Write in your OWN words | zettelkasten/academic note-taking tips 📝

We're told to write in our own words when taking notes, but what does that really mean? Should we still use quotes? Are paraphrases of other people's thoughts enough? Should our notes reflect what we've learned or operate more like a journal where we develop new and personal thought? Let's talk about it!
✨ Learn more about zettelkasten: • The FUN and EFFICIENT ...
✨ Martin Adam's video on curiosity in note-taking: • Beyond the Pressure: F...
BOOKS MENTIONED:
"Several Short Sentences About Writing" by Verlyn Klinkenborg - www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
"39 Microlectures in Proximity of Performance" by Matthew Goulish - www.routledge.com/39-Microlec...
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
1:03 - Why take notes?
2:15 - About this video
3:00 - Don't plagiarize
4:21 - Quotes in notes
5:30 - Paraphrases
6:17 - Avoid clichés
7:40 - Don't write to impress people
8:51 - PART 2!
9:02 - Practice Noticing
10:32 - Try different approaches
12:20 - Get curious and emotional
13:22 - Write!
14:35 - Trust yourself
15:55 - The end
#notetaking #zettelkasten

[@lajourdanne]

I love this video! I will note however it is very important to be careful when taking notes purely through your interpretative lens (your own words). When describing what someone else said in your own writing you want to paraphrase or summarize. Otherwise you could misattributed ideas and meaning to an author that is not at all what they were saying. While I think it is important to put in your connections, interpretations, feelings and thoughts, that all becomes useless when you can't point back to what the author intended to say. So when I write in my Zettelkasten, I add one note of the point they were actually making, then add my interpretation/feelings/thoughts as a separate note. This also makes it so much easier to come up with new thoughts on what the author said later and avoids that awkward moment when citing someone at a conference where they say "I never said that" or "actually what I meant was..."

[@kristoffer2250]

To anyone interested in the Zettelkasten system or any notetaking system, this is honestly one of the most essential note-taking skills to remember. To write in your own words instead of paraphrasing or copying gives you a lot of benefits. For people who cannot do so, I suggest using mental models or prompts to practice your mind into doing it: What is this? How can I relate it to myself? How did this come about? Where does this lead to? What does this imply? Eventually, you won't need to rely on those questions as you ask them automatically. Then, you can find more ways to add to your thoughts which makes your notes richer and more personal, as it should be.

[@morganeua]

Exactly!! Well said. I don't really script my videos, I just sort of outline them and then improvise, but if I did script it I'm sure I'd say something like this 😂

[@lumr.8726]

great advice!

[@kristoffer2250]

@Xaviar 77versus99 only do this in school and you'll most likely fail. This isn't a notetaking for understanding or memorizing. It's notetaking for creation and ensuring that every effort you make in writing notes matters, that no notes are useless or forgotten. It's more a knowledge management system than a study system.

[@bzylarisa]

"Having original thoughts takes practice." What an inspirational video.

[@neglectfulsausage7689]

I see the sarcasm.

[@bannnnny]

Another tip: What you “mean” in your writing, means nothing. You need to write clearly, your point. We often write around ideas and topics and tell our teachers; “well, this part meant that”. Meaning means nothing in academia. You need to say what you’re asked to say. And - write in short sentences. An exercise; after every period, hit return and start a new paragraph. This separates each sentence so-to clearly see how it looks by layout and how it ‘feels’. Does this sentence suit this area best, or does it fit better over there? Analyse your writing maniacally and aspire to write in plain language. That is, so your writing reads smoothly when spoken aloud. An incredible book recommendation: How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens. The canonical book on The Zettelkasten Method, it is brimming with writing tips for students too. Saved me hundreds of hours!

[@morganeua]

Absolutely! Yes to all of that, including the book recommendation! 😊

[@asalsameer5041]

Can you give us an example of the meaning part? How do you write without writing about what something means?

[@danielrosler3893]

@@asalsameer5041 They're stressing precision and clarity. If what you meant to say is missing from your paper, then you didn't say it. If a teacher asks you about a section of a paper, and you reply, "Well, what I meant here was ____," then what's missing from that section is precisely how you finish that sentence. In other words, be explicit.

[@heimlershistory]

Another great one. Let's have ten more! I'm just starting my own Zettelkasten, and your delineation between writing in your own words and paraphrasing was a kind of revelation to me. So THANK YOU.

