# How to Take Smart Notes in Obsidian  ## Metadata - Author: [[Joshua Duffney]] - Full Title: How to Take Smart Notes in Obsidian - Category: #books ## Highlights - Abstraction is the process of taking an idea from its original text and making it usable in a general sense without the support of added context. To abstract an idea you rewrite it in your own words as if you’re writing for someone else who doesn’t have the context of its source. That’s what is meant by the phrase “atomic” note. Permanent means it's kept forever, but it also means it's permanently understood. Permanent slip-box notes will become your external storage for long-term memory. You must understand that permanent notes are a result of your OWN thinking, not the captured ideas of others. When taking permanent notes, use your own words and never copy word for word, unless you're capturing a quote. ([Location 95](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0B9R1BG72&location=95)) - By design the slip-box is not meant to be searched it’s meant to be browsed leisurely like a library, and you browse your slip-box through its connections. ([Location 211](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0B9R1BG72&location=211))