Become an Expert in (Almost) Any Subject Using Commonplace Books [Philosopher Explains]
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 พ.ค. 2024
- Just about everyone can become and expert in any topic by using commonplace books. In this video I introduce how I use commonplace books as a commonplace for collecting ideas about a particular topic, including my own ideas, with the goal of becoming an expert on that topic. By taking marginal notes in the books, essays, journal articles, etc., and moving the most important notes to a commonplace book and by taking notes from audio mediums like podcasts, courses, and TH-cam presentations in your commonplace book, you can create a one-stop-shop for building expertise.
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I really want that notebook shown in the thumbnail
@@Elija.D.Artistit's a
Leuchtturm1917 A5 in a Saddleback medium moleskine cover
This is the 2nd video of yours I have listened to, have liked both, so subscribing to your channel
@@yusra9640 thank you! I'm very pleased you like my stuff🫡
I remember being in fifth grade and I used to read a kids magazine where there was a page dedicated to random science facts. And I started a diary recording ALL the facts every month and I found that diary almost ten years later and not only it brought back fond memories, it also helped me realize how much I still love learning about science despite having a commerce-oriented career path. I want to know about so many things and commonplace books look like the perfect thing to do so. Thank you for this video❤
This is beautiful! So cool to find that and remember a key fact about yourself!
Yooo you look Indian. I am Indian too, and I did something very similar. There was this childs magazine with really funny jokes on some page, science facts etc, I made a scrap book and cut-paste them on it and filled it during summer. It was so cool and it felt like my own magazine
Beautiful story ❤️ I used to do a similar thing with the National Geographic magazines when I was in school
That is so cool thank you for sharing that. Seriously that’s so awesome what we tend to forget and ends up being a passion later in life.
I did that with National geographics and Popular Mechanics , all the random plus synthesized notes in them
I have a similar method but use dollar store notebooks…sometimes I make my own notebooks using scrap papers from the paper recycle bin. I won’t pay the $$$ they want for boutique notebooks. There is a lot less stress using cheap notebooks.
Oh wow that's pretty innovative!
Same but 5 below
@@JournaledJourneysWithMillie 5 Below is good too...like.
Less expensive notebooks are a nice idea. For certain things, I want the higher quality for durability and a sort of sensory connection it seems to make for me about the gravity/importance of the information. I don’t know if that’s odd, but I seem to hold onto things better when the book feels more substantial.
@@Poppy-333 💯 I’m the same. I actually will write/type my ideas out somewhere first and then once I’m satisfied I’ll transfer it to the nicer notebook 📔
I just learned that what I made in high school was actually a commonplace book. I was very passionate about physics and liked to study it on my own, because my teacher was useless. I studied from a couple of books and the internet, so I started writing important stuff in one notebook. It was very useful and actually satisfying, because it gave me a sense of progress as I filled it out with knowledge.
That's sad about the bad teacher but good work taking it into your own hands
@@ParkerNotesI really did the same with physics and mathematics. I finished two notebooks filled with notes, summaries, examples, and drawings.
When the exams are coming I only study with thoses notebooks.
So is that what a commonplace book is?
Then why people call it notes? Not commonplace book?
Teachers should have a licence
@@eldon4905 "notes" is a very broad category of which commonplace books are just a subset. Expert commonplace books are an even smaller subset of commonplace books that I'm distinguishing from the rest. It's intended use is to help upu grow into an expert on a particular topic. If you compartmentalized your notebooks into this same pattern then it might be a commonplace book. That's great! Hopefully you still have them and use them to bone up and grow
Great job figuring out that you had to take control of your education. The u.s. govts school system reports that it's the best school system on earth. But when you search for the smartest students on earth, it's reported the u.s. students typically rank mid 20's out of 80 selected countries. This should be unacceptable to Americans, but its not....this is sad!
- Step 1: Choose a topic that you are interested in and want to learn more about. It can be anything from philosophy to gardening, as long as you are curious and motivated to explore it.
- Step 2: Find and collect sources of information related to your topic. You can use books, essays, podcasts, TH-cam videos, or any other medium that provides valuable insights and perspectives on your topic.
- Step 3: Take notes on the sources you consume. You can use any method that works for you, such as highlighting, summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting. The important thing is to capture the main ideas and arguments of the source, as well as your own thoughts and reactions to them.
- Step 4: Organize your notes into a commonplace book. A commonplace book is a notebook or a digital file where you store and arrange your notes in a way that makes sense to you. You can use categories, tags, keywords, or any other system that helps you find and retrieve your notes easily.
- Step 5: Review your notes regularly and look for connections, patterns, gaps, and contradictions among them. This will help you deepen your understanding of your topic, develop your critical thinking skills, and generate new ideas and insights.
These are the basic steps to create and maintain a commonplace book. However, you can always modify them according to your own preferences and goals. The video also provides some examples and tips on how to use commonplace books effectively. 😊
The real mvp
Thks for this!!
chat gpt energy!!! yesss power
Wonderful. Thank you
Thanks!
Thanks for the video. I’m a 23 year old man who had an unstable childhood and as a result didn’t focus on my education seriously. Only up until a few years ago I discovered a strong interest in topics regarding Philosophy, History, Mathematics, and Science. Admittedly I’ve been a bit lazy with studying properly as videos on TH-cam are more convenient, but that thirst to learn never seems to go away. I’ll be using this method to get the most out of what I read and reach that goal of teaching myself the things I didn’t learn in school.