[@morganeua]

Yeah, me too, actually, while making this video 😋 I find myself often just paraphrasing everything I read and have to constantly remind myself that it should also be informing my original thought! And that personal, fresh thinking takes practice!

[@morganeua]

And I see you have a huge youtube channel! Guess I'll go follow that! Looks awesome!!

[@nickelbers48]

I started working as a freelance journalist recently - completely out of my comfort zone (I mostly worked trades and labor through uni), but I'm enjoying it. I can not stress how much I wish someone had told me that writing == thinking when I was going through high school and undergrad. Thanks for that tip, and for breaking it down.

[@dagamusik]

After this I started doing: [[I feel]] [[I wonder]] [[I think]] Crazy and very useful connections you get doing it!

[@TheWooTubes]

This reminded me of something I learned from British stand-up comedian Robin Ince. When Charles Darwin was asked what made him so inventive, he said he thought he was unusually "good at noticing things", including noticing what he was good at, which many people don't seem to notice.

[@flyingcow23]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I find it very confronting to notice that "writing in my own words" takes so much energy, just to graph an idea, and even then, I don't know if it's really my own. Your explanation really helpt me a lot to review and rewrite and come to the core of what I'm trying to say. Being your own critic is hard! But to find someone that will give you honest, constructive feedback is even harder, even between the Dutch.

[@kristiharman2843]

I got SO MUCH out of this video, as usual. Thank you so much for sharing and teaching your unique ways with us

[@mikehyde6768]

Really good stuff Morgan - all students need to look at this video. Well done!

[@hilarylynch9993]

Thanks for your videos. I really appreciate your helpful ideas. Keep up the terrific work!

[@Salieri1756]

Another good video! Thanks, Morgan. I think I have spent this entire rainy day watching your videos and taking a lot of notes. Can't wait to get started.

[@murffmjtube]

So glad I discovered this channel. Very nice to know there are authentic intellectuals out there. Lots of learnings here.

[@sethbenjamin765]

Others’ expectations- I had a teacher call me out for writing a specific way that they assumed I did to sound smarter or formal, but after reading a few more papers of mine, they realized that’s just my way articulating on paper. Ever since I started writing poems for expression, I found my voice and continually used it. Also, I need to read Several Short Sentences. The thought of the importance of what stands out it fascinating to hear. It’s something I love to find that in movies/shows and music (even reading). I’ve got a question (for anyone reading this): is the goal of this to create original thought or paraphrase others’ thoughts? I ask because I wonder how much veering from someone’s specific word choice by replacing them with what I perceive their thought to be could skew the original thought. The second I learn the truth of the universe and turn around to tell someone else, the truth has been altered by both my perception and the other person’s perception.

[@leannesampson3199]

i think the ultimate aim/goal is creating and generating ones own individual origional thought, with paraphrasing of other person's ideas/writing/thoughts being a means to convey ones personal understanding of their ideas/writing/thoughts.

[@torkildfoghvindelev]

Thank you for not only explaining, but also performing your point of finding and following your own voice. That’s exponential learning. Didn’t expect this video to so profoundly inspirational. It widely transcends the field of note taking. Looking forward to hear and see more from you!

[@HighlanderBrown]

Thank Morgan! Excellent recommendations!

[@ukaszkorbasiewicz9419]

Thank you for this great, informative and inspiring video! By the way, as a non-native English speaker I really appreciate your crystal clear pronunciation. Stay awesome!

[@leannesampson3199]

WOW! Thank you. This is so enlightening and inspiring and empowering ♡

[@user-xw8cn2id2m]

Morgan. Your video is very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Practical and profound!

[@lumr.8726]

i was inspired by your previous video to use zettelkasten, im still figuring it out but I think i finally understand everything. im using this system to write my papers so im very excited! thank you so much!

[@michaelarmstrong6497]

Thank you Morgan, just set up my Obsidian yesterday thanks to you and I like it a lot. Keep it going

[@gnomeache2926]

Your video has sparked me to explore further ways of taking my paraphrased notes (which I write on nearly every book highlight) and writing my own ideas. Thank you!

[@jkameroncarter1254]

Fantastic video. I’m an academic who’s getting my PKS , my second brain, off the ground, a Zettlekasten using Obsidian. This video is a great reminder of the bread and butter of the trade. I’m also passing this along to my Engineering daughter. She’ll greatly benefit from this. Again, thx!!

[@richardlees5303]

Your excellent ideas and presentation outline exactly why good writing takes WORK!

