


With a standard format, notes can build up critical mass in one place, making it easier to access and process. When you jot down notes throughout the day, your brain is freed up to focus on thinking and learning instead of remembering. Summarizing, explaining, or describing an idea in your own words is critical to understanding it. Writing things down is a crucial step in the learning process. Writing down new ideas is the best way to learn and understand them. This comes together to create the four underlying principles of the smart notes method. In "How to Take Smart Notes," Ahrens details the cognition and learning research that forms the system's basis. The 4 underlying principles of smart notes This helps form a personal knowledge management system that is easier to search, organize, and locate. Whenever he wanted to access a particular thought or idea, Luhmann simply looked in the relevant box.Īdapting Luhmann's notes for everyday use, Ahrens suggests that paper is fine for temporary notes but digital notes are the preferred method for permanent notes. By cross-referencing and linking his zettel together, Luhmann was able to easily access and utilize his personal knowledge base when writing or thinking. He wrote down his thoughts on individual index cards (or zettel), which he then filed away in boxes based on the topic. Luhmann's Zettelkasten was a system of index cards used to organize his thoughts and ideas. The smart notes method is based on the principles of German sociologist Niklas Luhmann, who developed a system of notecards inside a "slip box" (or zettelkasten in German). He likens the writing process to a primary mode of thinking and offers advice on a non-linear writing process that values generating insight. Rather than giving step-by-step how-to's, Ahrens focuses on the cognition and psychology of writing. The final part of the book offers Ahren's tips for successful writing.

Ahrens draws on psychological research to provide a scientific basis for the system, explaining the four underlying principles of the technique. The second section lays out the research behind why the smart notes method works. He also outlines the benefits of taking smart notes and how the system can help you become more productive. He offers an overview of Niklas Luhmann's Zettelkasten system and how he adapted it for everyday use. In the first section, Ahrens lays out the basic principles of the system and how it can be used for writing, learning, and creativity.

"How to Take Smart Notes" is divided into three sections, each discussing the method from a different angle. The book focuses on writing, but as Ahrens points out, note-taking skills are helpful for anyone who wants to improve their thinking and learning skills. The book was initially intended for nonfiction writers, students, and academics, but it quickly became much more popular than expected. The book explains Ahrens' note-taking method, which helps people take more accessible and useful notes for writing, learning, and creativity. In 2022, it was updated to a second edition. In addition to teaching Philosophy of Education at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Ahrens coaches students, academics, and professionals on time management, decision-making, and personal development.Īhrens’ book, "How to Take Smart Notes," was published in 2017 and has since been translated into at least eight languages. The smart notes method is a note-taking system created by German author and educator Sönke Ahrens.
Smart notes ahrens how to#
Whether you have trouble organizing information for writing or productivity, learning how to take smart notes can help. We face an endless stream of information every day, and it can be challenging to synthesize it into something meaningful.Įnter Sönke Ahrens and his book " How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Your Writing, Learning, and Creativity." Ahrens' note-taking system makes capturing and organizing your thoughts and knowledge easier, so you can write, learn, and create more effectively. In the age of information overload, it isn't enough to just write - you need to write smart.
Smart notes ahrens professional#
Whether you're a student composing a paper for an assignment or a professional writing a report for work, putting thoughts into words is a necessary part of communication.
