Writing

writing —

Notes, essays, and things I’m thinking about.

Writing is thinking — a working notebook in public. Some of it is about research tips and books I’m reading, some about life in academia, some just reflections. And a lot of it is me jotting things down to think about them more clearly.

Research notes

Methods, writing practice, and the working systems behind the work.
Jun 18, 2025 · 3 min read
The Joy of Imperfect Notes: Overcoming Note-Taking Overwhelm

I tried to build a systematic notes collection and got overwhelmed. Here’s how I overcame this problem.

May 28, 2025 · 5 min read
More Than Just Notes: My Paper Notebook System for Thinking, Planning, and Growing

How paper notebooks bring clarity, focus, and reflection in our digital age.

May 14, 2025 · 5 min read
How I’m Learning to Write Better as a Researcher

Writing doesn’t start at the keyboard. It starts with reading, thinking, and understanding.

Apr 30, 2025 · 3 min read
What Umberto Eco’s How to Write a Thesis Taught Me About Research — and Myself

What does writing a thesis really mean? Umberto Eco’s classic book helped me answer it.

Apr 16, 2025 · 5 min read
What Principles Do You Follow In Your Research?

Have you ever stopped to think about what truly guides your research — beyond deadlines, funding, or pressure to publish?

Mar 12, 2025 · 3 min read
The Note-Taking System That Made My PhD Research Easier

How I went from losing 90% of what I read to building an evolving knowledge system.

Feb 26, 2025 · 3 min read
How to Read Research Papers Efficiently: A Simple 4-Step Strategy

Have you ever read a paper, felt enlightened, and then — two weeks later — struggled to recall a single useful detail?

Feb 19, 2025 · 3 min read
Smart Notes, Smarter Research: How I Built My Writing System for Research

Without a system, writing feels like running a marathon with no training plan — exhausting, painful, and nearly impossible to finish.

Reflections

PhD life, transitions, what kept me going.

Books & reading

Book reviews, monthly reads, and the reading life.
Jul 16, 2025 · 3 min read
Book Review: “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” by Yuval Noah Harari

What should we learn in a constantly changing world? A book for understanding our present and preparing for the future.

Jul 9, 2025 · 5 min read
June Reads: From Digital Overwhelm to a Dynamic Organizing System

My search for a better way to manage digital files led me to two interesting books on Personal Knowledge Management.

Jun 12, 2025 · 2 min read
My Bookshelf for 2025

Reading is my daily mental workout. Here’s the list of books I’ve read and reread in 2025 so far.

Jun 4, 2025 · 5 min read
May Reads: Titans’ Tools, Economic Insights, and Feynman’s Wisdom

Three books on building routines, understanding science, and rethinking economics for today’s world.

May 7, 2025 · 3 min read
April Reads: Minds, Medicine, and Writing Methods

Insights on AI in medicine, biases in thinking, and writing a thesis.

Apr 23, 2025 · 4 min read
How I Make Time to Read Books

If you think you don’t have time to read books, this post is for you.

Apr 2, 2025 · 3 min read
10K Book Challenge 2025 — 2 Books I Read in March

Two books. One on working smarter with AI. One on living more peacefully with yourself.

Mar 26, 2025 · 3 min read
Book Review — What I Learned from Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty

Ancient wisdom, modern life, and the everyday path to peace.

Mar 5, 2025 · 4 min read
10K Book Challenge 2025 — 5 Books I Read in February

Workout everyday for a healthy body. Read everyday for a healthy mind.

Feb 12, 2025 · 2 min read
10K Book Challenge 2025 — 5 Books I Read in January

Reading is a mental exercise for your mind.

Feb 5, 2025 · 2 min read
Book Review: “How to Take Smart Notes” — How It Improved My Writing

I don’t know if my notes are smart after reading this book. But I now have a habit of taking notes while reading.

stay in touch —

New posts, straight to your inbox

Drop your email below and you’ll get a short note from me whenever a new post goes up.

© 2026 Khanh Duong · made with care in Ho Chi Minh City Scholar · ORCID · Email