[@jeskaentanglemeant]

Thank you so much for your videos, they’re so comprehensive and straightforward. Very easy to understand and followthrough. Starting a PKM system on Obsidian is daunting but you helped make it more approachable. Wish you best! 🧡

[@dineshbhagat6809]

thank you for enlightening on noticing and inspiring on how to look for our own voice ,idea, thought ....

[@Amba_Aradam]

Thank you, your content helps me a lot with my MA thesis.

[@stephaniewright7808]

OH MY GOSH!!! just discovered your channel by looking up obsidian tips for PhD students, but so thankful I followed the links to this video! These tips are so helpful. I love the way you teach. I wish we were all taught this way from a young age - to think critically and independently and to value our thoughts and all their sources. Thank you!!!! Can't wait to learn more from your channel!

[@TheBrokenFrog]

Thank you for pointing this out! I could never really put my finger on the residual ambiguity I felt with paraphrasing and note-taking and you really knocked it out of the park with your perspective on this. The focus on why something stood out to me and the idea of an irreducible note will seriously change the way I write.

[@romaincocagne8149]

So impressed by the quality of the video ! Thank you ! This video is some important piece of academic/student ethics teachers should have taught wayyyyyy sooner :)

[@thomasdevos32]

Beautiful inspiring words!

[@Sama-zd4nb]

it was very very helpful. thanks so much Morgan

[@KirschblutenTsunami]

I wish your youtube chanel came to existence 6 years ago when I started Uni. I love love love your Zettelkasten and general study content. I did major in japanese studies and am now a software developer but next year I wanna do my masters in social studies as a hobby and I'm already taking notes of all the great input you're giving here. Thank you so so much for sharing. I wish you all the best for your studies as well as youtube

[@drasky2000]

Fantastic video! Many thanks Morgan.

[@tutomedia5715]

Great input. Thanks Vic

[@herbertvansintemaartensdij7918]

This is by far the best video I have seen in months. Thank you

[@fassie79]

Wow, this is such an eye-opener. Thank you for posting this video; this really helped me.

[@mimipipi120]

You're so wonderful!!! Keep them coming! I have a question! Can you do a more ellaborate video on how you use obsidian, I've gone so far to taking the notes the way you showed in your video on it, but from there I'm a little lost. And in this video when you mentioned journalling in your notes I was just perplexed. I thought "HOW is someone going to put thoughts and little notes into a more serious note taking method without mixing it all up?" so I would so look forward to that! You seem like a great teacher and a wonderful bright person. Sending hugs and well wishes!

[@flamboyanta4993]

I agree, this is such a good video. Especially the bit toward the end, very brave indeed!

[@amandahuber6639]

Fantastic! I am going to use these ideas to help me write scripts for videos on my many interests. I just assume what I am interested in is too niche for anyone else to enjoy or that I wouldn't have anything new to say. The philosophy you shared and the infinite possible connections one can have while note taking have absolved my fears and given me inspiration. Thanks!

[@lwisniewski85]

Excellent video, thank you!

[@abolfazlimahdi]

I love your thoughts and also the way you present them. Thanks for the great video. Your videos are thought provoking for me.

[@morganeua]

Thanks for being here 🙂

[@melissabennett6571]

Wow. This is so inspiring. I love how you invite people to take notes about absolutely anything (not just that dense book you’re reading). I often think for days about content I watch or listen to but I’ve never given those thoughts weight or taken them seriously but maybe I’ll start taking notes on songs and anime. 😊 Thank you for making these videos, your original thoughts and perspective are so appreciated.

[@morganeua]

Absoluuutely take notes on the thinking that emerges from songs and anime! To add to this, I just watched the documentary "Storytelling for Earthly Survival" about Donna Haraway (a science studies scholar) and she said that science fiction writings "are in my view, in the strictest sense, philosophical texts. So I don't feel like I am importing them in order to do some other kind of work. Much less using them to illustrate one of my points. But the stories that they tell, the storytellers, are in my view, thinking." -- And I just thought that was so true! Fiction writers are doing thinking and research to come up with these creations, so what can they teach us? I'm gonna make a video about this at some point for sure :P

[@callmejobson]

Im subbed!! You note taking video have helped me! I am removed from school but I love learning and obsidian is helping me with learning more about programming

[@teresaaseret]

As a PhD candidate in Theatre and Performing arts in Italy I find your videos so much interesting and useful. More, your pronunciation is so easy to follow for a non-native speaker!

[@morganeua]

Oh my gosh, so cool! What area of theatre and performance do you study??

