this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2023
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You haven't said what experience you have so far, so this is kind of a generic answer, but:โ
Step 1: Write. Stop worrying and just write things down. Doesn't matter how disorganised it is, start writing. The point here is to avoid paralysis by analysis. It's all too easy to focus on doing things right or using the perfect system, and not actually get on with the real objective. Reviewing and reorganisation are good actually, so you shouldn't worry that this is a messy way to start. It's an immediate start.
Step 2: Divide and tag. Go back over what you have and identify its parts, placing them into separate notes. Some will be quite separate, self-contained ideas, like short quotations, while others will be connections between ideas. Add labels, like hashtags or Wikipedia categories, to these parts and connections. At first, think of a couple of generic labels ("#Liberalism", "#France") and one or two more specific ones (#HarpersFerry, #AliensAct1905). The best kinds of labels will depend on your specific research, and you'll figure them out as you go along. They're easy to add and/or modify, so they don't have to be perfect from the get-go.
Step 3: Synthesise. As you record and tag more notes, the shape of your information will become more apparent, and a tool like Obsidian can be used to view the connections between your ideas. Perhaps more importantly, it can also show you the more orphaned ideas that need fleshing out if they are to be brought into a broader synthesis, or left out as part of a different topic.
Zettelkasten-type systems work better as you add to them, so they can seem a bit pointless or confusing at first. Imagine how useless a three-page Wikipedia would be. This is why it's so important not to get bogged down with details of workflow before you even start. Get going by recording the things you find and what you think about them, in whatever way you can now, label them in whatever way makes sense now, and then examine the shape of the connections to guide you through refinement. No one gets to the top of a mountain in one leap, but the view does improve with every step upwards.