System for taking and organising reading notes

Posted by Dr Andus
Apr 28, 2012 at 05:03 PM

I have now come up with some answers to my original problems that kicked off this thread. I’ve chosen ConnectedText as the central database for all of my notes, incl. reading notes. This gave rise to 3 tasks:

1) to consolidate all existing notes scattered in various hard copies and electronic copies in a variety of software by moving them into CT.

2) to set up a cross-platform system for capturing new notes and quotes while I read both electronic and hard copy documents.

3) to set up a cross-platform system for capturing and managing to-do lists for reading.

Here is a concept map I created in Amode to evaluate the various options, in response to the above:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/428516/Reading_system.png

1) is easy, mostly a copy-and-paste job, though importing can also be done (but I just want to paste in the good stuff, not to import everything).

2) I will read and annotate PDF books and articles in iPad using GoodReader or PDF Expert, which can export highlighted text and notes as a text file into an email, from which I can paste into CT. For hard copy books I will use iPad to type quotes and comments using Nebulous Notes and sync to Dropbox, from where it can be pasted or imported into CT.

3) I will use CarbonFin Outliner for managing the to-do list for the reading, so I can have it on the desktop (in the browser), and in iPad and iPod. It’s important that I can freely prioritise this list, move items around and create hierarchies of themes.

As you can see from the concept map, another option for hard copy books is to take handwritten notes and then dictate them into Dragon or to take notes with a digital recorder directly and then transcribe it then Dragon, from which it goes into CT (copy and paste). I might trial it still but my concern is that even at 99% accuracy I can’t have any mistakes in quotes, and because of that 1% risk I’d have to compare the notes with the original, which is a waste of time. Plus the transcription process is a bit convoluted and involves some file management, taking too many steps.

I have abandoned the idea of using a scanner pen because it wouldn’t scan my own comments, plus the files still need to be transferred manually into the PC, which is time-consuming. I also haven’t listed the option of taking photos of quotes and handwritten notes (e.g. with iPod Touch and then adding them into Evernote) because the image doesn’t identify clearly enough which part of the text is the focus, and converting it into text for CT would require some additional manipulation.

For 3) I have also considered using iPad’s own Notes, Toodledo, and Simplenote but CarbonFin came out on top for what I wanted.