid research studies offered by New York University . At NYU, you can make $12 an hour playing video games, and receive a $50 bonus if you're good at it.

Give your dead body to science

Payout: free cremation

This last idea is sort of morbid, but if you're worried about being a bother when you're dead, you can donate your body to science . This helps with various types of research and education.

Places like BioGift and Science Care will cover the costs of cremation, which can run upwards of $2,000.

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Hybrid work is here to stay. Here's how banks can make the most of it.

The timing of First Bank's decision to build a new headquarters presented an unusual opportunity to the company's executives. Planning for the building, located in the St. Louis suburbs, started in the fall of 2020, shortly after working from home had become the norm.

As the construction project took shape, it became clear that many companies would never again require their employees to convene from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, like they did before the pandemic.

"The design is definitely influenced by the move towards hybrid work," First Bank Chairman Mike Dierberg said in a recent interview.

The headquarters building, which opened in May, is about 20% to 30% smaller than it might have been had it been designed before the rise of hybrid workplaces, since many First Bank employees are coming into the office fewer than five days per week.

The LEED-certified building also features outdoor work spaces that are meant to appeal to employees who have comfortable offices in their homes. The weather in St. Louis can be unpredictable, and the summer months are often hot and humid, but there are also plenty of beautiful days.

"Working outdoors, even in St. Louis, can be nice," Dierberg said.

Four years after the pandemic upended the way that many Americans work, the pros and cons of those new arrangements are coming into sharper focus, and banks are finding ways to adapt to their employees' altered expectations. 

Some 57% of financial services firms now operate on a hybrid basis, either temporarily or permanently, according to new research from Arizent, which is American Banker's parent company. Another 15% of companies in the sector have fully remote workforces, at least for now, the research found.

The research, which was based on interviews of 550 financial services employees, highlights some of the downsides of remote and hybrid work.

For example, 56% of the respondents either strongly agreed, or agreed somewhat, with the idea that remote/hybrid work has made it harder for managers to provide the feedback and coaching that employees need for the development of skills.

Even more survey participants — 62% — agreed at least to some degree that the new work patterns have impacted the development of employees' interpersonal skills. And 69% of them either strongly agreed, or agreed somewhat, with the idea that remote/hybrid work has made it harder for employees who are in the early or mid stages of their careers to build relationships that are important for growth.

One C-level executive at a financial services firm who was interviewed for the Arizent research said that accountability and self-motivation are necessary traits for anyone who works on a remote basis in any capacity. This executive's company is operating permanently in a hybrid work format. 

"Not all are equipped to work well in a hybrid setting," the executive said.

Executives at certain other companies that operate on a hybrid or remote basis pointed to positive effects of the new workplace culture. Those upsides include the opportunity to draw from a larger pool of talent and positive impacts on employee satisfaction.

The reverse also appears to be true at firms that have returned to the office full-time. A marketing executive at one such company pointed to certain negative impacts.

"I still think this hinders us from a workforce-sourcing standpoint," this executive said, referring to challenges both in hiring new employees and keeping current workers happy.

The Arizent research, published in a report titled "Skills for the Workforce of the Future in Financial Services," aligns with recent survey findings by the Risk Management Association, a membership organization for banks, credit unions and their employees.

That survey of bank executives, published in March, found that remote work can delay  employees' development of skills. Some 82% of the respondents agreed with the idea that new entrants to the banking industry need more support than they did before the pandemic in building so-called soft skills. And 75% of those surveyed said the same thing about hard skills.

On the other hand, 90% of respondents to the Risk Management Association survey agreed that allowing hybrid work is a useful tool for allowing community banks to compete for talent.

Small community banks haven't typically been able to draw from large labor pools, but remote work can change that equation, said Steven Martin, head of membership at the Risk Management Association.

He pointed to the example of a Maine bank that hired a seasoned underwriter who lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. "In fact, she's never even met her team in person," Martin said. "That would just never have happened pre-pandemic."

Martin said that some banking jobs, such as tellers and other branch employees, will remain fully in-person, while other roles, including those in information technology and other areas that don't relate to customers, will likely be mostly remote.

"And then in between, I think it's really going to be a lot of discretion," he said.

At First Bank, policies about how often employees should come into the office vary by department. But employees who live in the St. Louis region are generally expected to come into the office on certain days, alongside other members of their departments, according to First Bank CEO Mikel Williamson.

Some 420 employees — or roughly half of the bank's total workforce — are assigned to the new headquarters building in Creve Coeur, Missouri.

Executives at the $6.6 billion-asset bank pointed to some of the same downsides of a fully remote work environment that were highlighted in Arizent's research.

"I do think that, over time, the culture is impacted if it's all remote," said Dierberg, the chairman of the bank.

First Bank's new headquarters building features lots of meeting space — part of an effort to foster collaboration when employees are in the office. 

"If you're working part of the time at home, that's a great place to do heads-down work," Dierberg said. "But you want to have a place where you come together and be social."

One goal of the new headquarters' open design is to spur more inter-departmental meetings, said Williamson, who joined First Bank last year from Happy State Bank & Trust in Texas.

"Banks have a tendency to silo their lines of business," he said. "We've got to start breaking down the silos of all the different departments in the bank."

Among larger banks, Stamford, Connecticut-based Synchrony Financial has emerged as a leading proponent of hybrid and remote work. In late 2021, the $121 billion-asset company surveyed its employees and found that 85% of them wanted some kind of work-from-home option.

Today, Synchrony assigns its roughly 18,000 employees to various "hubs." On certain days, workers are encouraged to work from these hubs, many of which have been re-designed to be more conducive to hybrid work, said Rebekah Raimo, senior vice president of human resources at Synchrony.

"We have people come together when it makes sense," Raimo said.

Synchrony has re-designed workplaces to have more green space, offering employees a place to go for a walk. Its headquarters now has a bocce court and a coffee bar. Free lunches are available on certain days.

"We've really made sure that employees can work where they want, how they want," Raimo said.

During New York Community Bancorp's annual shareholder meeting, executives reiterated their mission to restore value in the beleaguered Long Island-based company. Questions from shareholders suggested at least some discontent following a capital influx that significantly diluted their position in the company.

Speakers from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, JPMorgan Chase and more outlined the ways they are hunting for much-needed technology talent, from pooled efforts to recruiting outside of the country.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a powerful member of the Senate Banking Committee's progressive wing, said that the Federal Home Loan banks have "failed to deliver on their housing and community development mission."

Comerica Bank has agreed to a proposed settlement of fraud claims after denying refunds to Direct Express beneficiaries who alleged money was stolen from their prepaid accounts. In the past month, beneficiaries have been sent postcards announcing the settlement.

In the U.S., the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors caused a sharp reduction in cash use. But with paper bills still accounting for nearly a fifth of all payments, the option is still far too entrenched to risk extinction.

In recent years, the wealth gulf between white and Black families has only grown. But there is hope that advances in fintech, such as wider adoption of artificial intelligence, can help.

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8 Brands Poignantly Promoting Inclusivity

By Joanna Fragopoulos     June 7, 2024    

When strategizing and ideating on campaigns, it’s important to prioritize serving your audience effectively. What are the pain-points your brand and/or products are trying to address and alleviate? Taking this human approach is an integral step in marketing more inclusively and compassionately. Below are campaigns that successfully consider their audiences authentically and inclusively.

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