Indexing?
Hi all,
I recently started using Zettelkasten on index cards, and it's been very useful. I read How to Take Smart Notes, and implement something close to that. But, I haven't figured out how to keep a good index. The book doesn't say very much about the index; only that Luhmann did have on, and that the index doesn't need to be exhaustive because it only has to point you into "entry points" which allow you to find everything else by following connections.
As the size of my collection of notes increases, this is becoming more important. Computer-based systems would probably be easier to handle in this respect (if only because of search functionality), but I like having a paper system.
Is there anything written about how Luhmann's index worked? How do other people keep an index? If you use the branching alphanumeric number system like Luhman, do you give your index an address within that system, or keep it seperate? How extensive is your index and how do you keep it organized? Is it just a flat list? What's your trigger to add an index entry? Do you ever get rid of old index entries or totally rewrite your index? Do you find that your index gets too large and requires a meta-index? Do you find that your index is chronically too short and can't keep up with the rate you create new important clusters of cards?
Howdy, Stranger!
Comments
Hi there! I'm also a newbie in the Zettelkasten physical (paper) noting community. But the question is the same - how can I evaluate and, more importantly, assign considerable indexing for my first Zettel? I prepared my paper Zettelkast cards, and now I'm about to dive into the noting into them. But without a proper predefined indexing system and the index's start point, it doesn't seem very reassuring to understand that you have to rearrange all the performed notes by other order/indexing systems that meet your requirements and are as easy and understandable as possible.
Has anybody experienced this issue and have some ideas to share/implement?
I'm a firm believer in having a thorough, intelligent set of tags. I use the list of tags as my index. This works perfectly if you don't allow any tag to be attached to more than a few (say 5 to 10) zettels. If a tag gets "too popular", then it's time to sub-divide it into 2 or 3 more specific tags. Thus "dam_failure" could become "dam_failure_overtopping", "dam_failure_slope instability", and "dam_failure_seepage".
You can subdivide tags more than once, to achieve even more specificity, if necessary. For example, "dam_failure_overtopping" could become "dam_failure_overtopping_flooding" and "dam_failure_overtopping_wave_action".
Most of my tags are single level, but I have a fair number of double and triple level tags as well. The list of tags, along with the number of zettels attached to each one, becomes my index, and clicking on any tag quickly takes me to the associated zettels.
Of course, in the opposite direction, each zettel can have any number of appropriate tags.
I also use structure notes and hub notes as entry points to my ZK, but I much prefer to use the index for this purpose.
I should mention that I do this using an electronic ZK. However, people were creating indexes long before computers arrived on the scene. It just took more manual work.
The index in a paper-based system is basically an index of entry points. An entry point is the very hub I am talking about here: https://zettelkasten.de/posts/zettelkasten-hubs/
To make the hubs work, you need to take good care about the linking and work a lot with your Zettelkasten to encode the rough positioning of each entry.
I am a Zettler
My source notes and main notes are 4x6 inch index cards. Plain text files- one to list sources by Author Lastname and one for keyword index. Text editor is Notepad++ - wrote a macro to select all and alphabetize entries automatically.
Select keywords for notes I want to find again. Category or project tag added as I go.
I use it for medicine. Here is a sample of my alpha keyword index.
iron deficiency, diag, #heme 10/72
itch, #derm 10/294
ITP, #heme 10/7/a
IVIG,#heme 10/201/a
jaundice, #gi 10/300
Kerley B lines, #pulm 10/87, 10/87/1 "3 Bs of Kerley Bs"
kidney stones, #renal 10/58
knee pain imaging, #rads 10/47/a
knee pain, #ortho 10/47
laminectomy, #ortho 10/68/b
lap chole, #gi 10/55
legionella, #id 10/143/b
leukemia, #heme 10/253
leukemia, acute myeloid, AML, #heme 10/253/a