As I near the end of my PhD journey, I’ve realized the importance of having a personal note-taking and writing system in research. It has been a life-changing shift in how I work and think.

My Early Note-Taking Struggles

In the past, I managed my reading and notes in a very simple way. I would:

1. Read the article
2. Write a note in a Word file
3. Save both the PDF and the note in a folder

When working on a literature review for a specific project, I created an Excel template with these columns: Author, Year, Setting, Objective, Method, Results, and Notes. I filled in the details — mostly copying abstracts from papers I read.

This system worked well for my Master’s and even for the first few years of my PhD— until it didn’t.

Why My Old System Failed

At some point, I realized my system had serious flaws:

1. It was too project-specific.
   Once a project ended, I archived everything and forgot more than 90% of what I had read. My notes served the project but didn’t contribute my long-term knowledge building.
2. I couldn’t connect ideas across projects.
   Research ideas often emerge at the intersection of different topics. But my old system didn’t help me to link insights across fields.

I needed a better way to store, retrieve, and connect knowledge.

Discovering the Zettelkasten Method

I wanted a system that would:

1. Keep my research notes organized yet flexible.
2. Allow me to link ideas across different topics.

The first thing I did? I turned to books.

That’s when I found Zettelkasten — a note-taking method developed by German sociologist Niklas Luhmann — from How to Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens. It changed how I think about research, writing, and even blogging.

How I Learned Zettelkasten (Books That Helped Me)

If you’re interested in building your own knowledge system, here are the books that helped me:

1. To Learn the Zettelkasten Concept: Read How to Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens

This book provides the scientific foundation behind writing, note-taking, and the Slip-box method. It shows key elements of Zettelkasten, so you can set up a manual (like Luhmann) or digital system.

If you want to truly understand why this system works, this is the book to start with.

2. To Learn Obsidian: Read Obsidian for Noobs — Flatten the Obsidian Learning Curve by John T. Mennella

One of the best tools to digitize your Zettelkasten is Obsidian.

There are multiple ways to learn Obsidian, depending on your learning style:
✔ Watching tutorials 
✔ Exploring forums 
✔ Reading a practical book (my favorite approach)

I chose a short practical book Obsidian for Noobs — Flatten the Obsidian Learning Curve by John T. Mennella. It covers key features in Obsidian (Vaults, Folders, and Notes), and how to link the note files.

This approach works well for me because I prefer paper-based learning over exploring online forums endlessly.

3. To Learn Digital Zettelkasten: Read Digital Zettelkasten by David Kadavy

While How to Take Smart Notes explains the concept, it doesn’t answer all practical questions — like: Should I use an index or not for permanent notes? How should I name the index? Kadavy’s book helped me refine my workflow for a digital setup.

Why I Love This System

The more I use Zettelkasten, the more I love it. I use it not just for research— but also for writing my blogs. Every note I take becomes a building block for future ideas.