Thread by @Artifexx

Overwhelmed with 100s of papers for your research and literature review, #AcademicTwitter ?

Here is my solution: A Visual Reference Manager made with @obsdmd brand new canvas feature.

Your 🧠 is not a database - it's a network. #Academicchatter

Follow the 🧵 to learn how.

@obsdmd I use @obsdmd for all my academic needs.

I have 4 types of notes: Sources, Collections, Thoughts and Outlines.

In the title of the source note, I link the PDF of my paper/book chapter.

Here is a thread on how you can set up this system for yourself.

buff.ly/3jAmV7m

@obsdmd Let's create a new Canvas by using the button on the top left of Obsidians interface.

@obsdmd It's dead simple - drag and drop your source notes or use the buttons on the bottom of the canvas.

Notice how the title of my Note is a link. It is linked to the PDF. This allows us to do...

@obsdmd ...this: Hover over the title and it opens the annotated PDF in a popup.

That feature is probably is so much joy to use! You can look up your PDFs in absolutely no time, check figures, review highlights etc.

Let's keep building!

@obsdmd We can connect multiple notes.

Drag from any of the 4 sides of a note to create a connecting arrow to any other note. Boom they are now connected.

Double click on the connections to annotate.

@obsdmd ...you can add some color, to notes and connections and change the size of your notes if you like.

Simply click the element and a small menu will be displayed above it.

@obsdmd The last step is to start adding "Cards". While Notes live in your vaults, cards live on the canvas. (The canvas is itself just a note in the vault).

Use Cards for overarching topics for example - but here you should find your own creative way of organisation.

@obsdmd Grow your graph. Use colors, cards & location to organise your research.

After a while you will remember things by remembering the *abstract location* on your canvas. Extremely Powerful ⚡️.

Memory experts use this technique of location to memorise vast amounts of knowledge.

@obsdmd This was just the bare basics of what this system can do.

I expanded it to the point where I don't use @zotero or Mendeley anymore. With a few tweaks you get to the most powerful academic note setup I know of.

Details in this issue of my newsletter:
buff.ly/3jyCpJ5

@obsdmd @zotero 📣 What do you think of this system of organising literature? Comment below.

♻️ Please scroll up to the top of the thread & retweet the first post, to earn my sincere gratitude!

📩 You might enjoy "The Effortless Academic Newsletter" (Link in my profile)