I'm so glad you've discovered those topics they are awesome. Also glad that the method can help you bro!
Unsolicited advice: Make sure you are DOING the math and science! Whether that means textbook problems or experiments, doing is the only way to truly understand STEM concepts. There is nothing more annoying than a "physicist" who loves to talk about quantum physics but cannot use a simple equation of motion. Like the man said, notes on riding a bicycle are stupid without execution. The same way, if you aren't working out math problems, you don't really know how to ride a bicycle. :)
Are you me?
@@tempestandacomputer6951 I agree, I feel very clever listening to the explanation of a math problem, but I am quickly humbled when i try to do the practice work haha
@@tempestandacomputer6951very true, that applies especially to maths and physics, it's integral to know how to use the knowledge you have to answer problems.
the idea of mastery and becoming an expert in one field is sooo inspiring and exciting to me. Thanks for the video man!!
Same here! Glad to have a kindred spirit!
Until 6 months ago, I had no idea there was a name for what I've been doing my whole life: keeping notebooks full of ideas.
What you present here takes that discipline to another level. A journal devoted to one field of interest.
I shall start with "Mary Ann's First Commonplace Book devoted to Music Dramas"; Part One, Der Ring des Nibelungen. Prost!
This is awesome! I love how many of us are discovering that other people do the same habitsnwe love and do
This is how I made it through my BS in math. No way I could have done it otherwise. I actually learned this method while I was in the military. Note taking is a crucial skill for soldiers.
Dude that's awesome and you sound awesome. Glad to know I'm in good company.
Parker hello 👋🏽 this is fantastic. I’ve been looking for a way to organize my “second brains”. Appreciate your ideas in this. Oh also new subscriber ✨
Wow! Thanks Natalie! So glad to have you here. Looking forward to learning some tips and tricks from you as well 💪
Great coverage on commonplace books! I love how there isnt a fixation on aesthetics over function. I've seen commonplace book videos where the aesthetics overly complicates how to actually write in the book and hinders its usefulness.
Also glad to see the number of likes is larger than your subscriber count, this video should be a viral hit for you. It is really good!
Thanks so much, this is really encouraging! I'm glad you appreciated the balance I'm trying to strike between form and function. Aesthetics and function should go hand in hand but so often we pit them against eachother and make a mess. I'm no pro but I'm working on finding a good balance
Sometimes I think the passion that comes from study can be found in self-education I completely agree with you using commonplace book.
This video really woke my learning passion! I've always wanted to know more about many topics, like Astronomy, fashion, history of gaming, cars, and mythology, and i've read books on those and listened to a few episodes of a podcast, but always forgot what i was learning. I'll make a habit to jot down what I learn. Consistency is key too, I'm realising! Thanks for this. The only difficulty I'm having is deciding which interest to pursue first. 😅
That's why I have so many commonplace books haha. I'm so glad to hear that your learning passion is awakened, you have some pretty cool and diverse interests!
This is good and all, I will try to apply this to my interest in biochemistry and organic synthesis. I will definitely use this for anthropology studying. I am currently interested in anthropology as it relates to technology, disability, and relationships with the world around one self
So awesome!
The thing is, I'm studying in a dental school. Here are many terms, many sources... isn't it hard to maintain commonplace books and review them?
by definition an expert is more than a notebook :)
Anthropology is amazing ! Even I am working towards becoming a decent anthropologist. What exactly are you interested in, if you don’t mind me asking, within the wide range of topics you mentioned ?
@@ramyaaaa I am interested figuring out how foragers are able to solve problems with the tools that they make, and how it relates to their health, and overall wellbeing. How do they view and define disability. What is a disabilitiy to a forager may not be one in an agricultural or a society with access to industrial products, and vice versa. I'm really interested in that.
Reading the Original Affluent Society by Marshall Sahlins is what got me interested in the topic.
Commonplace books are a safe place to compile information and thoughts and insights you may want to keep for a long time. We appreciate this system. Seems like you’re thoroughly organized with everything. We also look forward to see more of these videos.
Thanks!
I am not sure why TH-cam recommended me this video but somehow it was spot on. I have been trying to develop my knowledge and skills on certain topics using various books. I would read the text, but I always felt lacking on how to incorporate the teachings in my life and make them my own. This video is helping me bridge that gap. Thanks!
Oh I'm so glad! I've definitely been there often!! These commonplace books have definitely helped me! Hopefully my future vids will help even more 🤞
Same!
Life long learner here and man this video struck a chord with me immediately. First time seeing the notion of a 'commonplace book' and was instantly drawn to the idea. Thanks for posting this.
Fantastic! So glad I could play a role in introducing you to the idea
Thank you. I love how you explain it in a short amount of time. It’s like a collage book with ideas and knowledge.
Thanks for doing this Parker. I’m an undergraduate philosophy student who is very interested in becoming an expert in philosophy of time but was unsure about how best to compile the important things, as well as my own thoughts about them. This has been a great help (loved your convo with Nikk effingham btw).
Fantastic!! I'm really glad you got something out of it. Nikk is so good!
As a person with a PhD in IR who always struggled with organising his thoughts and notes, thank you! I feel that this video popped up at the right moment. I'm going through a serious personal crisis because I've been unable to start any of my writing side projects, mostly because I'm completely disorganized. Watching your note taking videos is really inspirational. I'll try to follow your method
You are quite an expert on stationery. I love your set up, the deerstalker, the rows of books, your stache and tat, the whole mise-en-scene, it's just lovely. Well done, Sir!
