ReadRefs

Capture reading notes in your journal—where life happens—without marking your books, and easily find your way back to the source later.

Core Philosophy
Address Notation
Collections vs. Daily Logs
Cross-References Between Notes
Synthesis & Migration
Bidirectional Index System
Getting Started Workflow
Quick Reference Table

Core Philosophy

Keep Books Unmarked

Content stays pristine—only the back cover gets a code and index (in pencil)

Fast Capture

Designed for rapid note-taking without interrupting your reading flow

Stable Locators

Permanent address references that work across all media formats years later

Bidirectional Indexing

Both your books and journals point to each other for easy retrieval

Cross-References

Connect ideas across books and notes to build a knowledge graph

Migration Support

Move notes between journals or external tools while maintaining traceability

Interoperable

Works seamlessly in daily logs, collections, or any journaling structure

Scalability

Start with basic locators, add cross-references and migrations as your system grows

Address Notation

Each reading note follows this structure:

Bullets

The bullet symbol indicates your relationship to the note:

- (dash): Passive note - Something interesting or worth capturing. No action needed.
• (dot): Active inquiry - Sparks a question or needs deeper exploration.
○ (circle): Event/Application - Has a specific planned use (e.g., sermon, presentation, meeting).
> (migrated): Referenced/Moved - Note has been cross-referenced or moved elsewhere. Use →p.47 for cross-reference or |Obsidian for tombstone.

Source Identifiers

Create a four-letter code for each book:

ABCD = Basic identifier for print/PDF version
ABCD-K = Kindle/ebook version
ABCD-A = Audiobook version

Locator Formats

The locator specifies where in the source material to find the reference:

Print/PDF: <page>.<paragraph> (e.g., 127.3 = page 127, paragraph 3)
Ebook: <location> (e.g., 2847 = Kindle location 2847)
Audio/Video: HH:MM:SS or HH:MM:SS-HH:MM:SS for ranges
Chapter (optional): Ch<number>.<locator> (e.g., Ch3.127.2 = Chapter 3, page 127, paragraph 2)
Reference numbers: Use existing reference system (e.g., John3:16 for Bible, RFC2616.Sec14.9 for specifications, §1234 for legal codes)

Ranges: Use hyphen for spans: 127.3-5 (same page), 127.3-129.2 (across pages), 2847-2901 (ebook), John3:16-18 (references)

Content Indicators (Optional)

:A = Argument or claim
:D = Definition
:Q = Direct quote
:F = Figure, image, or diagram
(no indicator) = General text or observation

Collections vs. Daily Logs

Daily Logs (Full Reference)

When notes are scattered in daily logs, include the full source identifier:

Monday, Dec 9

• Morning meeting notes
- ABCD.127.3:Q "Intuitions come first..."
• Grocery list
- WXYZ.45.2:D Emergence defined

Collections (Abbreviated)

When notes are in a dedicated collection, put the source in the header:

Reading Notes - The Righteous Mind (ABCD)

- 127.3:Q "Intuitions come first..."
- 141.2:A Elephant/rider metaphor
- 156.1:D Moral foundations theory

Cross-References Between Notes

Build connections between ideas using directional arrows:

→ (builds upon): Current note builds upon, explains, or extends the referenced note
← (influenced by): Referenced note preceded, influenced, or enabled the current note
↔ (bidirectional): Notes are in dialogue, tension, or mutual support

Example with Cross-References

- ABCD.127.3:A Moral reasoning is post-hoc
  → WXYZ.203.4 (This explains why...)

- EFGH.141.2:D Social intuitionist model
  ← MNOP.89.1 (Which was influenced by...)

- RSTR.156.1:A Moral foundations theory
  ↔ QWER.45.6 (Mutually reinforcing concepts)

Cross-References at Different Levels

Note-to-note: ABCD.127.3 → WXYZ.203.4
Note-to-book: ABCD.141.2 → WXYZ "See chapters 3-5"
Book-to-book: ABCD → WXYZ "Kahneman's model predates Haidt"
Chained references: ABCD.127.3 → WXYZ.203.4 → RSTR.89.2

Synthesis & Migration

When notes are expanded or relocated, mark them inline with the > bullet:

Two types:

Synthesis (→p.47): Additional content or synthesis exists elsewhere—both locations remain valuable
Migration (|Obsidian): Note is now tracked in another system entirely

Examples

Synthesis (expanded elsewhere):

Before:
• ABCD.141.2:A Does this apply to polarization?

After:
> ABCD.141.2:A Does this apply to polarization? →p.47

Migration (moved to external system):

Before:
• ABCD.141.2:A Does this apply to polarization?

After:
> ABCD.141.2:A Does this apply to polarization? |Obsidian

Bidirectional Index System

The system uses three interconnected indexes:

1. Back of Each Book

Write the book's code and journal locations:

Book Code: ABCD
NB05 - 82, 102, 134
NB06 - 33, 112

2. Back of Each Journal

List all books referenced:

Book Notes
ABCD - 47, 20, 10
BDKE - 23, 100

3. Main Book Index

Maintain a main list of all book codes, titles, and ISBNs (ensures you can find the exact edition if you need to replace a lost book):

ABCD - The Righteous Mind (ISBN: 978-0307455772)
WXYZ - Thinking, Fast and Slow (ISBN: 978-0374533557)
EFGH - Meditations (ISBN: 978-0140449334)
RSTR - Range (ISBN: 978-0735214484)

Multiple Entry Points

Have the book? Check back cover → find journal pages
Have the journal? Check back index → find which books
Remember the title? Main index → code → journal back index → pages
See a code in notes? Main index → title

Getting Started Workflow

Setup (One-Time)

Create a main book index in your journal
Assign a notebook identifier to your current journal (e.g., NB05)

For Each New Book

Create a four-letter code (mnemonic or sequential)
Write the code on the back cover of the book (preferably in pencil)
Add the code and title to your main book index

While Reading

Capture notes in daily logs or collections using the notation system
Use appropriate bullets (-, •, ○) based on your relationship to the note
Add cross-references (→, ←, ↔) when you notice connections

After Reading Sessions

Update the back of the book with journal reference
Update your journal's Book Notes index with the book code and page numbers

Periodic Review (Weekly/Monthly)

Review active inquiries (•)
Create collections for themes that have emerged
Synthesize or relocate notes
Add cross-references

Quick Reference Table

Symbol	Type	Meaning
-	Bullet	Passive note (complete as-is)
•	Bullet	Active inquiry (needs follow-up)
○	Bullet	Event/Application (specific use planned)
>	Bullet	Referenced/Moved (use →p.47 for cross-ref or \|tool for tombstone)
:A	Content	Argument or claim
:D	Content	Definition
:Q	Content	Direct quote
:F	Content	Figure/Image/Diagram
Ch3.127.2	Locator Format	Chapter 3, page 127, paragraph 2
John3:16	Locator Format	Reference number (Bible, specs, legal codes)
127.3-5	Locator Format	Range (page 127, paragraphs 3-5)
→	Cross-Reference	Builds upon / explains / extends
←	Cross-Reference	Influenced by / preceded by
↔	Cross-Reference	Bidirectional / in dialogue
→p.47	Migration Marker	Cross-reference (note expanded on page 47)
\|Obsidian	Migration Marker	Tombstone (note moved entirely to external tool)