The complete note consists of two parts:
- Input Source
- Knowledge Map
Notes in this should satisfy:
- Locality: Can focus on the current material without think about the knowledge map. Little or none overhead during note-taking stage.
- Context Providing: Preserve the structure of the input source when digesting a certain material. Provide the learning context that will be helpful when reviewing.
Notes in this are notes taken when:
- read a textbook
- read a paper
- watch youtube academic talks
Notes in this should satisfy:
- Concept based
- Traceable: a key statement can be traced back to the input material it came from.
Notes in this are:
- Individual concepts
Knowledge Map is supposed to arise from input source. "Other app" can help with processing the input source but not modifying directly on the knowledge base.
Raw data are individual notes simply put under /source or /knowledge
For gaining insight from the immense knowledge base, raw data need to be augmented with data structures.
Folder gives tree structure on the files. Under /source, input source like textbooks will be naturally organized by folders since most books are written chapter by chapter. For files in /knowledge, such tree structure can be helpful when context is needed for different concepts share the same name.
Obsidian is chosen for its ability of building and showing linked notes as a graph. Very handy for building the knowledge map. Graph in obsidian is great for showing connection between contents. And tag can be utilized to give set structure on files, which is looser than tree or graph.
Use git to keep track of the changing history thus grant the database structure along time. such history is useful especially for concepts in the knowledge map. By checking the file history, we can know how the concept becomes the way it is now.
For example, can use zotero for annotating and organizing papers.