I received a tiny field notebook for “Starfleet Command” and I’ve been enjoying adding Star Trek lore and important vocabulary in it.
It’s been a little taste at commonplacing on one subject and I think I’ll be using the method for more intensive things in the coming months.
That's really cool!
After my years in high school and college, I realized that really the main reason why so many topics are “hard” for some one just comes down to how often they’ve put in practice in something. I saw this so often with math. I’d struggle on a new chapter or lesson and couldn’t understand the principles.
But then months down, when we were on harder stuff, I’d find that I could go back and easily solve problem after problem. Because after weeks and months of just doing the material, the stuff that was “hard” was now so easy and I wondered why I struggled so much at all.
I’ve convinced that most of us could indeed become “experts” in a field (on already established knowledge) if we just put as much time into it as we a video game. There’s another example, how good we become at a game after months of playing it.
It has been eons since I commented on a TH-cam video. And admittedly a while since my curiosity has genuinely been peaked in a long term way, and this video did it for me. I found myself really wanting to engage with different people about different topics, for example my father in law or my professors. But I found that, in conversation, I'm often grasping at faded memories of quotes and unspecific references. I started to feel lost, like I really wasn't knowledgeable in anything. I grew up somewhat isolated in a hyper-ethnic family in a town with no one who grew up like me so that was starting to creep on me. I had no idea where to start, as the idea of just blindly trying to shoot for as many books and sources of information as possible and hoping to memorize it all seemed impossible, especially while being a student. But this! This is so articulated and focused! The idea of opening a new extension to my mind in a separate physical form is genuinely really exciting, and I'm already drafting a small list of potential future books to try. I got a orange Leuchtturm journal with dotted paper last month because I really liked the features and hoped I would find a use for it. Now I have one!
Take a home messages:
Sure, here's the content you provided organized into a system of nested categories and subcategories in bullet points:
- Home Message: Utilizing Commonplace Books for Expertise in Various Fields
- Purpose of Commonplace Books
- Enhancing expertise in specific subjects.
- Focusing on propositional knowledge.
- Creating a Commonplace Book
- Choose a preferred notebook or cover for a serious approach.
- Organize content related to the chosen field.
- Gathering Expertise Resources
- Read authoritative works by experts.
- Listen to podcasts and watch videos to gain knowledge.
- Active Learning Strategies
- Take marginal notes while reading for future reference.
- Engage with the content through active reflection.
- Abstracting Essential Information
- Distill key arguments, concepts, and quotes.
- Summarize complex ideas for quick review.
- Selecting Tools for Seriousness
- Moleskine or other preferred notebook brands.
- Leather covers for increased commitment.
- Designating Expertise Fields
- Choosing specific subjects of interest.
- Developing separate commonplace books for each topic.
- Engaging with Expert Resources
- Reading foundational texts in the chosen field.
- Listening to podcasts and watching relevant videos.
- Marginal Notes and Active Engagement
- Annotating books with marginalia for future use.
- Reflecting on notes to deepen understanding.
- Creating Abstracted Summaries
- Distilling arguments into concise forms.
- Memorizing key points for effective recall.
- *Remember, the goal of a commonplace book is to create a condensed and personalized resource that aids in becoming an expert in a chosen field. Through active engagement, abstraction, and deliberate reflection, one can enhance their understanding and knowledge in various subjects.*
- Home Message: Leveraging Commonplace Books to Cultivate Expertise
- Differentiating Commonplace Books and Compendiums
- Commonplace book for ideas; compendium for quotes.
- Adding personal thoughts to a commonplace book.
- Table of Contents and Organization
- Gradual development of a table of contents.
- Page numbers aid in easy referencing.
- Capturing Essential Knowledge
- Mastery requires understanding history, players, dates.
- Memorization of vital quotes and concepts.
- Deep grasp of foundational ideas and themes.
- Role of Commonplace Books
- Utilizing commonplace books to record information.
- Summarizing key elements for efficient review.
- Fostering the development of personal thoughts and opinions.
- Distinguishing Between Book Types
- Commonplace book vs. compendium.
- Integration of personal insights.
- Organizing and Accessing Content
- Gradual construction of a table of contents.
- Page numbers as references for easy retrieval.
- Comprehensive Knowledge Acquisition
- In-depth study of historical context.
- Memorization of important quotes and concepts.
- Grasping fundamental principles and themes.
- Empowering Expertise Development
- Commonplace books as information repositories.
- Condensed summaries for efficient revision.
- Nurturing personal ideation and argumentation.
- *The key to expertise lies in thorough knowledge acquisition, encompassing historical context, essential quotes, and foundational concepts. Commonplace books serve as dynamic tools for capturing and reviewing vital information while encouraging the cultivation of individual thoughts and insights. By leveraging these practices, one can enhance their expertise across a diverse range of subjects.*
Haha this is awesome!! Thanks!
@@ParkerNotes Thanks you great content!
Did you know that making chapters for a creators video actually hurts them because it prevents someone from watching more of the video (watch time and click through rate CTR) are penalized
@@BossDaddyMediaNaw, if there aren't chapters, I guess where what I'm looking for will be, get it wrong, and then never ever click on that creators materials again because somebody else has more useful content. Giving people the content they want is a whole lot better than forcing them to sit through the content they don't want. This isn't the 70's with 3 tv channels and a passive audience.