[@teresaaseret]

​@@morganeua Ecology and theatre, I'm currently working on co-creation performative practices between human and non-human beings! From what I could see from your videos we have a lot in common

[@morganeua]

@@teresaaseret Yes! There is a lot of interest in those topics at my university. And my research is specifically about juggling, which is a performance practice that is explicitly co-creation between humans and nonhumans!

[@teresaaseret]

@@morganeuaAbsolutely yes!! Which university are you working for?

[@computergf]

Before I dive into watching this video, I've decided that I am going to document original thoughts when note-taking, when I have original thoughts and concur perhaps hypotheses, questions. Unless the information is completely new and profound is when I should document paraphrasing and original thought. I am SO happy I've discovered your videos on Zettelkasten and Obsidian! I've always wanted to keep a directory in this way. The brain-map-graph is amazing. I was listening to your video and thinking about how cool it would be to have that, then you mentioned it and I was mind-blown! The advice for Zettelkasten/second-braining your learning and original thought, was like someone was finally validating me, giving me permission to do what I always wanted! lol! Which was keeping cohesive journaling. I'm so OCD and ADHD, I haven't found the point in journaling unless it can be *this* organized. Video suggestion: How not to be manic about your Zettelkasten/Quality Original Thought in Note-taking, lol.

[@moneydreams9176]

The best video on KZbin in a log time.

[@shrutimalik1214]

Love your explanation and articulation. I myself am doing my PhD in sociology through participant observation and following your curiosity is such a core aspect of that. Switching from being an architect to now research in sociology is giving me so much to learn and write. While not being from the filed sometimes feels like learning a new language and doing a PhD in it at the same time. On the way with the overwhelming reading material it is so easy to lose on to your own line of thought. Your video is a great and simple reminder to take the time and dig deeper into the thought. And simple is not easy. Research is a wonderfully creative process. Thank you for creating a space for that thought again. Love it.

[@howardjameson]

Dear Morgan. Thanks for this video - really helpful. I found your previous videos and had started with Obsidian, but this cuts to the chase where the hard slog really lies. One element I find really helpful is the reflection process. Maybe it is just me, but I need time and space (a good walk, for example) to do the graft of putting complex ideas into my own words. Thanks again. Really helpful content.

[@yilmadellelegnabebe4825]

Hi Morgan! This is a great video. I like the philosophical ramblings and sometimes visioned myself sitting in one of your classes. I do not write much but that doesn’t mean I don’t think much. With the advent of PKM and note-capturing software like Obsidian, things will be different I guess. There is a lot of inspiration all around us and I guess nature will be my foremost source. Just one question, I fully understand and appreciate your thoughts on “paraphrasing“, but what about when you’re dealing with anecdotal sources and collective property like folklore and stories. By the way I am a conservation biologist and one of my interests is Ethnoecology. Thank you.

[@dharmeshchauhan3838]

You have changed everything I do for research, note taking, organising content, and so much more. Thank you so much. Just want you to know how powerful you are and you have inspired me to be much better.

[@morganeua]

Wow, thank you so much for your kind words 😭 It's so encouraging to know that I've helped someone in their own work!

[@rauckr09]

I am very impressed by your advice on note-taking. I hope I don't make you mad by suggesting a resemblance to the G. I. Jane character in the movie of the same name.

[@HughWaters]

Fascinating. You describe pretty much how I've lived my life; noticing and wondering. I hadn't connected that way of being with creative output though, and that was the nugget of your piece for me. Thank you.

[@morganeua]

Sounds like a life well spent!

[@whatznext28]

Thanks Morgan for this video. Your answer not only covers taking better notes, but it ultimately covers how to think better! I keep watching this video on repeat to get a thorough understanding of what you covered. I'm going to implement these strategies and make them a part of my everyday thought process. These aren't just gold nuggets, this is the whole bar! Thanks again!

[@morganeua]

Aaah, thank you for your comment and helping make this video happen! I couldn't have done it without you!

[@-Sant-]

Thank you very much for dedicating your precious time to share with us in a didactic way such beautiful, dense and at the same time precious knowledge. I'm impressed how, from a simple question, you got to the complete idea, with practical tips, as well as good explanations and reflections in between. Good teaching. In addition to improving points in my notes, I get more inspiration from this video to write more. Feedback is good sometimes lol, thanks again :D *Writing from Brazil S2

[@grossd18]

Great insights. What i might add that beyond noticing there is also the (research) question or main paper thesis idea that provides a key filter and entry point into what is relevant and interesting. This help find pathways but also fill addtional gaps across the network of related thoughts as these are furinshed into a conversation that argues specific points.

