Pile of Index Cards

Replacement of cards

Of course, the cards inside the box is different from 20 years ago. They are about rhetorician in 18th century. Because this is my current research interest. I have been immersed myself in writing 650 pages book “History of English Studies”. While this task, the card box always on the desktop. And I frequently shift the contents of the box.

For example, when I finish writing a chapter about paleography in 17th century, and move to philosophy of language in 18th century next chapter, I completely replace a contents of the box. In this way, the card box recommended by Professor Schneider still plays an important role on my research, like a Task Force.

Watanabe, Shoichi, Chiteki Seikatsu no Houhou (A way to intellectual life),

1976, p.p. 131-132. (Translation by Hawk)

He uses two kind of index card box according to a picture in the book. One is medium size wooden card box he bought in Germany 20 years ago. Another is larger size steel card box like this.

He selects cards he need for a moment from the steel box to the wooden box. He call the selected cards as “Task Force”.

# 2007.02.13 Fixed a link for the steel box

(Indiana’s father explains how his diary is important…)

Father : Well, he who find the Grail, must face the final challenge.
Indiana : What final challenge?
Father : Three devices of lethal cunning.
Indiana : Booby traps?
Father : Oh yes! But I founds the clues to safely take us through in the chronicles of st. Anselm!
Indiana : Well, what are they? … Can’t you remember?
Father : I wrote them in my diary so I wouldn’t have to remember!

It implies that if we have trustful note taking system, we can forget even great finding for ourself.

(Indiana Jones opens a mail from his father…)

“It’s dad’s Grail diary. Every due he followed, every discovery he made. A complete record of his research for the Holy Grail. This is his whole life.”

I can say a Dock is my whole life :)

Robert Ford reported in personal communication that how he use index cards and tag. He use additional 26 tags (13 blocks x 2 separation) from right side to indicate a contents. It will be an good example of the Extension for the PoIC.

The way I organise my cards is by date like you, plus I use the 13 blocks on the top right hand side in half-block increments to denote the 26 letters of the alphabet.

I use the same mark as i use for record, discovery, next action, and reference to show whether the name (keyword/title) for the card is A, B, C, etc. That way I can search the cards looking for someone’s phone number (eg Mark is under M) or a note about snow would be under S, etc. I don’t know what phonetics are used in japanese and whether they could be sorted along similar lines.

When the cards are viewed in a pack from above you can’t instinctively jump to a single letter, but in a second you can work out what what mark equates to the letter you are looking for, and soon after you can find those cards with that letter, even easier if you have a rough idea of the period in which it was written.

All the best

Robert

I write 20 - 30 cards every day now. Same time, I notice I discard many cards.

From curiosity I had accumulated dis-cards in separate trash box since last December. It is 2+ month now, and I count how many cards inside.

There are about 280 cards. It means I discarded 1.5 pack of index cards per month. About 5 cards per day, 15 % of total.

But I think this is natural result since use pigment pen. When I made mistake, I think whether use correction fluid or not. Of course, discard and pick up new card is faster. When I want to write fast, I always choose to discard.