\[ **Bt: [[note-taking]]** ] --- # Goutor’s card-file system of note-taking ## methodology [[Goutor's Card-File System utilises three basic note types.|Goutor's Card-File System utilises three basic note types:]] > - **bibliographic notes** > - the source’s bibliographic details + physical location + any other relevant details (e.g. call numbers). > - **content notes** > - the actual content/research notes: “==the pieces of the mosaic==”[^1] > - this includes “quote notes” and “summary notes” > - *atomised* (AKA: each note contains one piece of information) > - **self-help notes** > - research questions, reminders to look something up, etc > [^2] [[Note-taking methods must consider the practicalities of retrieval and use.]][^3] [[Any note-taking process should take into account not only gathering information but also the RETRIEVAL of that information.]][^4] --- ### one piece of information per note [[When taking notes, focus on clarity (i.e. one piece of information per note).]][^5] > [[‘The smaller the note, the easier it is to classify.’]][^6] > [[Each note ‘should have a life of its own, so that it can stand independently of every other one in the file.’]][^7] --- ### accuracy is king [[When taking notes, accuracy is paramount.]][^8] [[The mechanical process of a good note-taking methodology can help the researcher avoid careless errors.|The mechanical process of a good note-taking methodology can help the researcher avoid careless errors.]][^9] --- ### stay focused (but avoid tunnel-vision) [[When taking notes, make sure to stay on track while also avoiding tunnel vision.]][^10] [[The card-file system of note-taking can reveal gaps in your research.|The card-file system of note-taking can reveal gaps in your research.]][^11] --- ## philosophy > [[Note-taking should be purpose-driven.|Note-taking ‘is in effect a filtering process through which the researcher not only reduces a mass of materials to manageable size, but also selects from that mass what he thinks may eventually prove useful for his project. One should note that the quality of the filter is of great importance since it determines, for all practical purposes, the contents of the researcher’s notes.’]][^12] [[If note-taking is a form of filtering, then the nature of that filter will also determine the shape of your final products.|If note-taking is a form of filtering, then the nature of that filter will also determine the shape of your final products.]][^13] > [[‘If one thinks of the final product of the historian's labours as mosaic made up of dozens of separate bits of information …’]][^14] [[The researcher is only as good as their card-file.]][^15] ### usefulness > [[‘After all, the ultimate purpose of the exercise is not to produce beautiful notes … but rather useable notes to build the mosaic.’]][^7] [[The usefulness of any note-taking methodology has a limit, and if more time is being put into managing it than actually taking notes... that limit's been reached.|The usefulness of any note-taking methodology has a limit, and if more time is being put into managing it than actually taking notes... that limit's been reached.]][^16] ### comfort > [[‘In developing the mechanics of a note-taking system, one further criterion should be kept in mind—comfort.’]][^17] > [[‘In developing the mechanics of a note-taking system, one further criterion should be kept in mind—comfort.’|‘The essential point to keep in mind is that as long as the basic guidelines are respected, there is no reason why one should not go about the work in a manner which is as painless as possible, given the often physically demanding nature of the endeavour.’]][^18] [^1]: Jacques Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]* (Ontario Historical Society, 1980), p. 20. [^2]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, pp. 13, 14, 20, 26. [^3]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 3, 7. [^4]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 3. [^5]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, pp. 6, 28. [^6]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 6. [^7]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 33. [^8]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 29. [^9]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 12. [^10]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 5. [^11]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 7. [^12]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 3. [^13]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 4. [^14]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, pp. 6–7. [^15]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 36. [^16]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 33. [^17]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 28. [^18]: Goutor, *[[Goutor, The Card-File System of Note-Taking, 1980|The Card-File System of Note-Taking]]*, p. 28.