[@arse124]

nicely summarized.

[@MaxwellBuba]

Wow, such good knowledge; thx 👍

[@rohanmathew5728]

Really appreciate all your effort.... keep going..!!🔥🔥🔥

[@morganeua]

Thanks for the encouragement! I definitely need it sometimes! ☺

[@upsydaysy3042]

Preach! I always format notes in my university's ref. system and it helps me keeping track of the source of my thoughts. I thought I was being crazy 😂

[@ElvenStone]

Thank you once again, Morgan. After this video I had a blast writing meaningful reflections on the stuff I was reading about (physics mostly), and ended up with notes of the notes of the note of the original! Which I didn't think it could happen. I particularly followed your advice about just focusing on a word (or phrase in my case) and linger on what it made me think about. Mine was "Atoms in motion", first chapter of Six Easy Pieces by Richard Feynman. It made me think about vibrations, waves, sound, water, fields and quantum fields, and it ultimately led me back to an old love of mine, semiotics, and made me discover something new, phytosemiotics! My current love is phytochemistry, and to discover that phytosemiotics exists was so cool. So the whole thing was fun and insightful. Thanks again! :)

[@morganeua]

Wow, thank you for this comment it's so fascinating and inspiring! Phytosemiotics sounds SUPER interesting!

[@effortlesszone]

Oh, COOL. Y'never know what you'll find in a comment that is completely, wonderfully mind-blowing. I appreciate that you took the time to add this!

[@paularubina3778]

Thank you! No kidding, I’m going to re-listen to this video and take a few notes.

[@ceasec]

Wonderful, informative video! I'm sure I've said that before, too, but it's certainly true. I actually purchased Klinkenborg's book after you mentioned it in a prior video, and I finished reading it just the other day. I thought it was very useful-though a little "self-help-ish" in terms of reiterating an idea multiple times. I particularly liked the sections on volunteer sentences, "sincerity," and the writer taking on the role of "narrator" with intention. I genuinely look forward to your uploads, so, once again, thank you for the time and effort you put into them.

[@ceasec]

bonus: I advise my students against "in conclusion" with almost the same exact verbiage you used here haha. It's the end of a four-page paper! We get that it's the end! You're wasting valuable real estate!

[@morganeua]

@@ceasec Yeah, exactly! And so many papers that open "The topic I've chosen to write my paper on is..." That'll become obvious very quickly if you just begin! Hm, maybe I like Klinkenborg's book so much because it's self-helpy 🤔 I do love me a self-help book!

[@lyra_durst]

Amazing video! Thank you for sharing your expertise and wisdom. I never considered that a thought is worth capturing simply because "I" had it and my unique experience is valuable. It feels very empowering. Keep up the good work!

[@morganeua]

We need fresh perspectives on the world, so why not yours! 😊

[@timbushell8640]

If not you then who... your first and second thoughts... are at least as valid. We all bring different experiences to even the same reading/viewing - as Morgan's classroom exercise - and I love very mixed groups (age, backgrounds, etc.) how the variety of points of interest arise.

[@timbushell8640]

@@morganeua totally...

[@simondrew2914]

Somebody once said that a great way to understand something is to see if you can explain it in simple terms to someone else. So, if you are writing notes, try to imagine that the reader is a child - in this way you filter out much of the jargon that comes with any particular subject. If the point you are making can exist on its own merits without the jargon, then let those be your words.

[@morganeua]

Absolutely, love that advice!

[@cassia_luz]

Thanks for share with us so many informacion. I learning so much with you ❤

[@morganeua]

Thanks for being here!

[@samuelmayorga1950]

This is a great video, and not just for writing in your own words. It is, genuinely, a wonderful take on research on Humanities/Arts. English is not my first language and every time I comment on your videos I feel like I'm not able to express just how much I enjoy them and help me. Maybe saying what I cannot say is a better try at actually expressing it. And that's a reformulation, completely justified, of something Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz wrote... Thanks for this video and for all your work and passion, they are truly inspiring!

[@morganeua]

Ooh, I've never heard of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, but after a quick Wiki search I see she's written some drama! I'll have to check her out 😮

[@JuliannaSeever]

I love this.

