Metadata
- Author: notes.andymatuschak.org
- Full Title: Prefer Note Titles With Complete Phrases to Sharpen Claims
- Category:
- URL: https://notes.andymatuschak.org/z3KmNj3oKKSTJfqdfSEBzTQiCVGoC4GfK3rYW
Highlights
If I write a note but struggle to summarize it in a sharp title, that’s often a sign that my thinking is muddy or that this note is about several topics (contra Evergreen notes should be atomic). In both cases, the solution is to break the ideas down and write about the bits I understand best first.
Questions also make good note titles because that position creates pressure to make the question get to the core of the matter. Some questions really are evergreen (To what extent is exceptional ability heritable?); others are more ephemeral creative prompts (How might the mnemonic medium enable readers in genres outside platform knowledge?). The goal with the latter type of note is to eventually drop the question mark, refactoring it into declarative/imperative notes.