emacs-orgmode@gnu.org archives
 help / color / mirror / code / Atom feed
From: Leonard Avery Randall <leonard.a.randall@gmail.com>
To: Jay Dixit <dixit@aya.yale.edu>
Cc: org-mode <emacs-orgmode@gnu.org>
Subject: Re: using org-refile to sort research notes?
Date: Mon, 05 May 2014 10:40:43 +0100	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <53675C9B.8080207@gmail.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <CAGE7GqCpF5tnBsc-o0PA1U4VRCw1hm9eu+i3S6eP5LOMXYDrLQ@mail.gmail.com>

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 3695 bytes --]

Hi Jay,
Regarding org-refile: I just keep all my current projects in my agenda 
list. I then set up org-refile-targets to (org-agenda-files :maxlevel . 
6). This allows me to quickly refile a subtree to any subtree in any 
project that I am currently working on. (I use this frequently to 
organize my reading list, but I also use it to organize todos and 
reorganize sections in my thesis). I also found that setting 
org-outline-complete-in-steps to nil and setting 
org-agenda-use-outline-path to t makes refile much quicker. I just call 
org-refile and then begin typing the name of the top-level header that I 
want. I can then use tab completion to get to any subtree I want. If you 
have many identical top level headers this may not be an ideal setup, 
but for me it works well. To make this process faster I use 
org-speed-commands, and I have even added a key-chord shortcut for 
org-refile so I do not have to be at the beginning of the headline to 
refile. One of my projects for today is to organize some free writing I 
did before I developed my current system, and this setup will make the 
process much quicker.

Now regarding workflow. I use four files to organize my thesis and other 
projects. I have a Readinglist.org file that contains all of the sources 
for research. This is organized by topic, and tagged with various todo 
states (FIND READ ANNO | NOTES). I keep many of my generic notes on the 
topics in a few notes headlines at the beginning of each topic. A 
subtree view of a headline from this file might look something like this:

* Moral Responsibility
** Goals for these Texts
** Important Claims Supported by Multiple Sources
*** Claim 1...
*** Claim 2
...
** Important Quotes . . .
** Other Notes . . .
** Sources
*** READ Kant's Account of Imputation, By Famous Kant Scholar.
. . .

I also use org-bibtex to keep bibtex info in each source subtree, and I 
can create a current bibtex file whenever I need.

Then I have my Thesis-projects.org file. It has an outline of my thesis 
and todo states for each section. I set up an org capture template for 
this file, so if I think of something that I need to do while I am 
writing I can quickly capture a todo that links to the subtree I am 
working in. It goes into the inbox for this file and then at the end of 
the week, I organize these todos into the appropriate subtree with 
org-refile.

I also have a GTD.org fil. It contains all the projects and todos that 
are not directly related to the thesis, and I have an org-capture 
template set up to the inbox of this file. It is not technically part of 
my writing workflow, but if I remember that I have to pick up groceries 
after my workday, I allows me to quickly capture a todo, and get back to 
work with a clear mind.

Finally I have my Thesis.org file. It contains my thesis as well as 
notes specific to each chapter, and old drafts of chapters that I have 
not yet completely rewritten. The notes go in a COMMENT subtree at the 
beginning of each chapter, and the old drafts go in an Old Drafts tree 
tagged :noexport:. (I find it most useful to have my notes and old 
drafts right at hand for writing, but  Richard's solution seems 
reasonable as well.)

When it comes to actual drafting I use indirect buffers to put my notes 
for the chapter, or an earlier draft on one side of the screen and my 
current draft on the other. This allows me to keep distractions at a 
minimum.

Additionally, I tag all todos and readings associated with a particular 
chapter :chap1:, :chap2:, etc. This allows me to quickly call an agenda 
that gives me a clear idea of what still needs done for each chapter.

Hope that is helpful.

All Best,
Leonard

> ᐧ

[-- Attachment #2: Type: text/html, Size: 4667 bytes --]

  reply	other threads:[~2014-05-05  9:40 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 7+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2014-05-05  6:17 using org-refile to sort research notes? Jay Dixit
2014-05-05  9:40 ` Leonard Avery Randall [this message]
  -- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
2014-05-07 14:40 Alfaro-Murillo, Jorge
2014-04-27 22:25 Jay Dixit
2014-04-28  0:25 ` Alan L Tyree
2014-04-28  0:54 ` Richard Lawrence
2014-05-06 23:05 ` Kyle Meyer

Reply instructions:

You may reply publicly to this message via plain-text email
using any one of the following methods:

* Save the following mbox file, import it into your mail client,
  and reply-to-all from there: mbox

  Avoid top-posting and favor interleaved quoting:
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Interleaved_style

  List information: https://www.orgmode.org/

* Reply using the --to, --cc, and --in-reply-to
  switches of git-send-email(1):

  git send-email \
    --in-reply-to=53675C9B.8080207@gmail.com \
    --to=leonard.a.randall@gmail.com \
    --cc=dixit@aya.yale.edu \
    --cc=emacs-orgmode@gnu.org \
    /path/to/YOUR_REPLY

  https://kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/git-send-email.html

* If your mail client supports setting the In-Reply-To header
  via mailto: links, try the mailto: link
Be sure your reply has a Subject: header at the top and a blank line before the message body.
Code repositories for project(s) associated with this public inbox

	https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs/org-mode.git

This is a public inbox, see mirroring instructions
for how to clone and mirror all data and code used for this inbox;
as well as URLs for read-only IMAP folder(s) and NNTP newsgroup(s).