Bold studies

Questions help us to actively search instead of passively receive (information)

Created: Modified:

Zettelkasten and Evergreen notes engagement → inquisitive → selection

When reading, we should be specific (if something isn’t worth making a note about then don’t read it), read with a purpose: to add something from the material to our PKM. Questions open up avenues of inquiry, what is missing, what can be improved. If you read a text, looking for answers you’ll be actively engaged with the material, instead of just enjoying the experience.

If we do not yet know why we read a specific text, we can use the HQ&A method to find main points that can be turned into (potential) permanent notes.

Friendly friction, (electronic) highlighting is too easy. By asking questions we become more selective, and more active in our engagement with the material

What is HQ&A? flashcard

  • highlight the main points
  • ask questions → main points should answer
  • can I explain it? feynman technique drawing → can I explain it to a 12 year old?

A permanent note should answer one specific question

Literature notes

Take Better Notes When Reading Non-Fiction With HQ&A tags:: spaced repetition as a productivity tool questions

  • Note: did not like the popular condescending tone of the article. It was written by ticking of marketing phrases from a list. The lessons were worthwhile, tho

HQ&A moves you from being a passive reader to an active (re)searcher - A limited amount of friction can be good, it forces people out of their comfort zone - Formulating questions about a subject help us analyse our understanding - HQ&A is a good workflow, it moves the mind from one way of looking at information to another. It combines the Feynman technique and spaced repetition as a productivity tool - With such a workflow you are naturally forced to search for answers to questions you haven’t yet asked (!)

  • Example: Below is one of the HQ&A Notes we took while reading The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan.
    • Highlight: ‘So widespread was slavery in the Mediterranean and the Arabic world that even today regular greetings reference human trafficking. All over Italy, when they meet, people say to each other, “schiavo”, from a Venetian dialect. “Ciao”, as it is more commonly spelt, does not mean “hello”; it means “I am your slave”.’ p.122
    • Question: What Italian word signals how much wealth Venice made from slavery?
    • Answer: ‘Ciao’, which comes from ‘schiavo’. It’s a Venetian dialect for the word ‘slave’ and literally translates as ‘I am your slave.’
    • The three evidence-based reasons why the HQ&A approach is effective for learning and idea-generation are:
  • Application of information: information you can apply becomes an insight. By thinking of a question, you force your mind to understand its meaning and draw connections. That switch from passive to active is what makes whatever you’re reading stick. Designed for retention and recall: while you’re reading, you’re also creating lightweight flashcards for the future. Friendly friction: by requiring some effort, you’ll be able to dodge the trap of highlighting everything. Instead, you’ll develop an eye for spotting the truly insightful points that are worth noting down. That’ll make you more efficient and keep you honest.
    • By forming questions the mind is forced to go from merely consuming to parsing information. It also helps against broad stroke highlighting, everything is interesting
    • A small amount of friction makes the item “worth the effort”
  • These benefits are also why the feynman technique and spaced repetition are the most effective techniques for learning
    • highlight = answer → what is the question? → now answer in your own words
  • HQ&A:
    • Highlight: when reading, an insight might catch your attention. Highlight the passage that best captures that insight, either directly or by writing it down elsewhere for easy reference. Question: if your highlight is the answer, what’s the question? This is your mental workout and is where the friendly friction comes in. Think of a precise question for which the answer is what you’ve highlighted. By applying the new insight, you’ll reinforce your understanding. Answer: write, in your own words, the answer to your question. This final step forces you to compress the author’s words, reinforce your understanding, and give you a crisp summary to recall later.

Fleeting notes

The HQ&A workflow forces you to read more critically, the questions create a self-learning environment

  • In a nutshell: As you stumble across valuable information, save it (Highlight) along with a question for which you see the passage as the answer (Question). Then write a compressed version of that passage expressed in your own words (Answer).

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