J’ai changé ma manière de prendre des notes…

J’ai changé ma manière de prendre des notes…

🎙 Eliott Meunier 👥 51K 📅 April 15, 2023 ⏱ 11 min 👁 21K 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-27
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

note-takingconcept-orientedbottom-uptop-downObsidian

Summary

Eliott Meunier explains how he transformed his note-taking approach from a content-oriented paradigm to a concept-oriented one. He contrasts the traditional method of storing notes by topic (e.g., a book on permaculture) with a system where each concept gets its own note, allowing for independent retrieval and linking. He demonstrates with examples from his own Obsidian vault, showing how concepts like ‘confirmation bias’ are connected to multiple sources and other concepts, creating a rich web of knowledge. He emphasizes the importance of bottom-up architecture, where structure emerges from links rather than being imposed from the top. He also discusses the value of this system for ‘symbolic analysts’ and content creators, arguing that it fosters intellectual depth and the ability to offer new perspectives. The video includes a promotional segment for his book and training, but the core content is a personal testimony on improving knowledge management.

146 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The video provides a clear and practical explanation of a note-taking method that can enhance intellectual agility. The author argues convincingly that content-oriented notes are often forgotten and not reused, while concept-oriented notes allow for better retrieval and connection. He illustrates his points with concrete examples from his own system, showing how concepts are linked across different sources. However, the argumentation is largely anecdotal and lacks empirical evidence or references to research on learning or memory. The author’s enthusiasm is evident, but the claims about the effectiveness of the method are not scientifically substantiated.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The video references several books and concepts, such as ‘Influence et manipulation’ and ‘How to Take Smart Notes’, but does not provide formal citations or links to these sources. The description includes links to the author’s blog, book, and training platform, which are commercial in nature. The title accurately reflects the content, and the video is well-structured with chapters. However, the lack of verifiable sources and the promotional nature of some content reduce the scientific rigor. The author’s personal experience is valuable, but the video would benefit from referencing academic literature on note-taking and knowledge management.

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Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content: the author explains how he changed his note-taking paradigm from content-oriented to concept-oriented.

Quality & Reliability

6/10

The video presents a personal method for note-taking, based on the author's experience. It mentions concepts like 'bottom-up' and 'top-down' architectures and references books such as 'Influence et manipulation' and 'How to Take Smart Notes', but does not provide formal citations or empirical evidence. The advice is practical and coherent, but the scientific basis is limited to anecdotal experience and popular literature.

Chapters

Cited Sources

  • Eliott Meunier's blog — The author's blog, mentioned in the description, likely contains additional resources on note-taking.
  • Atomic Thinking (training platform) — The author's training platform, mentioned in the description, offers courses on note-taking and productivity.
  • Eliott Meunier's book on note-taking — The author's book, mentioned in the description, provides a detailed guide to his note-taking system.

Concurring Sources

  • How to Take Smart Notes — The book by Sönke Ahrens advocates for a similar concept-oriented note-taking method, emphasizing the importance of linking ideas.

Contribution & Novelties

The video offers a personal perspective on shifting from content-based to concept-based note-taking, emphasizing the benefits of linking ideas for intellectual agility. It introduces the concept of bottom-up architecture as opposed to traditional top-down categorization. The author’s practical demonstration with Obsidian provides a concrete example of how to implement this system.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • How to Take Smart Notes — This book by Sönke Ahrens is a key reference on the Zettelkasten method, which aligns with the concept-oriented approach discussed.
  • Zettelkasten — The note-taking system that inspired the concept-oriented approach, focusing on atomic notes and links.
  • Obsidian (software) — The note-taking app used in the video, known for its bidirectional links and graph view.

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Radar Profile

The radar profile shows moderate scores across all dimensions, indicating a balanced but not highly rigorous content. The video is informative and practical, but lacks strong scientific backing and depth in some areas.

Reliability 5/10