I'm 75 years old. Unfortunately I rejected the notecard method when it was taught in high school, instead choosing cumbersome notebooks all the way through graduate school...until Richard McKeon at University of Chicago recommended using notecards not only as a record of my reading and other experiences but also as a source of creative and rhetorical invention. This was a mind opening, life changing perspective. His only rule: each card or slip should pose and answer a single question. He recommended organizing all journal entries by one of the following topics: 1. By the so called great ideas in the Syntopticon. 2. By work or business projects, activities and events(I spent my life as an advertising man, juggling many assignments over 30 years, from Frosted Flakes to The Marines to Ford). 3. By great books worthy of Adler's analytical readings. 4. By everyday living topics like family, friends, health, wealth, politics, business, car, house, occasions, etc. This way of working has served me well. I believe a proper book case is half full of books and half full of boxes of notes about those books. Notice that McKeon's advice is not limited to writing and reflecting about the books we read. McKeown also encourages reflection on all areas of experience that are important to us. I guess I have an Aristotelian view that our lives consist of thinking, doing, making, and interacting and that writing offers us a way of connecting our thinking with these other activities. So, the nature, scope, and shape our "note system" should be designed to help us engage successfully in our day to day activities and long term enterprises. How should follow What and Why, connect with Who, and fit with When and Where. Any success I have had in business or personal life I attribute to McKeon's advice.
Malachy, thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. Wow, what invaluable advice from the great Richard McKeon--your comments are worth more than my whole article! :) And anyone reading this, go straight to your favorite bookseller and order a copy of Malachy's book, "Socratic Scribbling: Great Ideas From Great Books That Will Help You Think and Write Better".
This is a powerful comment. I sit at 54 and I wish I was building out my box of notes 30 years ago.
Thank you for sharing this insight. I think it is powerful to have a larger view of it than just the books we read.
I also have a box and I use 3x5 cards for my contacts/friends - and I note communication, events etc and move them through a tickler file. I also have a section now for each year. And I drop in a card on certain dates - deaths or health related milestones etc.
This is super interesting! And timely for me, because I have recently been contemplating how to improve my note-taking so that it is useable for future reference.
I’ve tried variations of a commonplace book, typed outlines in Word, and jotting down concepts or quotes on notecards that I file by author.
But none of these are great for actually finding something later on. I like the videos you posted and am looking forward to your next post!
Thank you for your comments, Serafina. I've tried keeping commonplace books, too, but as you say, they aren't very good for looking up notes later. The approach I describe here is helping me think more critically and retain (i.e. actually "learn") the information that I'm reading. Please check back next week for more detailed instructions on how to do it!
I'm 75 years old. Unfortunately I rejected the notecard method when it was taught in high school, instead choosing cumbersome notebooks all the way through graduate school...until Richard McKeon at University of Chicago recommended using notecards not only as a record of my reading and other experiences but also as a source of creative and rhetorical invention. This was a mind opening, life changing perspective. His only rule: each card or slip should pose and answer a single question. He recommended organizing all journal entries by one of the following topics: 1. By the so called great ideas in the Syntopticon. 2. By work or business projects, activities and events(I spent my life as an advertising man, juggling many assignments over 30 years, from Frosted Flakes to The Marines to Ford). 3. By great books worthy of Adler's analytical readings. 4. By everyday living topics like family, friends, health, wealth, politics, business, car, house, occasions, etc. This way of working has served me well. I believe a proper book case is half full of books and half full of boxes of notes about those books. Notice that McKeon's advice is not limited to writing and reflecting about the books we read. McKeown also encourages reflection on all areas of experience that are important to us. I guess I have an Aristotelian view that our lives consist of thinking, doing, making, and interacting and that writing offers us a way of connecting our thinking with these other activities. So, the nature, scope, and shape our "note system" should be designed to help us engage successfully in our day to day activities and long term enterprises. How should follow What and Why, connect with Who, and fit with When and Where. Any success I have had in business or personal life I attribute to McKeon's advice.
Malachy, thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. Wow, what invaluable advice from the great Richard McKeon--your comments are worth more than my whole article! :) And anyone reading this, go straight to your favorite bookseller and order a copy of Malachy's book, "Socratic Scribbling: Great Ideas From Great Books That Will Help You Think and Write Better".
This is a powerful comment. I sit at 54 and I wish I was building out my box of notes 30 years ago.
Thank you for sharing this insight. I think it is powerful to have a larger view of it than just the books we read.
I also have a box and I use 3x5 cards for my contacts/friends - and I note communication, events etc and move them through a tickler file. I also have a section now for each year. And I drop in a card on certain dates - deaths or health related milestones etc.
This is super interesting! And timely for me, because I have recently been contemplating how to improve my note-taking so that it is useable for future reference.
I’ve tried variations of a commonplace book, typed outlines in Word, and jotting down concepts or quotes on notecards that I file by author.
But none of these are great for actually finding something later on. I like the videos you posted and am looking forward to your next post!
Thank you for your comments, Serafina. I've tried keeping commonplace books, too, but as you say, they aren't very good for looking up notes later. The approach I describe here is helping me think more critically and retain (i.e. actually "learn") the information that I'm reading. Please check back next week for more detailed instructions on how to do it!
Amy - fellow ANTINET guy - found you on the reddit - in Scotts group. So glad you are taking the time to write here.
Anti-net! I am going directly there now.
I use the 10 volume "The Great Ideas Program" for my study of the books. That, and the very effective WAIGTROTT* system for short study.
*What am I going to read on the toilet?
Oh, I haven't heard of the Great Ideas Program. Something to check out, thanks!
Oh, it's Adler's work, too! I had no idea. Now I'm really tuned in!
I recommend WAIGTROTT for all volumes. Especially #2.
I wrote myself a note about the Anti-net on a note card.
Then I looked up Anti-net. It said to use note cards.
I guess I am older than I thought.
You'll find yourself right at home! :)