I had started to do something like this with alchemy (fascinating), but hadn't heard of a company's book before now. I can already see how this is going to recognize my notes!
Thanks for sharing. I’ve been considering using one of these notebooks in my journey to become fluent in Italian. Love the tips!
Wow! I love that! I think so much about philosophy and theology and I always love to hear about more topics people are trying to master. Good luck, man 💪
@@ParkerNotes fast reply! Quick: what’s your favorite quote from your studies?!
Loved the simplicity in explaining this topic ❤ highly appreciated 👏🏻
First of all this is my first time on your channel that's a glorious stash bro. Now, this video is very helpful because I have a ton of thoughts in my head at 47 years old and this is a perfect way to unload the philosophy topics that I accumulated over the years. Thanks man!
I've kept what I call a commonplace journal for day to day, for many years. Mostly for work, for schedules, for tracking. My journals today are more personal. The "literary journal" I started when the pandemic broke. I had more personal time. My day book is smaller, 5x8. The journal is 7.5 x 9 inches. Lined. Thank you for tips on TOC. My rimary study area is human cultures and societies, particularly 18th century (but earlier too--so many warrens), and early 19th century Britain because of the immense impact on global cultures. My specific interest is: literature, music, art and contextual politics of the eras and how they fit together. Patterns. Drilling deeper, Byron, Austen, Shakespeare, Chopin and Anthony Trollope. Any of those uncovers even more; Chekhov, Pushkin, the aftermath of the French Revolution, Rilke, --William Black. And more. It is all connected. My journal helps me note the patterns I find.
That sounds so fantastic! Those are amazing centuries lol. Late 19th century Anglo-American fashion was the peak of human fashion btw.
I am glad I stumbled upon this video. I wanted to do something like this, so I started jotting down things in my notion but I rarely use it to solidify my thinking. Thank you for the suggestion. New subscriber here. Love from India.
Awesome, glad to have you here!
Great video - thanks for sharing! Looking forward to getting one started for my upcoming video essays.
I've been doing this with spiral note books. The "fancier" common place book is so much more attractive and won't fall apart like the spiral notebook.❤ Thank you LOVE your video! I am working on Math, Art, and writing a book on curriculum...all in my retirement. I just love learning and it's cool to see someone else talk about it!
So fantastic that you're using your retirement for something so productive! Thanks for sharing with us! Keep going!!
Just came across your video. Synthesising information in this way is very similar to syntopical reading, which is the fourth level of reading described by Mortimer and Alder in their classic book, “How to Read a Book”. Love the idea of commonplace books, thank you.
Yeah Adler is one of my favorite authors. I can't believe I haven't made that connection to syntopical reading yet!! His syntopicon book is one of my favorite books
Just discovered this channel and im loving It! Its totally the next step I needed in my travel throught poetry and I will use this video for it, thanks a lot!
greetings from Venezuela. This channel has been a key part of my studying techniques. Thank you.
I really enjoyed this. You are telling us how to basically obtain the equivalent of an advanced level college course. I do like reading well-written "opposing views" because it helps me compare the weight of documentation on both sides (if there are disparate views on a main topic of interest.) And for anything "how-to" focused, youtube is actually a great resource! My areas of interest are theological and science, particularly anything botany related (herbs for cooking, healing, medieval and 18th century cooking etc.) I am a deep thinker, so I look for the "meat" of any topic, all the details.
Lots of meat coming your way 💪
I've been doing this since I finished highschool and I didnt know it had a name, I love doing it and its super useful since I have a bad memory and like to have a neat resource material where to keep my knowledge organized for refreshing mi memory 🥰
I started in college and had no idea it had a name either. I was blown away to discover there's a whole subculture around commonplace books
I'm trying to become a professional copywriter and I've been looking for ways to organize my notes on the courses, books and videos I watch so this is PERFECT! Thank you!
Nicely done. I am learning a great deal from your work. Thanks so much - definitely worth my time. A great practical education for me.
I'm so glad!!
Wow-so many ideas from this one video, including using leather covers for notebooks (I love Leuchtturms) and, more importantly, keeping multiple notebooks for different topics (compendiums of ideas). Up to now, I’ve only used these notebooks in a Bullet Journal style, with multiple ideas (collections) in each. I have multiple areas I wish go deeper into, including AI, photography, and writing. Thanks for this!
Yep, you totally get it! I just started playing with bullet journaling too. So glad you got something out of it.
FINALLY! Someone else that uses grid/graph paper notebooks! I picked up using graph paper as a police detective. I love it because it allows LOTS of extra notes, multi-directional lines writing space, and space to insert technical drawings! Nice!
This video really woke my learning passion! I've always wanted to know more about many topics, like Astronomy, fashion, history of gaming, cars, and mythology, and i've read books on those and listened to a few episodes of a podcast, but always forgot what i was learning. I'll make a habit to jot down what I learn. Consistency is key too, I'm realising! Thanks for this. The only difficulty I'm having is deciding which interest to pursue first.
Not only did you give advice on starting a commonplace book you also showed a book that got me curious and I will pick up a copy
Awesome!
I love this. Thank you for sharing - I'm going to try this out this year!
