> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dscout.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dscout.com/diary-studies/what-are-diary-studies-in-dscout.md).

# What are diary studies in Dscout?

A diary study follows people over days or weeks, in their own context, capturing moments as they happen rather than asking them to remember later. Participants submit entries from their phone or their computer—video, photos, screen recordings, and answers to your questions—and the data arrives as they go, so you can read it while the study is still running.

Use a diary study when your research question is about behavior over time: how a habit forms, where a journey breaks down, what someone actually does versus what they say they do.

In Dscout, some key diary study features include:

* **Multiple activities over time.** A study is made up of activities, each with its own questions, timeframe, and number of entries. That's what lets you stage research across a week rather than asking everything at once. For more information, see [Activities and entries in a diary study](/diary-studies/what-are-diary-studies-in-dscout/activities-and-entries-in-a-diary-study.md).
* **Mobile and desktop activities in the same study.** Diary is the only study type where you choose the device per activity—capture moments on a phone during the week, then sit down at a computer to walk through a website. For more information, see [Device options in a diary study](/diary-studies/what-are-diary-studies-in-dscout/device-options-in-a-diary-study.md).
* **Pacing you control.** Set due dates and automated reminders per activity, and decide whether activities open on your schedule or as participants finish. For more information, see [Activity due dates and reminders](/diary-studies/create-a-diary-study/activity-due-dates-and-reminders.md) and [Manual vs. automatic diary studies](/diary-studies/what-are-diary-studies-in-dscout/understanding-manual-and-automatic-diary-studies.md).
* **Entries in real time.** Entries appear as participants submit them, so you can spot a misread question on day one instead of discovering it at analysis.

### Recruitment options

To find participants for a diary study, you can:

* Add participants from an existing Dscout screener.
* Auto-recruit from Dscout's Scout Panel.
* Auto-recruit from Dscout's Partner Panels.
* Invite your own participants by email or share a sign-up webpage.
* Add participants from Private Panels.

Unlike Dscout's single-session study types, a diary study runs against a roster: you invite specific people, then track and message them across the whole study. For more information, see [Diary study webpages](/diary-studies/create-a-diary-study/diary-webpages.md).

### Diary studies vs. other study types

A diary study is the right fit when time is part of what you're studying—repetition, change, or context you can't recreate in a single sitting. If you need a single session instead, another study type will get you there faster:

| Study type             | Best for                                                                        |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Diary study**        | Exploring habits, behaviors, and journeys in context over time                  |
| **Usability test**     | Validating with task questions, prototype heat maps, and more                   |
| **Media survey**       | Capturing deep survey data at scale with photo and video                        |
| **Intercept study**    | Recording natural experiences in the moments that matter, triggered by behavior |
| **AI moderated study** | Running conversational studies with AI moderation support                       |
| **Interview study**    | Running moderated, auto-transcribed sessions with observers and notes           |

For more on every study type and what you can build with each, see the [Dscout quickstart guide](/getting-started/dscout-quickstart-guide.md).

When you're ready to build, see [Create a diary study](/diary-studies/create-a-diary-study.md).


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