Calhist𐃏rian Profile picture
Jul 16, 2021 7 tweets 3 min read Read on X
#AdviceFromARoman Continuing the "advice" column that I started some time back regarding how to best utilize @RoamResearch for your knowledge graph. The TL:DR, every block or block-tree should have three elements associated with it. An ENTITY, a TYPE, and of course its CONTENT.
What do I mean? Fundamentally, Roam "search" is a very different paradigm than other consumer writing/notes applications. Well, I am not going to explain how Roam works behind referring to my prior advice tweets about tag/page ref inheritance.
Importantly though, exploiting Roam's search workflow requires you to recognize that the power is in page refs (and "tags"). But because Roam is so flexible to the point of being agnostic in this regard, one must build with search and discoverability in mind.
Which brings me to the advice. When creating blocks and block-trees that you wish to retrieve in the future through exploration or serendipity, my suggestion is that you define at least one ENTITY (subject) and at least one TYPE (kind of notes) for your block and/or block-tree.
Blocks or block trees that have only one reference or a collection of unrelated references (like multiple entities) are difficult to surface when using queries or block searches. Mixing types of blocks or block trees can similarly create false positives in queries.
And of course, it works with any kind of Entity-Type block-trees. But this should be done with every block tree in your graph DEPENDENT on the mode by which you resurface your blocks.
Further, you *can* create a functionally immature semantic graph in Roam if you "type" your blocks in the appropriate way and utilize queries and filters to follow the trails of entities and types.

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More from @calhistorian

Jun 3, 2022
Using @RoamResearch popover "feature" to visually declutter my blocks but keep robust querying support. ImageImageImage
Read 7 tweets
Nov 18, 2021
Its been 2 years now since I began using Roam regularly... quite remarkable frankly. #roam #TFT
My PKM journey has been one of significant pedagogical trials and tribulations. I detailed much of it here: roambrain.com/roaming-in-the…
The TL:DR - it began as a search for a single tool to manage my pedagogical development as a college instructor and the curriculum I was developing for the 6 courses that I taught.
Read 20 tweets
Jun 14, 2021
A word of advice #Roamans. One of the great virtues of @RoamResearch is its flexibility and efficiency in capturing the chaos of life. Yet one of its largest hinderances to its success as a tool is its users’ behavior. There are several ways that we might better manage our graph.
One such way is to avoid page ref clutter. Two strategies. First, if you use templates (particularly daily), and you don’t end up capturing anything under a page ref - **delete it** - it will only clutter your graph, query results, and contribute to page bloat.
Similarly, if you use {{queries}} on your daily page - **delete** them as a shut-down routine. They are pointless beyond the day at which you use them. Or, as I have done, create a dashboard page containing the desired queries and use #roam42 SmartBlocks to dynamically update.
Read 11 tweets
Jan 30, 2021
#RoamCult For new users who are like, "why is building a table or Kanban board so odd?" They are designed to take advantage of @RoamResearch's hierarchical relationships. Cells in a table row and Cards in a Kanban column are related. Use that to your advantage.
For example. Take a table. You can query for example for any value {a, b, c, d} in relation to "Item 1" since they are in the same hierarchy.
Similarly, for a Kanban Board - though constructing one is different {a, b, c, d} are still related to "Item 1." HOWEVER, as an advantage, in a Kanban board, block "a" is NOT related to block "b" outside of that fact that they share a parent.
Read 5 tweets
Jan 4, 2021
#RoamCult if you ever thought Roam could not be used for a Weekly Review GTD style, it just requires Roamafying the workflow. Most data is removed or collapsed for privacy. Though #roam42 (@roamhacker) SmartBlocks are required. Doing this manually every week would be too much
This was just me finalizing from my old Weekly Review model:
Thanks @Conaw . Truly a tool that CAN do anything you want it to within the specific affordances and constraints.
Read 6 tweets

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