[@Sandra_de_Wit]

Wow, you are so refreshing to listen to! Thanks for sharing! I am a lifetime note taker pur sang, but just on the brink of discovering my 'system' and finding out if Obsidian is the tool for me. I have my own blog on my health since I got breastcancer. I read a lot and have been making so many notes on different subjects over the years. I want to make more use of this linking. It intrigues me very much.

[@morganeua]

Yay! Thanks for watching my videos and commenting! I really hope you can get the linking system to work for you, it's been such a powerful tool for me!

[@taehyunggtae]

You're right. Studying should mean understanding the content and developing answers with our knowledge

[@emoster]

started using MLA citation in my notes after watching this! a standard way of referring back to sources instead of making it up on the fly.

[@lpanebr]

I loved the philosophical part. Totally took me back to those Sasha's cognitive streams on Vita Nostra!

[@morganeua]

Now you know why I love that book! It's also just such a good metaphor for higher education, in my opinion - like how she's reading those impossible texts that are total nonsense until they're not, but she just has to keep "learning." Fascinating.

[@lpanebr]

@@morganeua sure, now that you say it I totally get this metaphor!! But I'll confess I'm still digesting it all. I don't even know what to say it think of the ending. Anyway, now that you've said it, you made me recall the long ago forgotten feeling of struggling through impossible physics problems during the second year in my first graduation!!! Luckily I didn't have to endure it as my family supported my decision to make a U-turn and I changed to a communication degree instead. ☺️

[@lpanebr]

@@morganeua I've just came across Plato's "Allegory of the Cave". Maybe another analogy could be that the stuff m students sent to Torpa are like the cave prisoners that have their chains broken and are given a chance (and tutors) to get out and explore the world to try and understand it's higher levels?

[@essaidhana]

Your advices are so useful and helpful. It led me to find a joy to study. I appriciate a lot to share us those tips! I just started to use Obsidan app with zettelkasten methode, it really helped me to figure out notions and find out my own ideas. I'm not gonna lie, I was struggled with note taking not only during the lecture but also for revision. I finally found a methode which perfectly fit me. I owe you. Thank you so much!!

[@morganeua]

I feel the same way! Glad I could help!

[@geeksthename]

I started using obsidian because of your videos and I am enjoying it so far! I would love to find out more about your experiences and advice for PhD students and arts and humanities research :)

[@morganeua]

That's exactly the demographic I want to support (and that I am in myself!) So, absolutely 😁

[@tobylerhone7908]

If I want to put something into my own words I often find it useful to think about how I would explain the thought to someone who didn't understand it. I think that unless you can explain it you don't really understand it.

[@mediapathic]

I'll point out that there are plenty of people talking about note taking on youtube, but the number of people trojan horsing essential philosophical ideas by way of a phenomenological approach to note taking is very small. Keep kicking that rock, Doctor Johnson!

[@fabiansanhueza278]

That copy of Infinite Jest totally captivated my attention 😂...

[@contoursofcrafting]

Thank you for this video, it came at a wonderful time for me. I am currently taking a philosophy class whilst between undergrad and grad studies, and my professor is letting me write a paper for the class instead of taking exams. I now have about a month left to finish the paper, and I have recently begun writing a first draft. While writing, I've been having a difficult time not just parroting what my sources say. This video will definitely be a great help with this issue I am having. I do have a related question, though, perhaps one that you could answer. How exactly does one write in one's own words? As in, do I ask certain questions when approaching an interesting quote? Should I try to come at the quote(s) with a certain perspective, or something else like that? I hope that this makes sense. Regardless if you can answer, thank you for making this video and posting it!

[@HalldinAnton]

A lot of things going on here. Great video! Looking at all things Obsidian+zettelkasten youtube at the moment...

[@PanGrothaus]

Thank you!

[@JohnJHLeesDesk]

Morgan, thank you so much for this video. I am learning so much from your insight. I was wondering if you could address one of my burning questions. While I am very excited about the power of the Zettelkasten method, I do not really know what to do when I read, process, digest, and (almost) master textbooks that are full of "contents." Did Luhman have a way of handling such massive contents-filled books? For example, if I take literature notes from a chapter of my current linguistics book (ch. 8 Grammatical Metaphor), I may end up having hundreds of thousands of literature notes because it's a content-filled chapter. Could you please shed light on this? Thank you so much. Blessings on your studies!

