Intellectual Sourcing

Cite sources in notes to trust synthesis and find the original later.

Key Concept

• I cite sources so I can trust what I wrote and find the original six months later.
• Level 1: Write down where an idea came from so you can find the book or article again and know you quoted it right.
• Level 2: Cite sources so you can trust what you wrote and find the original six months later - like labeling a box before you put it in storage.
• Level 3: Unsourced notes become guesses - a link or citation turns a half-remembered line back into evidence you can defend.
• Level 4: Attach the source when you capture the idea - future you should reach the original in one click.
• Level 5: Capture is where the source lands first; Active Knowledge Curation keeps citations from rotting into folklore.
• Without a source line, I will not trust my own synthesis in conversation.
• A cited note is one I can defend months out - uncited summaries feel like gossip.

Examples

• I taped the coach's article title under the quote in our playbook so six months later we know if the source still says what we thought.
• My sermon notes app just says 'trust me, great quote' with no reference - six months later I cannot tell if I am misquoting the pastor or making it up.

Note Relationships