Zettel

This repository contains a self-documenting Zettel template for use with a software implementation of the Zettelkasten Method. The Zettelkasten Method is documented online at Introduction to the Zettelkasten Method on the Zettelkasten.de site and in the Zettelkasten.de forum. See the Zettel wiki for software configuration notes, definitions of terms, and examples.

202202040853 Zettel template v2.6

[[0.1.0.22.0305.1829]] ID Format
[[0.0.22.0306.1900]] Cross-cutting categories in Zettelkasten

#replace #these #hashtags

Filenames have the format ID.md in my implementation, where the format of ID is defined in [[0.1.0.22.0305.1829]] ID Format.

1. Header: in 3 + 1 parts

An optional YAML frontmatter header with commands to Zettlr and Pandoc;
a Level 1 (H1) header containing an immutable ID, referred to in this Zettel by immutableID, followed by a title, referred to in this Zettel by title;
a list of IDs of prior Zettels providing context for immutableID (see 1.c.2 below); and,
a list of keywords in #hashtag format.

1.a YAML frontmatter: optional

---
reference-section-title: References
---

If there are Pandoc-style references in the Zettel body, add the preceding YAML frontmatter header to the beginning of immutableID. References will appear as the last section of the document in Pandoc output.

1.b. An immutableID and title at heading level 1

# immutableID title

The value of immutableID doesn’t change, although title might change. This syntax relies on enabling the Zettlr Preferences → Display setting “If present, use the first heading level 1 instead of the filename.” This will display the IDs and titles of Zettel markdown files in the Zettlr file manager pane. Without this setting, the file manager will only show the Zettlr filenames, which in my implementation are IDs.

1.c.1. CONTEXT Zettel IDs

A list of wikilinks of Zettel IDs such that for each ID in the list, immutableID either:

continues ID;
comments on (or raises a question about) an aspect of ID; or,
begins a new topic and ID is the wikilink of an index.

The CONTEXT header section is adaptation of Niklas Luhmann’s Folgezettel ID system to digital Zettelkasten. Folgezettel IDs are spanning tree coordinates for the graph of Zettels of a Zettelkasten.

1.c.2. Keywords in #hashtag format

#keyword #example

Paraphrasing Sascha Fast in (Fast 2018), hashtags should be as specific to immutableID as possible.

2. Body: a self-contained note

Links [[to other Zettels]] and external links can go here.
Footnotes and endnotes become links [[to other Zettels]] in the body.
In a footnote or endnote Zettel, the ID immutableID is added to CONTEXT.

Ahrens recommends limiting each Zettel to a screenfull of text (a test that this Zettel fails). Arhens identifies three types of notes: fleeting, permanent and project notes (Ahrens 2017). See From Fleeting Notes to Project Notes - zettelkasten.de for the definition of these terms. Ahrens advises Zettel writers to read with pen and paper in hand, to take fleeting notes judiciously, and to reformulate their fleeting notes as Zettels in their own words before committing them as permanent notes to their Zettelkasten (Ahrens 2017). Since Ahrens omits concrete examples of Zettels, this template attempts to address that omission. Zettels will require rewriting and reorganization prior to their use in long-form articles and projects—cf. the Three Dicta of (@Winebrenner 2022). Ahrens describes a bottom-up process for drawing upon the Zettelkasten in larger writing projects (Ahrens 2017). Apparently, Niklas Luhmann himself did not follow Ahrens' advice: Hans Georg-Moeller speculates that Luhmann’s Zettelkasten contributed to an “unnecessarily convoluted, poorly structured, highly repetitive” writing style lacking a “clear narrative development” (Moeller 2012, chap. 2). For a clear guide to writing style, see Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace (Williams and Bizup 2017). Avoid The Elements of Style (Pullum 2010, 2014). Sascha Fast recommends writing for your future self (Fast 2021). Cory Doctorow states that writing and research are distinct, and recommends writing the placeholder "TK" inline instead of stopping to research (Doctorow 2009).

3. Footer: References

Pandoc style references in the body are resolved under References, provided the immutableID contains a Pandoc citation and the YAML header of 1.a.

References

Ahrens, Sönke. 2017. How to take smart notes: one simple technique to boost writing, learning and thinking: for students, academics and nonfiction book writers. North Charleston, SC: CreateSpace.

Doctorow, Cory. 2009. “Cory Doctorow: Writing in the Age of Distraction.” January 7, 2009. http://www.locusmag.com/Features/2009/01/cory-doctorow-writing-in-age-of.html

Fast, Sascha. 2018. “The Difference Between Good and Bad Tags.” Blog. Zettelkasten (blog). September 24, 2018. https://zettelkasten.de/posts/object-tags-vs-topic-tags

Fast, Sascha. 2021. “Write for Your Future Self.” July 29, 2021. https://forum.zettelkasten.de/discussion/comment/12480/#Comment_12480

Moeller, Hans-Georg. 2012. The radical Luhmann. New York: Columbia University Press.

Pullum, Geoffrey K. 2010. “The Land of the Free and The Elements of Style.” English Today 26 (2): 34–44. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266078410000076

———. 2014. “Fear and Loathing of the English Passive.” Language & Communication 37 (July): 60–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2013.08.009

Williams, Joseph M., and Joseph Bizup. 2017. Style: lessons in clarity and grace. Twelfth edition. Always learning. Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris: Pearson.**

Winebrenner, Caleb. 2022. “Field Report #4: I spent six months using a Zettelkasten to write my thesis. Here’s what I learned.” Zettelkasten (blog). January 28, 2022. https://zettelkasten.de/posts/field-report-4-what-i-learned-writing-thesis-with-zettelkasten/.

clang13/Zettel