up:: [[Note-Taking MOC]] # What Is An Evergreen Note Anyways? An attempt to classify different note types, their definitions/defining characteristics, and what they're for. This is largely a synthesis/summary of Andy Matuschak's notes on notes, as his system has resonated the most with me. ## Literature Note These are lightweight insights that are processed [[What Is An Evergreen Note Anyways#^1sxpuq|like fleeting notes]]. They're usually very small, and that's okay. A literature note should be a reminder for some passage with just "a few words of context to jog your memory about what the passage was about" or what you were thinking about. ### Inspirations - [Literature notes are secondary and separate](https://notes.andymatuschak.org/Literature_notes_are_secondary_and_separate) - [How to collect observations while reading](https://notes.andymatuschak.org/z71FeBJGqZdyA78UNTwXCWcMGUVCWk1XsLvPS) - [[How To Read a Book]] ## Fleeting Note A fleeting or transient note is the seed of an evergreen. They exist to allow you to capture thoughts and ideas without friction, and use them to develop evergreens. A single one can be turned into an evergreen, or multiple related ones can be strung together. If the note itself isn't turned into an evergreen note, but is incorporated into one, it should be deleted. If it's too devoid of context to be useful, it should be deleted. ^1sxpuq ## Evergreen Note This is a permanent note that serves as a densely-linked crash course on some concept, which is usually narrowed down into a single assertion. See [Evergreen Notes Should Be Concept-Oriented](https://notes.andymatuschak.org/z6bci25mVUBNFdVWSrQNKr6u7AZ1jFzfTVbMF). ### Motivations These were originally supposed to be 'atomic.' In Roam, I had taken that to mean the smallest concept possible - this is inspired by [[Zettelkasten]]. However, Zettelkasten was created before dense linking was possible, and its design is in opposition to dense linking (smaller notes, fewer opportunities to link). This also, for me, led to [fragmentation](https://notes.andymatuschak.org/Evergreen_notes?stackedNotes=z4Rrmh17vMBbauEGnFPTZSK3UmdsGExLRfZz1), so I've expanded the scope of my Evergreens somewhat. I expect this to evolve over time and as my needs and problems change. For similarities and differences between Zettelkasten and this style of notes, see [Similarities and differences between evergreen note-writing and Zettelkasten](https://notes.andymatuschak.org/Evergreen_notes?stackedNotes=z4AX7pHAu5uUfmrq4K4zig9x8jmmF62XgaMXm).