Awesome!! I hope you have some fun with it!
hey man thanks for this video and for all the others youve posted, after watching pretty much all of them i already started writing my commonplace book and i hope to acquire more knowledge on the criminology field and about abolitionist theories, wich is the area i like to study the most. i always felt like i was missing something on how to retain the stuff that i study and how to be able to use them in the best way to maximize the learning for the moment and also for the long term future. after watching your videos i feel like i have an opportunity to finally give it a go on this project and evolve on these subjects. thanks again and keep posting, your channel is awesome
Wow this is so huge! I'm really pumped for you. Glad I get to play even a tiny role in helping you organize your studies on this
I can’t believe I didn’t know this was a thing until now! I’ve always needed to write things down in order to retain information. So much so that I would apologize during training sessions because I needed to pause to take notes. Those notes became my resource and allowed me to further simplify a process and reach others. People at work would have questions and say “I bet it’s in your notebook” and sure enough, it always was. TFS- this gives a lot more meaning to something that I thought was a hinderance.
Nice! There’s so much wisdom in what our forefathers did. And they often kept commonplace books. Great practice to revive. I’ve had a few going for several years now. I use a bullet journal daily. If I don’t have time to grab a commonplace book on a certain topic but need to jot down a quote or a thought or question real quick, I’ll jot it down in my bullet journal and transfer it to the right commonplace book later.
Totally! I do this with my pocket journals
I am 62 and play guitar. I have started lessons where I am learning about music and things I should have known a long time ago. I am using paper and computer to capture ideas and write out my own thoughts as well. Glad I found your channel. Excellent work here. God bless.
God bless you, Brian! Glad to have you here. It's cool you're filling in the gaps in your knowledge, I'm constantly trying to do this too. Feels like there's so much I should already know but screw it, I'm working on it.
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words my new friend! @@ParkerNotes
thanks so much for this video... i just started my postgraduate study, gonna go get some notebooks now, i want to be an expert in digital leadership... your video really inspired me.. thank you again!!!
This january journal for me Is dedicated to my rumination, the bad thinking I must heal from. I read books on this topic and write about it 😊
Some of my interests are in Geology (planetary, hydro), bjj, philosophy, radio communication, engineering among others.
I love writing and working out ideas in pen and paper. I enjoy drawing scribling. I used to think that my notes needed to be perfect but now i scribble, cross out, correct my ideas all the time. I will produce a final version that is clean and has all the information i want in the end.
Vocabulary words is a good subject!
Understanding new words helps with communication and expressing yourself!
Indubitably!
Just saw your post here for the first time on common books. Definitely resonates with me. I discovered bullet journaling some years ago, a simple way to keep a daily calendar and to-do list, and it changed my life. (ADD guy here, btw.) This strikes me as a similar way to organize and journal those fields-of-thought that I need to keep up on: I’m a pastor and need to stay on top of theology, philosophy, and current social thought. Your common book method looks like it will be as successful for me as bullet journaling. Many thanks, and subscribing to your channel. Pax ! ✌️
Awesome! I definitely think it can help you keep up on those!
This is the first time I've come across your videos. I have a commonplace notebook for life but I am about to embark on a Masters in Criminology and think having one specific for this area would be very helpful, not particularly for writing up my Uni notes but for a deeper look at arguments and research in areas of particular interest. Great Video:)
Yes! Exactly right!! Have a general notebook for uni notes and when you take uni notes that pertain to the specialty interest that you wanna be an expert in, you can move those notes to the commonplace book. And writing them more than once will always help ypu metabolize them. I love the way you're seeing it.
I've used this method for decades but I have always found that I still end up overwhelmed by the information. And the linear method of ‘pages full of lines of writing’ is not conducive to easy memorising. A while ago go I added a 3rd step of 'summarising the notes in my commonplace book' into a MIND MAP. I have found this is the secret to memory - this final, more pictorial stage, seems to cement the information in my mind for easy retrieval.
That's fascinating! I'm going to try that
My only add.. is margins and an mostly an index ! They are important for commonplace books and highly recommend ppl look into them for the book to become referenceable at all time.
I mentioned indexing at the end but what do you have in mind when you say margins? Like you write in the margins of your commonplace book as well?
@@ParkerNotes the channel Journal De Sylvie has 2 amazing videos, one on margins and how they work and why important and another on indexing and they explain it far better then I can.
I'm so thrilled about starting to do this, thank you! ❤
Yes! Let's go!
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. You discussed two of my favorite things: learning and notebooks! I’m going to try one of the leather covers you showed. Thank you.
Haha awesome! So glad you enjoyed. Those are some of my favorite things too!
I'm studying Mandarin Chinese for more than the half of my life. I used to make cards by my hand, using fountain pens. And now I'm going to start to learn Chinese linguistics, and Chinese history. Watching this video I realized that I can choose different colours (notebooks and also the inks) in order to differentiate between the two topics. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! So glad I could help!
I like the distinction you made for compendium and common place. I feel what I am doing is more of what you would call a compendium at the moment as it is a place for me to collect lyrics, quotes, and mostly (thus far) word definitions. Each time I take in a media form if there is a word I don't know at all or have heard but don't have a solid definition of I write it down in that book. Thanks also for sharing the leather covers you use. Those are really nice. I have made some of my own but these give me ideas
So awesome that you've made your own! I love compendiums too. My first video discusses the difference more
Thanks for the video, very helpful. I´m interested in hearing more about how to find information when you have several commonplace books. New subscriber also!
This is really cool. I just got done setting up my commonplace book for studying Tolkien, and I'm really excited about filling it up with cool stuff.
Let's go! Excited for you
I’m 17 and entirely self study topics that I believe will further my own means. I’m going to use this to become a prodigy in many subjects that I deem to be useful. Gratitude.
