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Universal Questions for Any Note-Taking System • Zettelkasten Method

SystemSystem
edited December 2025 in Project: Zettelkasten.de
Universal Questions for Any Note-Taking System • Zettelkasten Method

Not all note-taking systems are created equal. You can use these universal questions to analyze yours and maybe make adjustments in the new year.

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Comments

  • WillWill

    Great post!

    Here are my takeaways.

    What am I doing that is scaling to an infinite number of notes?

    • Explaining connections between notes makes a difference in a note's value.
    • Clearer and more relevant explanations are dynamic, elevating a note from an isolated thought to a spark that can ignite a chain reaction of ideas.
    • Doing this habitually as part of note-taking makes future connections more lively and meaningful.

    My Process:

    Every note is given a title and a one-sentence summary, which I call "Subatomic." When a note is connected to another, the Title and the Subatomic sentence are used to describe the connection. For example:

    • Dehypnosis via the Socratic Method [[202506110924]]
      • Breaking the hypnotic spell cast by powerful rhetoric by persistently questioning its assertions.

    What is the nature of a good note?

    • External - the title, tags, references, YAML and all metadata
    • Internal- the body, content, the actual note

    Focusing on the internal part is the key to a good note.

    A good note is [a note] that your future self can then build on.

    Will Simpson
    My peak cognition is behind me. One day soon, I will read my last book, write my last note, eat my last meal, and kiss my sweetie for the last time.
    My Internet Home — My Now Page

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