When taking notes, always write them with consideration for the notes that you already have. Notes are far more powerful when we connect them to a larger network of thought, crafting idea constellations from discrete ideas that we have recontextualized into new conversations.
When we write notes with an eye toward these connections from the start, we are more apt to reveal contradictions and inconsistencies in thinking; as well, being able to draw links between new ideas we encounter and old ones we've seen before can help promote deeper understanding of the material.
Citations
Ahrens, Sönke. How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers. Sönke Ahrens, 2017.
