Principle of Atomicity in Notetaking
Summary
- Each Note should be atomic, that is the smallest possible idea that can stand alone. It should only have one idea
- It should be agnostic to a parent topic, thus it could also be a parent to other topics
- It should be self-contained and comprehensible on its own
Details
- This allows linking ideas together in many different ways.
- Notes can also be moved, processed, separated and changed independantly of other notes. They can also be useful if the original source of information disappears.
- It should have sources and references.
References
- https://leananki.com/zettelkasten-method-smart-notes/
- https://writingcooperative.com/zettelkasten-how-one-german-scholar-was-so-freakishly-productive-997e4e0ca125
- How to Take Smart Notes - One Simple Technique to Boost Writing Learning and Thinking - Sonke Ahrens
Quotes
The principle of atomicity: The term was coined by Christian Tietze. It means that each note should contain one idea and one idea only. This makes it possible to link ideas with a laser focus.
The principle of autonomy: Each note should be autonomous, meaning it should be self-contained and comprehensible on its own. This allows notes to be moved, processed, separated, and concatenated independently of its neighbors. It also ensures that notes remain useful even if the original source of information disappears.
David Clear