Is "Scoping the subject" a counter-Zettelkasten approach?

Jackhansonc

Hi, there,

My question is if I wants to learn more about Type 2 Diabetes Management, and I already know some knowledge. Then I start to write an outline with possible subtopics to explore and to check if I'm confident on these subtopics and concepts. Then it does not sound like Zettelkasten right? But I did think this approach make more sense to me in terms of studying a subject.

But if you guys have other suggestions, please feel free to speak, I just get confused on when to use Zettelkasten and what is it really.

Ydkd

Your outline will be your structure note
Some call this an amalgam method - where you first throw everything in one doc and organise it afterwards
Later you can convert items in outline into separate notes, making a links from the outline

If you have predefined materials you want to learn, then ZK might not give you good learning/time ratio (time spent on writing and manually linking everything could be spent on doing the work with your actual memory and thinking).
If you want to learn a limited amount of materals, better use learning techniques, SRS etc. Then just form your zettels after you learned the material (otherwise there may be temptation to make zettels out of everything).

andang76

It's fine, why not.
We are not forced to always follow the same path. From the bottom , or an unplanned way.

My idea is that building our zettekasten model is building a toolbox and learning why and when using all the tools we know, rather than always using the same tool thinking it's the only that can be used.

Will

@Ydkd brings up an important idea. You have to be careful that this type of top-down approach doesn't lead to the "temptation to make zettels out of everything." I can speak from experience. The ZK method encourages finding a reliable and interesting source, such as a paper or book, to begin exploring type 2 diabetes management. Read, note, reread, and look to the references or bibliography to set your sights deeper. This approach emphasizes learning and discovery without preconceived ideas.