The first use of the term in a scientific publication was in 2016,[2] where it was associated with: "an interest in collecting data about their own bodies or lives in order to obtain insights into their everyday health or performance".
In 2017, the scientific journal Methods of Information in Medicine published a focus theme on single subject (N-of-1) research design, which also included personal science.
The editorial introducing the focus theme is titled "Single Subject (N-of-1) Research Design, Data Processing, and Personal Science"[3] is co-authored by Gary Wolf, who together with Kevin Kelly coined the phrase the quantified self.
In 2020, Wolf further developed the term together with Martijn de Groot in an article titled "A Conceptual Framework for Personal Science".
They emphasized that “science is not simply rational and objective but that the inquiring person is an integral part of the enquiry.” In 2024, a MediaWiki-based knowledge management system[8] that had been co-designed by and for personal science practitioners was published by a team of researchers.