Context: I have noticed that I always struggle to keep consistent track of notes I make as I learn new topics. I have tried OneNote, Evernote, and some more open-source ones, but each lack of something that makes it complete. For example, I find Anki really useful and use it every day, but its interface is stuck in the 90s and it doesn't easily synch with my other, more expansive notes.
According to this article, there's evidence that you learn better that way. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret...
But who knows. I just know it works for me. Plus, I hate lugging around a laptop everywhere I go. Composition book is lighter.
If you switch to pens, try gel pens. Less hand fatigue. I don't mess with fountain pens as they are more expensive, prone to failure, and just come across as pretentious IMO.
If I need it to be multiple places and accessed by a computer I'll use the basic notes app from apple that I can open up on my phone as well.
For a more complete answer I really like using gitbooks to write my own version of tutorials or documentation. It's a nice bit of software to organizes pages and markdown is fun.
On a Mac, there’s a brilliant Quiver app for note taking, with syntax highlighting, diagram support and other programmer-related goodies.
For editing notes collaboratively, or as a shared knowledge base / brainstorming resource, notion.so which is quite nice.
It works great as a note taking tool while reading a book, or following a course. Searching the notes is OK-ish. You cannot search the notes without opening it. It works best in chrome and is not intended for use on mobile.
There is a typo in your sign up line though (should be weeks)
"Try out for free for 2 week!"
NB: I do sometimes photgraph and ocr important pages that need to be archived or machine searched. It turns out that I don't need that nearly as often as I thought I might. It also turns out that, if you were the one to write it, you can actually find the page you're looking for in even a large and full journal extremely quickly because of the way your memory works with physical objects.
OneNote is great for multimedia and freeform stuff, but not always reliable - I once 'lost' a notebook that had my draft novel in it and had to go pull off a (thankfully recently) cached copy of it from a computer that had just been decommissioned and stuck in storage.
Full encryption + cross-platform.
I'm curious to what sort of process you're using for notes that isn't solved in the most basic way? Meaning, you write notes, you edit notes, and you can search through them or tag them?
Here is my current system for notes that combines written notes with electronic back-up.
So far the system below is working but still looking to improve further. Especially around pdf highlighting and notes for research papers.
Would appreciate feedback/ideas.
Note taking System:
Principals:
- Evernote is used as the electronic data base of notes
- i classify/differentiate notes between ephemeral and long-term archival
- only long term goes into Evernote
1. Journal for ideas etc.
- Started keeping a notebook around 2015-2016. This is with me most of the time
- Use a modified bullet journal format.
- Have a daily log, monthly log. This is for ephemeral notes such as Meeting notes&Tasks
- Modules: long-term log: Ideas, insights log, unanswered questions, problems go here
Modules are dedicated pages around a specific topic. I usually dedicate two pages at a time.
- separate modules When researching a specific topic, doing a course, reading a physical book etc.
- These modules go right in whichever month It is. So e.g I may have a few days of March, then start a new module in between.
- Index with page numbers goes in the front of the journal with start of each month and various topics. Once an item is listed on index any additional pages get listed next to original page.
Example Index :
Idea log - p14, P23 February 2018 - p18, p34 System theory - p27 March 2018 - p43
- The journal is purely functional. No fancy drawing etc. Try to keep it as minimal and functional as possible. Others use the bullet journal format for creative outlet.
- Every 3 months or so, take pictures of the pages that are important and they go into Evernote.
- Each “module” goes into a separate note. They are tagged by year, and topic
- When the Journal is finished, an image of the index goes into Evernote
- Evertnote will OCR the text. It is quite accurate and I am able to search based on words in my written notes
- It takes about 30-45 mins to do an entire notebook (leaving out the emphereal notes)
2. Reading - Books - kindle:
- Highlight important passages
- at times make kindle notes
- Export the highlights¬es into evernote
3. Reading - Books - physical:
- Module in journal
4. Reading - Research Papers:
- used Mendely but stopped using it. Found out they do not store highlights or notes with actual pdf. Their support is also terrible and was unable to access my notes with out resorting to poking around their data files for several months.
Currently looking for something to highlight, make notes and manage references
- have tested papers, readcube, zotero, highlights and have still not found the right solution
- ideally it should be able to export to Evernote as well. Think highlights is the only app that supports this.
5. Workshops/Brain Storming sessions:
For post-its:
- Pictures with the post-it plus app. Import into evernote
- Whiteboards etc. Picture into evernote
6. Understanding Concepts/knowledge graph
- Use CMAP tools to do concept mapping.
- right now the concept maps are saved on Dropbox
- Will investigate a script to export the concept map structure and propositions to Evernote as well
- Heard that SMSn is quite good as well. Have not had the time to investigate.
That said - Workflowy is amazing and changed my life.
