Behind the Papers

Reflecting on my PKM Talk-Moving from Linear Lists to Emergent Networks

3 min read

Reflecting on my PKM Talk-Moving from Linear Lists to Emergent Networks

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I recently had the great pleasure of giving a presentation at Kathryn Hibbert (Shackleton) ’s PhD seminar. I was asked to share my experience as an academic researcher, focusing on the problems I encountered as a novice and how my approach to Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) helped me.

I focused on a few core challenges that I have/had encountered:

  1. The “Linear Writing” Trap: I used to start with a fixed research question and then develop topics and arguments in a linear process. This process often created tunnel vision, turning research into a binary choice of “support or reject” a premise, which wasted the potential for inspiration hidden in my reading. This pressure also made me resist the work and get distracted easily. Ultimately, my writing felt like a list of points rather than an interconnected web of ideas.

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Note: How a linear writing process causes problems

  1. The “Read and Forget” Problem: I lacked an effective system for managing my reading notes. Traditional hierarchical folders and tags actually made my notes less accessible, even with a search bar. I would lose valuable insights and ideas simply because they weren’t at hand when I needed them. Ideas from different sources remained disconnected, forcing me to constantly re-search for information, which was incredibly inefficient.

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Note: Scholars and researchers need a better system to manage their knowledge

  1. The “Binge Writing” Myth: I also struggled with the common advice to write in specific, dedicated time blocks. Inspiration and the impulse to write are unpredictable, and this model doesn’t fit the fast-paced, fragmented knowledge work rhythm we all live in now.

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Note: That penguin on my shirt presents how frustrating the writing will be when the system fails.

My solution, which I shared with the students, was to build a bottom-up PKM system. I am a huge believer in the concept Sönke Ahrens outlines in How to Take Smart Notes: the idea that note-taking is a form of writing.

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Note: My two favourite quotes from Ahren

In my PKM system:

  1. Writing truly begins with the first note you collect and manage.
  2. Inspiration and themes are not forced; they emerge from creating connections between different notes.
  3. Writing is no longer limited to linear reasoning. It can be emergent, fragmented, and happen in a state of flow.

In truth, I may have been the one who benefited most from this talk. Although I’ve been practicing these methods for years, this opportunity forced me to organize and reflect on my own thinking. I have been so fortunate to have mentors and professors who helped and encouraged me along my journey. It felt wonderful to participate in the academic community and pay that generous spirit forward to the next generation of explorers.

pkm writing smart_note research scholar phd academia knowldge_worker

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