How to Think on Paper - Ideas on Note-Making

1A| What is this sheet about?- it shows a note-making system to help you “think on paper”_____________________________________1B| What do you need?- blank paper in A4- a non-smear pen - e.g. mechanical pencil + eraser_____________________________________1C| The basic layout- use paper in landscape format- divide it in 4 columns - do it by hand – exact straight lines are unnecessaryOr:- try A3, landscape, 6 columns - a GREAT basis for thought_____________________________________1D| Making text boxes- number the box - in column 1 with 1A, 1B etc.- write the headline + underline it - questions make good headlines!- write down your thoughts - short but intelligible- use “outlining” - indent ideas - to show hierarchies - like this- when you're finished with a box: - leave some extra space - draw a separator line - start a new box- write small but not too tight

2A| More things you can use- page number and date - e.g. in upper right corner- footnotes at the column bottom1) - numbering- underline, colour- tables- diagrams- equations- ...____________________________________2B| How to deal with sudden ideas- you can mark ideas for follow-up with a check box : - work out a check box system - you can later tick off these boxes: - add some remarks on cross-referencing (see 2C)- you can store sudden unrelated ideas at the bottom of column 4 - look at the 2 examples!- some check boxes will become irrelevant - strike them out ________________________________________________________________

2C| How to cross-reference- there are examples in 2B and 3B- referencing to other pages: - see page 13:1A

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1) Useful for later remarks and other things

3A| Starting new columns and new boxes- for important new ideas: - start a new column - start a new box - after leaving some space_____________________________________3B| Basic advice on “deep” thinking

- work patiently - from one box to another - from one page to another - … always pursuing - open questions, - things you don't understand - things you can make better

- use basic questions 1) what would be logical? 2) what's bothering me here? 3) what can I do now?

- use a “Q” section - “Q” stands for questions - use it at the end of a box, of a column to find open topics

Q- is there a more refined system of thinking tools? - how can the note-making system be improved? - pros & cons of this method? (see 4A)

4A| Discussion 11.1.2014 12- compare these notes with - mind maps - Cornell Notes - digital note-making - other note-making systems (they all have their pros & cons!)

- look at the following aspects: - can you focus on your work? - no distractions from apps etc.? - can you develop long coherent lines of thought? - can you store away sudden ideas and pursue them later? - can you switch to other lines of thought without much document fiddling? - do you have an overview over your notes? - is straightforward, organized thinking encouraged? - are your notes comprehensible after 3 days, 2 weeks, 1 year? - is the use of tables, diagrams, equations encouraged?

Q- digital version of this method? - table for above comparison?

_____________________________________image search on “note-making” _____________________________________Thomas Teepe, Stuttgart, 2014