Lecture on Obsidian Note-Taking App

Introduction

• Presenter: Vicki
• Topic: Introduction to the Obsidian note-taking app for organizing and retrieving information.
• Goal: Help beginners get started with Obsidian, covering core functions and features.

Getting Started with Obsidian

• Download: Obsidian.md for your computer.
• Vault: Central workspace in Obsidian. Acts like a user profile containing all stored notes.
• Steps:
  • Create a new vault (e.g., named 'demo').
  • Interface overview: Notes and folders.

Example: Digitizing Notes

• Example Note: 'Thinking Fast and Slow'
  • Idea: Framing a fact changes perception (study at UCL).
  • Note linking: Connect related ideas (e.g., Russell's conjugation).
  • Creating a YouTube script note linking back to related ideas.

Key Features of Obsidian

Basic Functions

• Creating Notes:
  • Command/Control + N for new note.
  • Command/Control + Shift + N for new note in a new pane.
• Folders:
  • Create new folders and drag notes into them.
  • Organize by category (e.g., 'slow', 'YouTube').
• Internal Links:
  • Double brackets to link notes.
  • Create notes by clicking on non-existent links.
• External Links:
  • Paste URLs directly.
• Edit vs. Preview Mode:
  • Switch to Preview mode to interact with links.
  • Command/Control + E to toggle between modes.
• Tags:
  • Use hashtags (#) for tags (no spaces allowed).
• Images:
  • Drag and drop images into notes (visible in Preview mode).

Styles

• Headings:
  • Use hashtags with spaces (e.g., # Heading for largest heading).
• Bold/Italics:
  • Command/Control + B/I or use asterisks (**bold**, *italics*).
• Highlights:
  • Use double equal signs (==highlight==).
• Block Quotes:
  • Use greater than sign (>).
• Dividers:
  • Use three dashes (---).

Lists

• Check Boxes:
  • Command + Enter twice for checkboxes.
• Bullet Lists:
  • Use dashes or Control + Enter.
• Numbered Lists:
  • Use number plus period (auto-increment).

Views

• Split Screen:
  • Command/Control + Click to open in a new pane.
  • Linked and unlinked panes for synchronized or independent scrolling.
• Backlinks:
  • Sidebar to see notes linking back to the current note.

Plugins

• Templates:
  • Core Plugins > Templates. Create folders and set default templates.
  • Use {{title}}, {{date}}, {{time}} for dynamic content.
• Random Notes:
  • Core Plugins > Random note to discover or review notes.
• Daily Notes:
  • Core Plugins > Daily Note for automatic daily notes.
• Starred Items:
  • Star frequently used notes for quick access.

Graph View

• Connecting Ideas:
  • Visual representation of note connections.
  • Helps in seeing patterns and generating new ideas.
• Example:
  • Connect 'Russell's Conjugation', 'UCL Study', 'Framing Effect', 'Affect Heuristic', and 'Cognitive Bias'.

Conclusion

• Usage: Enhances the ability to organize, retrieve, and connect ideas.
• Call to Action: Engage with knowledge management systems like Obsidian.
• Future Content: Upcoming videos on personal experiences and tutorials.
• Feedback Request: Comments and questions are welcome.

Additional Resources

• YouTube Channel: Subscribe for more content on mental models and note-taking frameworks.