Go change the world for the better 🙌💪
Prodigy in narcissism by the sounds lmao
@@alexcooper3651 I have a post graduate level of knowledge in psychology. You clearly don’t have enough information to base your deductions on, blatantly displaying evident cognitive biases in the process-and consequently cognitive dissonance; With deference.
@@dire-decadence Mate, take it from somebody who doesn’t just have a degree ~level~ understanding of psychology; but also has the degree to show - you’ve only served to prove my point in that response. Ultimately, how you lead your life isn’t going to change mine; I have no desire to sit here and argue over the internet with you. But a word of advice to you from someone who was 17 not too long ago: forcing a convoluted vernacular doesn’t make you intelligent, and it certainly doesn’t convey the image of a well-articulated person. It makes you seem pretentious. Maybe I was rude to deem you narcissistic; you’re young. Maybe you’re just eager to be your best self - I get that. But you do come off rather conceited what with the way you talk, and that really isn’t a good look.
Prodigy in narcissism by the sounds lmao
I actually started a commonplace book for design without even realizing it… I wanted my own “design school” with a table of contents (adhoc made the most sense so I did that prior to hearing your advice). I took short online courses, listened to podcast episodes, and even wrote takeaways from my informational interviews with experts. I am a practicing designer so the knowledge is applied to skill.
This is awesome. I'm screenshotting it as anecdotal evidence for the naysayers! Thank you!
I’ve been doing something similar using Microsoft OneNote and multiple commonplace notebooks within it. Thanks for creating and sharing the video
Hello, Parker! 👋🏽 This is absolutely fantastic. I've been searching for a method to effectively organize my "second brains." I truly appreciate your insights on this. By the way, I'm a new subscriber! ✨
Yeah a lot of people use Notion (including myself) however, things in Notion get lost pretty easily or Notion can cause distraction because you put everything in there.
When you go analog and you grab a notebook and a specific book, it forces you to only note that book, not bounce back and forth between tons of different topics.
Excellent! I had never heard of Commonplace books before your video. I can't emphasize enough the idea of an index (table of contents sounds so formal), and the first thing I do when I get a new notebook is I number the pages. I use a sharpie and number only the odd pages, and it takes maybe ten minutes. I use simple "composition" books (cardboard bound, sewn-in pages), and I have a stack of maybe 15 filled ones. It's important to start the index when you start the notebook! I find the index very helpful AS I'm writing in the book, since I want to link my own thoughts together, as I'm going through the process. Sometimes I'll write a bit on a topic, then revisit it later on, and the index simply has the clusters of page numbers for that topic. Very handy. 🙂 Keep up the great work!
leuchtturm notebooks have numbers on their pages and an index
@@AminaZaoui-ro7fc Excellent! But can I get a 200-page one for $2? 😋
@@AminaZaoui-ro7fc Ok, I'm officially a hypocrite. I've dropped serious bucks on a ReMarkable2, because it looks EXACTLY what I've been looking for in terms of "paper notebooks" to the nth power.
index is so important, bcs a commonplace note like this is so hard to navigate once you're done
In Italian it's called "zibaldone". The most famous is the one of the 1800's poet Giacomo Leopardi.
I use several books. My husband has an incredibly memory. He read and he remembers. I don't, so I try to keep up. 😊
Thanks for this I'm going to research zibaldone. I'm American Italian so I always want to learn about the motherland 😀
I am so gassed as to how much I can learn from your channel🤩! Thank you for the tips looking forward to more content
Hopefully I can put another one out on commonplace books this week 🤞
I loved it. Thank you so much. Please make a video about the books behind you on the shelf. I am curious.
I have many interests, such as philosophy, archaeology, and the bible, just to name a few. Your ideas will help me to achieve what I need to do
Fantastic!!
I love this, but i can already see myself putting in my 100% in the first 2 pages and never touch it again
Lol been there. I put them places where I'm reminded now though and that helps also scheduling times to work on them helps
Thanks for the video! I really should start a commonplace book, I feel like I would get back into reading if I engaged with the material more. I also dig all the stickers, but especially the philosophy velociraptor or whatever that meme was called. I also like that you didn't limit this to books- that you can use it to take notes on podcasts, too. That never crossed my mind and it's sparking all kinds of ideas now.
Philosoraptor 😅 yeah definitely include TH-cam vids and podcasts, I'm so glad you caught that and like the idea!
I love this idea! Thank you.
Im going into junior year next month, but here in Portugal you decide if you want to have a carrer on stem, humanities or art in sophomore. Back then I chose to follow a stem carrer, which i love, but I also have a really big passion for history and culture. I'll definitely use this method to deepeth my knowledge in greek and latin mythology, as it a subject that I'm really interested in. Thank you for your tips!
I definitely want to try this. I’m thinking about doing one for current American politics. As a teenager who will be able to vote soon, this seems like a great way to compile information. The topic might be a bit broad, but I can break it down into parts.
Wow! I wish there were way more teenagers thinking like you!
@@ParkerNotes totally agree. This would also be a great way to take notes when you go off to college @loganr7108
- wish I had knew about this way back when lol
Thanks. I'm trying to read a book a week on different subjects I've been interested in. I use notebooks like you do to remember things that are highly interesting that can relate with others. It's a great way to learn and remember. Your video goes along with what I'm doing. Thanks.
That's awesome! Writing down in order to pass on to others is such a good move. You end up becoming a total blessing to the people in your life (as long as you don't accidentally becoming a know-it-all but you sound pretty cool!)
