Write for your future self
“Nice”, “strong” and “not sure” can be honest impressions, but they rarely tell you what to do next. A useful scent note preserves enough context to make the observation understandable later. It separates the identity of the sample from the words you use to describe it.
Start each session with a question you can answer by observation. “What changes in this sample over the session?” is more useful than “Is this good?” For a comparison, write down the one difference you intend to study before you look for it.
A record of perception, not a certificate
Your notes describe your experience in a particular session. They do not establish composition, purity, a safe use level or how a finished product will perform on another person.
Follow the material’s supplied handling information and your established evaluation procedure. This guide concerns recording observations; it does not prescribe how to prepare or handle a material.
Keep identity, context and observation separate
A simple page has three parts. The first tells you exactly what was evaluated. The second tells you under what conditions. The third captures what you noticed, including uncertainty. Leaving a field blank is more honest than inventing a detail after the session.
Scroll sideways to see every column when needed.
| Part | Useful fields | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sample identity | Sample ID, exact material or study name, linked preparation record | Avoids mixing up similar names or different versions |
| Session context | Date, observer, elapsed times, evaluation method and relevant changes | Explains what two observations can reasonably be compared |
| Observation | Descriptors, relative prominence, changes, confidence and next question | Turns an impression into a useful next step |
Write elapsed times against observations rather than using “later”. If a session is interrupted, record that too. A later visit is a new observation with new context, not a continuation you need to disguise as an uninterrupted test.
When comparing samples, give each its own identifier. If you use neutral codes to reduce the influence of a familiar name, keep the code key separately and reveal it only after you have written the initial notes. This may help you notice your expectations; it does not make the session a formal blinded study.
Use plain words before specialist vocabulary
Describe an impression in words you can recognise again. A familiar object, texture or atmosphere can be a useful starting point. Then make it more precise: “dry wood” says more than “woody”; “a sharper edge beside the soft part” tells you what to compare even if you have not settled on a conventional term.
- Capture the first impression.Write a short phrase before editing it into more polished language. Keep the original if you change your mind.
- Separate character from prominence.Record what the sample reminds you of separately from how noticeable that impression seems in this comparison.
- Note change without forcing a story.Use “I no longer notice…” or “this is now more prominent…” instead of assuming a specific ingredient has disappeared.
- Give uncertainty a place.“Possibly green; compare with the reference next time” is a productive observation. “Green” stated with false certainty is less useful.
Illustrative observation
From a loose impression to a testable note
First note: “Sample B feels softer.”
More useful note: “At the second recorded observation, B has a less pointed opening than A in this session. I still notice a dry woody impression in both. Next time, repeat the comparison with the sample identities concealed.”
This example illustrates language only. It does not describe the expected behaviour of any named material.
End with one decision and one next question
You do not need to rank every material or fill a page. Finish by stating what the session supports and what remains unresolved. “Repeat with the same records” is a valid next step when the first comparison was uncertain.
Keep old notes when your vocabulary improves. Add a dated reflection instead of rewriting the original as though you knew it all along. Your record then shows how your understanding developed, as well as what you thought in the moment.
For the next session, choose a small action: repeat one comparison, check an identity, or revisit a descriptor with a familiar reference. A notebook becomes useful when it helps you decide what to do, not when it contains the largest collection of adjectives.