A two-tier system that prevents study materials from overwhelming your permanent vault.
The Two Tiers
| Aspect | Scaffolding Note | Atomic Note |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Guide reading, capture confusion, track understanding | Permanent knowledge asset |
| Lifespan | Dies after course/exam | Forever |
| Structure | Bundled by chapter/LO | One idea, standalone |
| YAML | Minimal (course, chapter, status) | Full (spaces, tags, related, aliases) |
| Idea Compass | None | Yes |
| Effort | Low (5-10 min setup) | Higher (15-20 min, worth it for keepers) |
| Location | Course folder, archivable | Main vault, linked |
Scaffolding = Structured Fleeting Notes
Scaffolding notes are a structured variant of fleeting notes, not a wholly separate category.
| Type | Structure | Lifespan | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fleeting | None—just capture | Process or delete | One thought |
| Literature | Minimal—idea + source | Permanent reference | One idea from source |
| Scaffolding | Heavy—sections, questions, flags | Course-bound | Many items, bundled by chapter |
The separate name signals “this whole document is temporary and tied to this course.” The structure (questions, flags, processing sections) makes it useful for studying specifically.
What Goes in a Scaffolding Note
---
course: ECON 1100
chapter: 3
status: reading
---
# Ch3 Study Scaffold
## Questions I'm Reading For
- [decomposed LO questions]
## Flags From Reading
- p.47: definition of X - got it
- p.52: relationship between Y and Z - CONFUSED
## Processing Notes
- [understanding captured during/after Claude dialogue]
## Graduation Candidates
- [ ] "Direct effects dominate diluted effects" - cross-domain, graduate
- [ ] "Three conditions for Giffen goods" - exam-specific, keep hereThe Graduation Test
After processing, ask: “Did I think something that isn’t in the source material?”
- Your insight connecting elasticity to substitution effects → Graduate
- The textbook’s definition of opportunity cost → Stays in scaffolding (or delete—the textbook still exists)
Why This Works
Scaffolding notes are tools, not assets. They exist to build understanding, then they can go. This prevents the vault from filling with course-specific material that has no value after the exam.
The few ideas worth keeping get full atomic treatment. Everything else served its purpose and dissolves.
Common Trap
Treating scaffolding like permanent notes. Adding full YAML headers, Idea Compass sections, and careful linking to notes that will be deleted in 4 months. The overhead kills momentum.
North: Where this comes from
- Three Note Types (Fleeting-Literature-Permanent) (fleeting → permanent processing)
- Atomic Notes (the target format for graduates)
East: What opposes this?
- Everything is Permanent (no distinction, all notes treated equally)
- Digital Hoarding (fear of deleting anything)
South: Where this leads
- The Ownership Filter (deciding what to graduate)
- Five-Phase Study Workflow (how scaffolding fits the cycle)
West: What’s similar?
- Working Memory vs Long-Term Memory (temporary processing vs permanent storage)
- Scratch Paper (analog version—use it, throw it away)