this slip-box system is specifically designed to help you both have and share original insights—and make the writing process easier overall (View Highlight)
Writers before Luhmann, who was born in 1927, also used note-taking systems similar to the slip-box system. Notably, in 1921’s The Intellectual Life, French philosopher Antonin Sertillanges also describes a note-taking system where you take notes on uniform sheets of paper, label them, and relate them to each other with a classification system (View Highlight)
Always read with a pen—and whenever you come across interesting, potentially useful ideas, create literature notes. Using full sentences, summarize the text in your own words, making sure that you only include one idea per note (View Highlight)
When you have an original thought about these connections, create a new note—ensuring that each original idea has its own note. Use full sentences, be as clear and concise as possible, and include citations (View Highlight)
This evergreen note should stand on its own; you shouldn’t have to refer to other material to understand it. For example, if you write, “Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation,” this note should include basic details of the Emancipation Proclamation but not a thorough analysis of its contents (View Highlight)