[@kieronconcannon]

Excellent ❤

[@plebcrabslayer]

9:24 Linger! Ciao, Morgan! "Practice Noticing" was my favorite section. I'm almost too guilty of clambering down acoustics/phonemics/etymology rabbit holes and setting up camp. I recall that a lot of the times that I did this in grad school, it was not just because of legitimate intellectual curiosity, but also to avoid continuing with the work, which often tended to be boring or uninspiring or monotonous (biochemistry-a lot of "hurry up and wait"). What tools do you use to help detect when justifiable diversions are turning into distractions (for better or worse)? (Adidas should sponsor you!)

[@morganeua]

Hahaha, if adidas sponsored me I could quit my PhD! 😂 Linger, indeed!! Honestly,if you have no deadline for your thought, nothing has to be considered a distraction, right? But I would say if you tune in with yourself and how you're feeling about what you're doing! I get anxious if I'm getting too far away from the task at hand. So I know to recentre.

[@youzijunpan6922]

Thank you for this video! I am wondering about this question for a long time and this video really provides a new perspective. Do you think the quality of the language we use is important? When a thought pop out on my head, the sentence I write down at the first time is always too simple and perhaps fragmented. I feel I tend to spend a lot of time improving the quality of the language and trying to make it sounds professional and attractive. And this process of polishing my writing exhaust me especially when I write in English (maybe because it’s my second language and I never feel writing in it is as natural as writing in my first language). I am wondering if I should just leave my notes as immature as they are and turn to the next one so as to encourage myself to persist, rather than drawn myself into a relatively boring process of searching for the best word in the dictionary to precisely describe something I am thinking of.

[@morganeua]

Actually, I think Verlyn Klinkenborg (one of the authors I mention in this video) would say that simple sentences are better! I think using the simplest words and sentences possible to express yourself is a good idea. No need to find big words if little ones work!!

[@dazzlesreadthrough7440]

Hello and thank you so much for the great and fruitful content… I wanted to request a further clarification on a point that got me a bit confused: how can I take notes after reading a book and then make them my own? I mean the idea is compelling but how do I not fall in plagiarism? Please please help… and by the way your video on obsidian system blew my mind I downloaded it and can’t wait to use it… thank you!🌹

[@lpanebr]

Excellent content!!!! Did by any chance that thought, of writing in the words they think the teacher wants to read, came from the quote about students being actors in the world, you showed in your other obsidian video?

[@morganeua]

Oh, totally. I think about this a lot because I was victim to it myself. But my writing is always better when I do it for my own enjoyment and interest! And it has a greater impact on the people reading.

[@lpanebr]

@@morganeua yes, I believe this happens a lot and it's not restricted to written thoughts unfortunately. I observe this when I ask my team to tell me what you hate and what you love on your job activities so that we may better distribute tasks and plan recruiting.

[@relativehero]

Love this! What other writing books do you recommend the most? I loved Taking Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens- it’s pretty life changing

[@morganeua]

One book I always think about is "Stylish Academic Writing" by Helen Sword. It's mostly relevant to academic writers. I need to read more books on writing, it's one of my favourite genres!

[@goldenrain7421]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on note-taking. It's really insightful. Could you maybe recommend books that helped you level up your learning technics or just books that you liked ?

[@timbushell8640]

See above - those references need a link, etc. No harm in being MLA, etc. in the description and given their weight in the original thoughts shared within the vid - it is a working example in video form of the notes and expression of 'your own ideas'... ... parallel mirrors, etc. Some of THE best on the topic in You Tube...

[@bannnnny]

Start with foundations: ••• *The Elements of Style*: *FAV* by William Shrunk Jr ••• *Several Short Sentences About Writing* by Verlyn Klinkenborg - this book is about writing, as the title says, in short powerful sentences to convey meaning personal to yourself but in language that reads beautifully. And, ••• *I Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer*: *FAV* I’m always returning to this for a shortlisted tip to improve my position in thinking. Then, the Principles: Books brimming with tips, that assume *some* elementary knowledge; ••• *How to Take Smart Notes* by Sönke Ahrens - on the Zettelkasten Method, a few pages by which the rest is settled on teaching students how to write effectively (as a professor being the author). Stephen King; ••• *On Writing* - most suitable to creative writing and fiction but is brimming with value like the others too. I can say with confidence, if you outright bought all of the above-mentioned titles, it will change your life. To my eyes, these are the holy grail. *They inspired me to write a blog* on the topic; which I won’t link here to avoid drawing attention away from her wonderful video. Nevertheless, they gave me the lens through which I see life and especially writing. For the last 3-of-4 years of my psychology study, I’ve ranked 1st per each paper after striving to write properly. It becomes an obsession, all types; down to adding flare/style tidbits to academic pieces. Enjoy, welcome to DM me for my resources/writings on the aforementioned topics and items. Till then, do yourself a favour and *at least* try the first two!

