Note searching without the "search" function
Hi. My Zettelkasten is based on Obsidian, a software that reads markup files. Like most modern note-taking software, it comes with a search function.
I want to know how people used to find the right permanent note if they use analog notes. So far, my method has been to use pre-designated "entry-point notes" which contain an index for the particular topic in question, and also a brief, 2-sentence overview of the topic. However, as my Zettelkasten grows, it is getting harder and harder to get from the "entry-point" to the specific concept that I want to reach. The search function alleviates this issue, but I still want to better structure my Zettelkasten so I can find a particular note I want in a topic with less effort.
For example, if I want to search for what a "characteristic polynomial with relation to matrixes" is, I will have to enter my "matrix starting note":
... and then go through an index to find "Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors in Matrixes" (doesn't matter what they are, these two concepts are related)...
...and then go through another note saying "Determining Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors" (contents directly use Characteristic Polynomial in Matrixes)... 
...before I can reach "Characteristic Polynomial in Matrixes" note. This is a lot of effort, and I am trying to reduce this effort to find these notes.
Furthermore, I often forget these concepts even exist, so if I was looking for a concept similar to "characteristic polynomial with relation to matrixes" but had forgotten that it relates to either "Eigenvalues", then I would not be able to access this note.
My first solution is to cake the "higher-level" (notes closer to the starting notes) in hyperlinks, but this seems to oversaturate these higher-level notes with too much information and makes them hard to consume independently. My second solution is to make more higher-level notes index notes, so it's easier to get from my "starting notes" to the notes. However, this turns my Zettelkasten from a web into a tree far more than I like, and means a lot of basic concepts that otherwise would be only 1 note away from the starting note will become further away. My third solution is to just make sure all my Zettelkastens have a "See Also" section at the bottom, like Wikipedia does. It's more effort and threatens to make my Zettelkastens very long, but it maintains the structure of a web.
My current "patchwork" solution is to just search for "characteristic polynomial" in the search function directly. But, I want to be less reliant on that, as that requires me to know the term "characteristic polynomial" exists in the first place. Besides, I want to know how the OGs did it so I can learn.
Please let me know if more info is needed.
Howdy, Stranger!
Comments
paper notes. alphabetical keyword index in text file for direct keyword search and with tags to browse categories.
Can put synonyms, abbreviations, alternate names on same line as keyword or on different line.
primary sclerosing cholangitis, psc, #gi 10/285
prion disease #neuro, 10/319
prophylaxis, #hosp 10/222
proprioception, #neuro 10/119/1
prosthetic heart valve, TAVR, #cards 10/192/e
protamine, reverse heparin, #heme 10/1/b/c/1
@Avatasato
The simple answer is that they filed things hierarchically and used indexes as an alternative way of finding them (e.g., card catalogues at the library).
Tags were not common back in the paper days; they came along as computers entered the fray.
Tags, links, and hyperlinks are welcome modern additions that significantly reduce our anxiety about finding hierarchically filed items.
@GeoEng51 I'm aware that they used indexes, but I'm not fully sure when to use it. I use them at the "top level" as "entry notes" and when a concept requires examples or has many (+5) elements which make up the concept.
But I feel like even with my current usage of index notes (and regular notes with indexes in them), it's still hard to find what I'm looking for.
(Example of an index note I use)
You did mention the card catalog method in libraries (I assume you're referring to a concept/book being linked with a certain "number code", with the exact arrangement of the number code being everywhere), how would that be implemented differently compared to my current index notes?
Can you elaborate on this? Is it just a giant list of keywords, linked to their related index notes, like an old encyclopedia (with the keywords all listed in the back) or a textbook (with an index/table of contents in the front)?
Also, is this new index the "entry point"?
@Avatasato One way that I create indexes is by making a list of tags. The secret here is to use multi-level tags, for example:
Say I start with a high-level tag called "Dams". However, I notice that it quickly becomes attached to many, many zettels. When I see more than 10 (or even less) zettels attached to one tag, I subdivide the tag.
So, "Dams" might become "Dams-Overtopping", "Dams-Instability", and "Dams-Seepage".
Sometimes I need a third level: "Dams-Overtopping-Floods" and "Dams-Overtopping-Settlement" and "Dams-Overtopping-Wind Action".
