MASTERPOST: how to organize old notes and readings (digital and paper)
hello, I did this post and some people were interested in a post on how to organize past notes, texts, and notebooks.
Some background on me so you guys can understand my system better and adapt: high school was very traumatic study-wise so I just got rid of everything regarding that time (threw in the recycling trash). I graduated in arts administration, so lots of readings and notes. I’m currently in grad school, so more readings and more notes.
In academia, we’re always circling around some authors who are kind like a canon for our field, so I had to keep my notes and texts for future reference so I can freshen up on the theory when I face it in another class.
My notebooks are used to take notes at class, and even though I write every word my professors say and I’ve done something around six classes every term, I was able to keep it all in a notebook per term. They’re from a Moleskine inspired Brazilian brand that I love, 180 p. each, some lined and some blank.
When the semester is over, I take a piece of paper and clear tape and write the term and tape it on the side (our school year matches the actual year, so we name the term per semester, so the first term of 2019 is the first semester of 2019, which we call 2019.1, the second is 2019.2). I also have a notes notebook for every big research I’ve done (like the undergrad thesis) and I use the same system with them.
They’re very cute notebooks so I keep them in my bookcase like an exhibition, and they’re very useful because sometimes I have ideas and observations on my class notes that don’t make my final and neat notes.
I have used those unitary Muji notebooks at my abroad semester but they’re so slim and tiny that I just keep them in the designated folder of the class, along with the readings and notes.
So, we barely use books for my classes, all readings are either Xerox or pdf of books (no one here gaf to copyright when it comes to learning). I kinda like this way better because it is easier to highlight and take notes, also I don’t have to buy 8 different books if I’m only using a chapter or two of each.
So, my notes outside from class are usually taken on loose pages, cause this way it’s easier to take them to an exam or find what I need, instead of looking for it in the middle of a notebook.
When my semester starts I take a folder for each class and keep all my readings and notes on that folder. I don’t take the entire folder with me to class, just the readings, and notes for the day.
So, I use a file organizing box. I think you can find them online and in stores by the names of “archive box”, “suspension files box”, “file box”. Mine are made of plastic but there are also ones made of cardboard, the only important thing is that you’re able to keep all your folders in one place so it’s easier.
All my folders are named on these little tabs, I write the name/code of class and date of term and they go in the box, which are currently two for undergrad and one for grad school. The max capacity of folders per box depends on how large is each folder (one of mine fits 20 and the other only 14).
This system allows me to find all readings and notes regarding one class in less than a minute, and store them in a way that doesn’t take much space. Considering I have folders on over 30 classes, two boxes of 14cmx39cm is a great deal.
My academics book sit in my bookcase, alongside some fiction ones that I plan on reading. I’ve grown from an overstuffed bookcase and have very few books, so I’ve decided to display them in a rainbow organization just bc aesthetics.
When I’m writing something that needs certain books, I take them from the “rainbow” and let them sit in another shelf, this way they’re easier to take and I don’t take a risk at forgetting one of them when it comes to citing sources.
digital notes, readings, and papers
One word when it comes to organizing digital: folders. At least the digital ones are free and easier to handle! I have a folder for each university I went, folders for each term and for each class. My organization goes like this NAME OF UNIVERSITY > DATE OF TERM > NAME OF CLASS.
Then, I do my best to name each file in a way I can know what is about without having to open it (trust me, it’s way easier than clicking in five different “asdijaji” files before finding the one). My texts are named “AUTHOR. Title of Text” and my exams/papers are like “Evaluation 1 - Response on AUTHOR”, “Final Exam - PAPER THEME”.
Also another word for digital storage: CLOUD. Please do a backup on everything. Dropbox and Google Drive have desktop versions which synchronize automatically with the websites, so you save yourself the work, and if your computer dies on you, you already have everything important saved. Idk if it’s like this for everyone, but Google Drive lets some students have infinite storage if they sign in with a university email. I don’t have anything regarding my first term in undergrad because I didn’t use the cloud back then, and when my computer broke I didn’t have a way to get the files back.
list of all texts (paper and digital)
This one I haven’t done yet, it’s more like an idea I have yet to put in practice. So, I must have something in the hundreds when it comes to readings, both in xerox and pdf, my organization dream is to have a list with all the texts, and if I have them in paper or digital, and where they are. I though on doing it on excel because columns make it easier. So it would be something like
NAME OF AUTHOR / TITLE OF TEXT / PAPER (Y/N) / DIGITAL (Y/N) / NAME OF FOLDER WHERE THEY ARE
Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time yet, cause I went straight from undergrad to grad, but I really think this makes it easier. This way, if someone tells me, let’s say Bordieu, it’s a good source for what I’m writing on, I can go to this list, see everything I have on Bordieu (and if it’s there I’ve probably studied in some class already) and can go looking for it in my notes, past exams, etc.
I really hope this explanation on how I keep everything can help you guys! I did my best to explain it but if you have some doubt or want ideas on how to adapt or on completely new ways to store and organize something, send me an ask! I’d love to help you! Have a nice day x
