I\'ve recently switched to IPython Notebook 3 (3.1.0-cbccb68 to be exact), the Anaconda version. Previously when I typed a function and opened a parenthesis like this:
Adding screen shots(examples) and some more context for the answer of @Thomas G.
import pandas as pd is ran properly before checking below shortcut.Place the cursor in middle of parenthesis () before you use shortcut.
shift + tabDisplay short document and few params
shift + tab + tabExpands document with scroll bar
shift + tab + tab + tabProvides document with a Tooltip: "will linger for 10secs while you type". which means it allows you write params and waits for 10secs.
shift + tab + tab + tab + tabIt opens a small window in bottom with option(top righ corner of small window) to open full documentation in new browser tab.
In 1.0, the functionality was bound to ( and tab and shift-tab, in 2.0 tab was deprecated but still functional in some unambiguous cases completing or inspecting were competing in many cases. Recommendation was to always use shift-Tab. ( was also added as deprecated as confusing in Haskell-like syntax to also push people toward Shift-Tab as it works in more cases. in 3.0 the deprecated bindings have been remove in favor of the official, present for 18+ month now Shift-Tab.
So press Shift-Tab.
Shift-Tab works for me to view the dcoumentation
Try Shift-Tab-Tab a bigger documentation appears, than with Shift-Tab. It's the same but you can scroll down.
Shift-Tab-Tab-Tab and the tooltip will linger for 10 seconds while you type.
Shift-Tab-Tab-Tab-Tab and the docstring appears in the pager (small part at the bottom of the window) and stays there.