Idea Ripper // ArchiveCards: 1555 [Live] | Updated: 2026-10-14
Card #c1214IR // #c1214Synthesis

"The archivist asks: Which keyword is the most fitting? A writer asks: In which circumstances will I want to stumble upon this note, even if I forget about it?"

— In our words · Source: How to Take Smart Notes (Sönke Ahrens)

[Use when]

You're tagging files, research or bookmarks and the tags describe the item instead of the use.

[Why it matters]

Ahrens's example is a Tversky and Kahneman finding. An archivist tags it "psychology." An economist tags it "capital allocation problems," which ties it to questions already on the table and gets it found again.

More from How to Take Smart Notes

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Same situation, different book

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