What a great idea! As a teacher of English once I had a class of engineers
They were foreign language speakers and they needed to learn the essential language of their field nut in English. So I became an "expert" in construction cranes! Never thought I would find that as an interesting thing yo learn about. Well, I did and loved teaching all the terminology related to cranes. Wish I had had this idea of writing everything down. I'm retired now and just love this idea.
I want to do this with math, it's always been a weak topic for me and I want to get better at it. You have inspired me to start one, thank you!
Awesome! I just started one with logic maybe I should do a math one too. Gotta find more hours in the day!
This is an excellent method. I have filled up many notebooks using the same technique, although your version is more refined, carefully citing sources. Reading source books is vital, especially in philosophy. Concerning Artificial Intelligence, I have been a technical writer for financial institutions where it is necessary to read computer code. With Artificial Intelligence, machine learning essentially hides the code. The only way to debunk malicious AI is to go to the sources of a topic and become an expert as you have suggested. AI cannot be debunked by using AI. This would be a pointless vicious circle.
I did this method to be expert in stoic philosophy...thank you for your effort❤
I've been doing this since I finished highschool and I didnt know it had a name, I love doing it and its super useful since I have a bad memory and like to have a neat resource material where to keep my knowledge organized for refreshing mi memory
I do this exactly except I use Notion to type everything out. EVERY SINGLE knowledge I consume and find worthy, I put in notion. I have an entire database for storing notes on books, articles, videos, etc. Makes searching for stuff easier but I also like to keep a commonplace book when consuming these materials and then transfer them to notion. If I lost my laptop, book, or whatever, I can access Notion wherever and still have all my notes and thoughts in one place.
I like that you do both. I keep going more and more analog. I just started using a fountain pen 😅😅😅
@@ParkerNotes totally understandable 😇 nothing beats the feeling of good ole pen and paper in the end.
@@ParkerNotes Haha the fountain pen is ravishing. I use a 2.0 clothing pattern drafting mechanical pencil. It’s v pretentious Swedish architect
Thank you so much for sharing! I‘m a 16 year old teen from Germany and was always super interested in political systems. I’m currently thinking about starting a commonplace book about Spanish politics + their philosophy and if that goes well, I may continue with other differentiating systems. I’m really excited and hope that I will be disciplined enough to keep writing!
You can do it! I'm planning on making some more videos on how to keep up with your productivity goals that may help
@@ParkerNotes Thatˋs a wonderful coincidence, I’ll definitely check them out when they’re out :)
How has it been going? If you've started, how are you dealing with motivation and discipline, what gives you the drive to do this?
@@eli-ii6765 Itˋs going pretty well. My drive is mainly interest, but also curiosity (I don’t have a connection to Spain or anything, it’s seriously mere nosiness that motivated me to obtain knowledge). Oh, and also : I’m not like extremely passionate and devoted , but whenever I find bits and pieces of information that perfectly fit the topic (and that I would like to attain) I write it in my commonplace book. And to be honest, I feel like extreme devotion would kinda disrupt the natural flow of learning and gaining knowledge.. So I definitely recommend not going at it but really just wait for the information to get to you or else you’ll quickly lose interest. Don’t take it as a task, but rather as a hobby that doesn’t have to be taken care of constantly.
@@beluga11129 Okay, thank you, keep at it
Really stellar idea, I have very large journals going back for years, an adhoc stream of inner dialogue and catalog of interest.....dedicated one journal or " common place " per area of study is brilliant!!!
I'm so glad you get it an are interested!!
I saw the intro and I knew that was what I was looking for. I was always looking for a method or a way to organize myself to be an expert or to have a deep knowledge on the subject. Thank you
This is awesome! So glad I could help!
summary - [0:00] - Introduction: The video explains what commonplace books are, how they can help you become an expert on any topic, and how to use them effectively.
[1:48] - What are commonplace books? Commonplace books are notebooks or digital tools where you collect and organise information, quotes, ideas, and insights from various sources on a specific topic.
[3:17] - Why use commonplace books? Commonplace books can help you learn faster, remember better, and generate new ideas by connecting different pieces of information. They can also help you develop your own voice and perspective on the topic.
[5:08] - How to use commonplace books? The video suggests four steps to use commonplace books:
Step 1: Choose a topic that you are interested in or want to learn more about.
Step 2: Find and consume relevant sources of information, such as books, articles, podcasts, videos, etc.
Step 3: Extract and summarise the key points, quotes, or insights from each source and add them to your commonplace book. You can also add your own thoughts, questions, or comments.
Step 4: Review and organise your commonplace book regularly. You can use tags, categories, or links to group related information. You can also create summaries or outlines of your main findings or arguments.
[8:42] - Conclusion: The video summarises the main benefits and steps of using commonplace books and encourages the viewers to try them out.
I want to make a book for each language that I’ve studied so I can move each one on. I’m starting a Masters in September so I will set up books as I go through that too. I woild like to make canvas slip covers and maybe embroider the spines. I did a similar project during lockdown where I collected all the recipes that mean something to me. I made up A4 folders. It was like making an autobiography of food. My cooking and the quality of food I make is so much better since I did that.
Wow, that's awesome! Yeah I think commonplace books can totally help you capture what you've learned and will be learning. Really cool that you're into so many diverse topics
This is what TH-cam is for. Fantastic. I've published on the history of commonplace books in scholarly journals but have never kept one. Time to try that. Thanks.