The number of levels I use is set only by keeping the number of zettels attached to a particular tag, to a reasonable number (10 or less; ideally about 5).
The index is then made by generating a list of all my tags. Each tag becoming an entry in the index and because of the way I have defined the tags, like items are listed adjacent to one another. I know if I click on any particular tag, because of the way I maintain my tags, I will see only a modest number of related zettels.
I came up with this technique many years before I ever heard of the Zettelkasten world. I was using an app that allowed me to tag scriptures, and just didn't want to have tens or hundreds of scriptures attached to one tag (sort of defeats the purpose of tags, doesn't it?).
If you are working entirely with an analogue Zettelkasten, then I'm not sure that this sub-dividing method will help you much. You can certainly use a physical page for each tag and write down applicable zettel numbers, but this tagging approach, and particularly the subdivision of tags, lends itself more to the electronic world. I could see you doing something similar, though, if you use a spreadsheet of tags (and subdivided tags) to refer to paper zettels.
Yes, I use my text file index to enter my paper index cards.
Alphabetical keyword list of selected, important concepts.
Does it look something like what I posted above? I based this off an encyclopedia's index. I like your idea, and I assume the keyword list only contains important paper index cards which act as entry points to wider concepts.
I've also added a "Table of Contents" index to support this, which contains all the addresses of Zettels related to a certain topic.
(It's moments like these that I wish this forum had a "critique my workflow" feature)
@GeoEng51
In that case, let me try to get your information "search-flow" straight:
You have a long list of tags in a Giant Index File (like the index page of an encyclopedia), and when you need to find information regarding a topic, you pull out the Giant Index File and look for the related. Once you find the right tag, you go through the 10-15 related Zettels.
Do I understand this correctly?
Yes, that's it, although it sounds more cumbersome than it actually is - at least in The Archive. I click on the (very specific) tag that I want and The Archive lists about 10 (or less) zettels that contain that tag. I immediately see their titles, so it's a simple matter to select one or two for follow-up. I see the one(s) that I'm looking for, but I usually also see a few I'd forgotten about. Once I get into those zettels, I also check for connections to other zettels (by browsing the hyperlinks that I put at the bottom of the zettel, after the main text).
@Avatasato Why are you afraid of trees?
We think in hierarchies/trees in our heads quite a lot, it's just hierarchies/trees are many and dynamic.
Searching specific thing by hopping around the tree will be faster than searching that by clicking through web of notes (and if you have very interconnected web, you may miss what you search).
You don't lose your web, your tree(s) can exist on top of your web.
There's breadcrumbs plugin for it iirc.
@GeoEng51 's example about tag trees that ideally there should be less than 10 items in a branch is notable - our working memory usually can hold 7±2 chunks of information.
Simultaneously you can leave hundred of notes under one tag if you access them rarely, and if scrolling through will take less time than adding more specific tags.
You can also add more keywords, even "false" keywords you tried to use to search that note.
Another option is RAG.
Preferrable option if you need that info to think - spaced repetition. It's very effective and very low-cost method to keep knowledge in your head => improve thinking.
That also adresses the problem of limited working memory - if you don't have that note in your memory, it may easily take half of your working memory, reducing your problem solving capability.
Some people afraid putting "wrong" info in memory - but actually you will remember right info even more when you encounter it due to hypercorrection effect.
Dont be afraid of trees, we think in hierarchies/trees, categories a lot in our heads, contrary to widespreading hate of hierarchies. It's just our categories are many and dynamic.
Your tree can exist on top of web. Navigating a tree is faster than clicking through web, as you experienced already.
You can just create "up:" or "down:" property. Breadcrumbs plugin can visualise such trees.
@GeoEng51 's example of limiting amount if items to 10 in a branch is notable - we havve 7+-2 chunks in our working memory.
But you can leave hundred of items under a tag if scrolling is faster than creating more specific tags.
You can also add more keywords inside note, especially false keywords you tried to use to find that note.
If you need to use that info in thinking, then preferrable is to use spaced repetition. It is very effective and very cheap in terms of time/result.
Your example note can easily take half of the working memory if it is not in your long-term memory, reducing your problem solving capability.
Having more info in memory also improves thinking by increasing associations.
Another option is RAG.