How I Take Smart Notes and Why You Should Too

How to take smart notes might seem counter-intuitive, but once you learn the basics you will realize how a simple thing like this can radically change your life.

Taking smart notes is at the base of understanding every concept imaginable. By tanking smart notes you will be able to:

• Understand and remember every concept you read.
• Write a paper about a specific argument in no time.
• Teach a specific subject without any concern.

If there's only one thing you should remember after reading this post, make it the next sentence.

Research, studying, and learning is not followed by writing, it's the medium that makes writing possible.

The Slip-Box - The Most Important Technique

Invented by Niklas Luhmann, the slip-box technique (a.k.a. the Zettelkasten method) consists in writing notes on a little piece of paper, write a sequential number on the back of it, and keep all of the notes in the same place (the actual slip-box). By doing so Niklas Luhmann published 58 books in 30 years.

Whether you're a nostalgic human being who likes to write on paper or a modern one who likes to use the most advanced pieces of technology, it's the same. You can implement the slip-box method in your life and be a smart note taker.

How to Use The Slip-Box

Luhmann used to have two types of slip-boxes: a bibliographical one where he stored everything about what he read, and the main one where he wrote all his ideas and thought about what he read. Here are a few simple steps to start your own slip-boxes:

1. Create a brief note, use a piece of paper or a simple app (e.g., the Notes app on your phone) to write down any idea you have. You can skip directly to step three if you have time to create a permanent note.
2. Create a bibliographical note each time you read, be extremely selective with quotes and be concise.
3. Make your brief and bibliographical notes permanent in your main slip-box each day. Remember to write each note as if you're writing for someone else, this will force you to understand the topic. Feel free to combine notes or modify them if the new material will correct, supports, or contradict the information you already have.
4. Add your new note or idea in the permanent slip-box by giving it a sequential number (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc.) or, if it connects with an old one, using the same number and adding a letter after (e.g., 5a).
5. Create a separate index for all your notes, dividing them by category. This will make it easier to find the notes in the future.

The Toolbox - Everything You Should Have

This is all you need to start taking smart notes:

• Something to write with and something to write on your brief notes that you will delete as soon as they became part of your permanent slip-box. (e.g., Pencil and paper, pen and napkin, Evernote, Notes app on your phone, etc.)
• A reference system to archive your bibliographical notes when you read books, this will be your bibliographical slip-box. I use Readwise, you can use whatever you like.
• The main slip-box. I use a template I made in Notion, you can use a wooden box with pen and paper, Zettlr (a free app), Roam Research (a paid app), or the newest Obsidian.
• A textual editor. Choose the one you like, online, offline, free, or paid.

Good luck and let's begin taking smart notes.

Don't Forget to - Last Key Ingredient of Smart Notes

Each of the tools I recommended is as functional as your ability to work with them. Choose something you know really well or take time to learn a new one. Don't underestimate this.