Thank you!! I love TH-cam for this kinda stuff, so glad to be added to the good side of it
Love this! I Just keep a commonplace book for all my thoughts and notes about what I read but I never thought of getting separate specific ones for areas of interest
Thanks! I've found it to be really beneficial
Great video. I am going to use a commonplace book to study dementia, and dementia care.
Wow that's awesome!
I’m always so chuffed when people think a stack of like 20 notebooks is “a lot of notebooks” hehehe
Those leather covers are rly cool!
Finally someone who gets it. I'm showing this to my wife so she'll let me get more (or so I can show her my secret stash that I already bought lol)
@@ParkerNotesi live in terror that someone will find out how much I spent on journals lol. When I started running out of room I invested in an iPad so most of my notetaking is there, but I still use paper. Just at half the rate I did before. Gives me more time to figure out where to put them lol
Hahaha I am with you!! I got a kindle scribe though lol
@@ParkerNotesgood move!
I've tried all kinds of apps and started reading about Zettelkasten two years ago. I came across commonplace books recently. Your video helped me envision how I could use commonplace books to support me when reading non-fiction.
I love that! What do you think of Zettelkasten so far?
This was really beneficial to hear! I have been trying to cram some notes in an old, unfinished bullet journal from years ago about a subject I’ve been wanting to become an expert in.
I believe using a set notebook for one topic is genius. I have thought about this in the past & have not put it to practice, however after watching this video you have provided me a good guide for how to develop an understanding of a topic I want to become an expert in.
Ever since I learned about Dr. Maria Montessori I have become extremely intrigued & a huge believer in her Pedagogy. I look forward to becoming an expert in The Montessori Method using these reference points: learning the History, Memorizing Important Dates & Quotes, learning about Dr Maria more! I also look forward to tracking & developing my own thoughts behind this field in one place. Thanks again!!
(Also I think I might have to buy one of those amazing leather notebooks for my husband. I think he’d really enjoy it! He’s become quite an expert in Video. - shameless plug for Cody Scott !)
Thank you again!! Looking forward to diving into more of your content. Quick, simple, informative & applicable! Keep it up!
Good video, I've subscribed.
I just want to learn different topics, spend more time learning for fun rather than giving my soul to social media.
Amen! I've got an entire commonplace book dedicated to fun topics to explore on this channel. Looking forward to your thoughts.
Nice video! I’ve been using the Leuchtterm1917 for a while. The different sizes they have I’ve found to be really enjoyable.. from the pocket size to the a5 to the large, I have different styles of writing and exercises I use them for. I also started writing with fountain pens.. another way of stirring up greater enjoyment in the processes of writing, I’ve been using the original fountain pen I got for months now and I’m about ready to explore some different models.
The leather covers is a great idea I never considered! It’s true when you invest in your tools, it helps you take it more seriously, or farm greater enjoyment in the process. Also the extra hobby of nerding out on tools and materials is just fun.
Subscribed, liked, and commented! Cheers
Haha we are so similar! I recently started using a fountain pen too and love it. I love leuchtturm1917's except for the pocket. I think the pocket Moleskine is a spot where Moleskine wins. Thanks for the comment, you're totally write about how fun it is to nerd out over the tools of the trade.
Great guide, thanks for making this. The challenge I have with this is that there's no one topic I'm interested in enough to dedicate an entire commonplace book to it. I read a wide variety of books (fic and non-fic) that may or may not be related to each other, and I find what's most rewarding and interesting about this is connecting disparate ideas from different sources about unrelated topics. But I haven't found an effective way to organise the notes from so many disparate sources comprehensively, and in a way that they can be revisited, revised, and reflected upon after the fact.
I like the idea of applications like Obsidian, which allow you to take notes that link to each other and become connected in a visual "web" of ideas. The problem with this is that I don't always have my computer with me, and would much prefer a physical method with pen and paper. By connecting the notes to other ideas that have already been written down, you're integrating your knowledge and "catching" new information in a network of existing knowledge. It's a fantastic way to learn.
Seems like index cards might be the best bet for such an approach since they're modular, and each index card can contain an atomized piece of information. I suppose the "linking" can be done with colour-coded sticky dots, or even pieces of yarn (though I don't know how that would work).
Hi, Parker 👋🏾
New subscriber here. I'm so happy to have found your channel. I think with your method, I've finally found a way of note-taking and planning my work that can make sense to me. I've struggled for many years, feeling a terrible lack of confidence around studying, or even 'becoming an expert' in any of my chosen subjects. My notes are always all over the place and in different notebooks or various bits of paper, or on Post-It's, so I have trouble retaining information when I read textbooks. Now I've watched both this and your 'Write In Your Book' videos a number of times, I'll certainly give this method a go.
Right now, I'm just starting a book on a series of lectures around the Buddhist principles of life and death (it's less daunting than it sounds, I promise 😄). I'll test your method out on this book and see if I can use my Commonplace book to retain the information.
Wish me luck... 🤞🏾
Awesome!! So glad my thoughts have been a small help!
I've been thinking about this for a while and I think I want to create commonplace books to study writing advice, mindset/philosophy, studying German, and fitness/nutrition. It's hard to narrow it down because I have so many interests.
I totally get that, I have so many! Too many according to my wife lol
Start one for everything and see what gets written in most over time
@@ParkerNotes @schoo9256 I'm a serial starter, so there's a chance that I'll give up on all of them eventually.