[@goldenrain7421]

​@@bannnnny wow thank you so much for taking the time to recommend all those books ! ^^

[@bannnnny]

@@goldenrain7421 yw! hopefully you pick one up and enjoy them. for purely academic purposes, The Elements of Style of Will Jr is a canon - often taught to lit students in undergrad and so forth. However it's a tiny tiny book with loaaads of information of grammar and composure, etcetera. Good luck :)

[@goldenrain7421]

@@bannnnny Thanks a lot ! I'll read the first two you recommended first then :) Good luck with your studies/job or anything you're doing 🙌

[@skillwill1710]

thank you very much

[@threefootpole]

I’m starting my PhD and your videos are the bestttt ones on notes ! Thank you! I am wondering what you do with “raw information,” eg my history notes often include facts like dates, names etc and I can’t really paraphrase/rewrite those and frankly they rarely connect. Any ideas?

[@ericowen56]

I enjoyed your video

[@madisvlogs3992]

i’m having trouble connecting academic notes (early in my BA with many diverse courses) to obsidian. i want to keep my pages as “concepts”, but at the same time I like to do my academic notes chapter-by-chapter. the concepts in those classes will be made into pages, but I feel that some are repetitive

[@patrickliu7179]

Genius! What's the MLA format for citing your video???

[@yohannesteklewolde1651]

Thanks, Morgan. That is very helpful. I think you may have more flexibility to put most of the ideas in your own words if the subject you are writing is about philosophy, or religion. But it is somehow rigid when it comes to Engineering, or math subjects.

[@timbushell8640]

... but the creative release shown here is a great example, as an engineer I like her dance across these ideas, highlighting some she has found important, with a near 'natural whys', without belabouring stuff. Maths may need its formality of proof, but there are creative leaps to be made, and engineering - has similar release when say material and new computational methods join and so new forms can be built.

[@raiseyourvibration1411]

Aloha Morgan, I've watched many of your vids and gotten so much value from what you post. Thank you! About a month ago, via watching your vids, I discovered PKM and Obsidian. I truly had no idea that any of this existed and my mind is now blown! I've been teaching at the university for over 20 years, and you've turned me onto a methodology that is helping me write my book. OK, I fully understand that you're in the home stretch of your Ph.D., and the LAST thing that you would want to do is look at some organization system. I get it, more than you probably know. I don't think you use GTD because I've watched many vids and you haven't mentioned it, but I want to ask, do you use GTD (Getting Things Done)? Aloha!!

[@timbushell8640]

RYV... see also Dan Allosso's channel - kzbin.infofeatured ... often alternates between thoughts on history and tool use - PKM & Obsidian and Research Rabbit or Hypothesis - mostly for undergrads, but has a healthy 'others' community.

[@raiseyourvibration1411]

@@timbushell8640 Aloha Tim, thanks for the recommendation. I looked at the channel and it looks interesting.

[@on1230]

How do you find or discover or make the linkage between the notes? I am new to this note-taking method and it feels prescriptive when I link the notes.

[@ifeellikeiwasborntoloveya6547]

i think having my own words wasn't really so hard, but i can get seen for being too opinionated if i kept blabbering my analysis over anything, so i realised to type them down and not too soon i already have so much notes. i dont just type i also take picture and then edit that image with a text of my thought and idea. sometimes a screenshot and then typing what the idea i got from that, i think its also pretty much about what idea something gave you as well because i always do this when im triggered with an idea.

[@debojyotibanerjee2832]

Thank you

[@dazzlesreadthrough7440]

I can’t stop watching this video its soooooo valuable thanks… I do have a question and hope you can answer me… so after I created my permanent notes and linked them and was able to figure out a paper to write… don’t I have to still cite the books I used from the literature notes from which I created my permanent notes from or is it that since they are in my own words I don’t have to?

[@morganeua]

Yes, absolutely you can/should still cite the original thinkers! In all of my permanent notes I include a link to the "source" where I got the idea from. And every source has its own note so that I can link to them. So, if a sentence is in your own words, but its an idea directly from someone else, you can still use an in-text citation to demonstrate that. If it's in your own words and it's not really related to the source, even though it was inspired from from a source, you don't necessarily have to use an in-text citation. Instead you could just include that book in a bibliography.