Obsidian.md is a popular tool among computer science researchers, as it allows them to create and link notes on various topics, concepts, and projects. Here are some success stories and best practices from computer science researchers who use Obsidian.md:
- Christian B. B. Houmann is a PhD student in computer science who uses Obsidian.md to manage his research workflow. He has created a system that integrates Obsidian with Zotero, Pandoc, and LaTeX to write and publish academic papers. He also uses Obsidian to keep track of his goals, tasks, and progress. He has shared his entire Obsidian vault and his system on his website.
- Nicholas Seitz is a computer science student who uses Obsidian.md to organize his notes and learn new concepts. He has written a blog post on how he set up Obsidian for his CS studies, and what plugins and themes he uses. He also shares some tips and tricks on how to use Obsidian effectively, such as using aliases, templates, and queries.
- Alexandra Phelan is a computer science lecturer who uses Obsidian.md to teach her courses and conduct her research. She has written a blog post on how she uses Obsidian with Zotero to manage her references, citations, and bibliographies. She also shows how she uses Obsidian to create course outlines, lecture slides, and assignments.
Hypothetical scenarios to illustrate how Obsidian might be used in the context of academic projects in Computer Science:
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Research Paper Collaboration:
- Scenario: A group of computer science researchers is collaborating on writing a research paper.
- Use of Obsidian.md:
- Each researcher maintains their Obsidian vault for note-taking and idea generation.
- Shared folders or Git repositories are used for collaborative writing, with Obsidian's Git plugin for version control.
- Tags are employed to categorize notes related to different sections of the paper.
- Backlinks and internal linking are used to establish connections between concepts and references.
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Code Documentation and Knowledge Base:
- Scenario: A software development team is working on a complex project.
- Use of Obsidian.md:
- Engineers use Obsidian to create a knowledge base for code documentation.
- Markdown notes within Obsidian contain code snippets, explanations, and design decisions.
- Cross-referencing is utilized to link code-related notes to relevant algorithm explanations or system architecture notes.
- Obsidian's graph view is used to visualize relationships between different parts of the codebase.
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Thesis Project Management:
- Scenario: A graduate student in computer science is working on their thesis project.
- Use of Obsidian.md:
- The student maintains a comprehensive project plan in Obsidian, outlining milestones, tasks, and deadlines.
- Individual notes are dedicated to specific aspects of the project, such as literature review, methodology, and experimentation.
- Obsidian's task list feature is used for tracking progress and managing to-do items.
- The graph view helps visualize dependencies between different project components.
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Online Learning and Course Notes:
- Scenario: A computer science student is taking online courses and wants to consolidate their notes.
- Use of Obsidian.md:
- Each course or module has a dedicated folder within Obsidian.
- Lecture notes, reading summaries, and code examples are stored as Markdown notes.
- The student uses tags to categorize notes by course topics.
- Obsidian's backlinks help trace connections between concepts across different courses.
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Conference Paper Writing:
- Scenario: Researchers are preparing a paper submission for a computer science conference.
- Use of Obsidian.md:
- Obsidian is used for collaborative writing, with each section of the paper represented in a separate note.
- Internal links and backlinks are utilized to cross-reference related sections and citations.
- Bibliographic data exported from a reference manager is linked within the notes for proper citations.
- The Git plugin is used for version control, especially during the revision and peer-review process.
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Project Documentation Wiki:
- Scenario: A software development team wants a centralized documentation platform.
- Use of Obsidian.md:
- Obsidian serves as a wiki-style documentation platform with a hierarchical structure.
- Each major component or module has its dedicated note with links to subcomponents and related resources.
- Markdown tables and code blocks are used for clear representation of API documentation and code snippets.
- The team collaborates on updating and maintaining documentation using version control features.
These scenarios illustrate how Obsidian.md can be adapted for various academic projects in computer science, providing a flexible and interconnected platform for knowledge management, collaboration, and documentation.
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Interconnected Knowledge Base:
- Many academics praise Obsidian's ability to create an interconnected knowledge base. They emphasize the value of backlinks and bidirectional linking for exploring relationships between ideas.
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Efficient Note-Taking:
- Users often highlight Obsidian's markdown-based note-taking as a key factor in their success. The simplicity of Markdown syntax, combined with features like headers and tags, facilitates efficient and organized note-taking.
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Customizable Templates:
- Users appreciate the ability to create and use customizable templates for various academic purposes, such as research notes, project planning, and meeting agendas. Templates ensure consistency and save time when starting new documents.
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Academic Writing and Research Management:
- Obsidian's integration with reference managers (e.g., Zotero, Mendeley) is frequently mentioned as a valuable feature for managing bibliographic data, citing sources, and streamlining the academic writing process.
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Visual Representation with Graph View:
- The Graph View in Obsidian is often cited as a powerful tool for visualizing the connections between notes. Academics use it to identify clusters of related information, discover patterns, and enhance their understanding of complex topics.
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Version Control and Collaboration:
- Collaborative projects, especially those involving version control with Git and platforms like GitHub, are considered successful by users. The ability to work on shared documents and track changes ensures seamless collaboration among team members.
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Effective Tagging Systems:
- Establishing and maintaining an effective tagging system is a common best practice. Tags are used to categorize notes, making it easy to retrieve information based on specific themes or topics.
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Regular Backups and Syncing:
- Users emphasize the importance of regular backups to prevent data loss. Obsidian Sync, Obsidian's built-in synchronization service, is mentioned as a convenient option for keeping notes up-to-date across multiple devices.
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Community Engagement and Learning:
- Actively participating in the Obsidian community forums, online discussions, and seeking advice from other users is considered beneficial. Users often share tips, plugins, and custom workflows that enhance the Obsidian experience.
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Zettelkasten Method Integration:
- Some academics successfully implement the Zettelkasten method in Obsidian, creating atomic, interconnected notes that facilitate focused retrieval of information.
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Experiment and Iterate:
- Take the time to experiment with different features, plugins, and workflows to find what works best for your academic needs. Obsidian's flexibility allows for customization.
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Stay Organized:
- Establish a clear organizational structure for your notes, folders, and tags. Regularly review and refine your system as your knowledge base grows.
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Explore Third-Party Plugins:
- Obsidian has a vibrant plugin community. Explore third-party plugins to enhance your experience, such as those for citation management, task management, and additional functionality.
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Regularly Update and Backup:
- Keep Obsidian and your plugins up to date to benefit from new features and bug fixes. Regularly back up your Obsidian vault to prevent data loss.
Remember that these best practices and success stories are based on user experiences and may vary depending on individual preferences and specific academic needs. As Obsidian continues to evolve, staying engaged with the community and exploring new features can contribute to a more enriching academic experience.
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