How does bi-directional linking work in Roam Research?

Bi-directional linking in Roam allows you to create a link to a page (e.g., a book title or author). When you click on that link, it creates a new page for it. Crucially, Roam also shows you where that page has been linked from (linked references), creating a network of interconnected thoughts.

What are some practical use cases for Roam Research?

Roam Research can be used for various purposes, including detailed book notes, creating 'evergreen notes' on core concepts, journaling through 'morning pages', and organizing daily tasks and thoughts with a structured daily template.

What is an 'evergreen note' in the context of Roam?

An evergreen note is a note on a core concept that you create and refine over time. In Roam, you can turn specific phrases into evergreen notes, and they will automatically link back to the original source where you first created them, ensuring you can always trace concepts to their origin.

How does the 'nibble framework' help organize content consumption?

The nibble framework treats all consumed content (books, articles, podcasts) as 'nibbles awaiting digestion'. By tagging them and processing them into evergreen notes, you ensure that insights from the content are actively mined and integrated into your knowledge base rather than being passively consumed.

How much does Roam Research cost?

Roam Research costs $15 per month. It offers a 31-day free trial, and a 'scholars programme' for students, researchers, or those in financial hardship providing discounts. The speaker also mentions a $500 'believer plan' for five years of access.

What are the main drawbacks of using Roam Research?

Drawbacks include a significant learning curve to master its features, occasional page reload issues (though improving), and the app's reliance on web-based progressive web applications rather than fully native desktop/mobile apps (though these are in development).

Key Moments

How I Organise My Life

Ali Abdaal

Education3 min read24 min video

Jul 21, 2020|300,572 views|6,136|618

Ali Abdaal Ali abdal roam research how to use roam research how i use roam research notes with roam research taking notes with roam how to organize with roam book notes with roam research how do I use roam research roam research tutorial roam research setup

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Ali Abdaal reviews Roam Research, highlighting its daily notes, bi-directional linking, and use cases for book notes, evergreen thoughts, and daily templates.

Key Insights

Roam Research's core features are daily notes and bi-directional linking, enabling flexible note-taking without traditional folders.

Bi-directional linking allows for the creation of interconnected notes, automatically showing references to and from a specific page.

The app is highly effective for summarizing books, capturing 'evergreen notes' (concepts that remain relevant over time), and personal knowledge management.

Daily note templates can be customized to structure daily tasks and reflections, incorporating elements like 'Create, Connect, Consume, Cerebrate, Coordinate, Consolidate.'

Roam can serve as a 'content inbox' for processing information from books, podcasts, and articles, transforming them into actionable notes.

While Roam has a learning curve and occasional performance quirks, its advanced features and the potential for workflow improvement justify its $15/month cost for many users.

INTRODUCTION TO ROAM RESEARCH

Ali Abdaal introduces Roam Research, a note-taking app that aims to enhance thinking and productivity. He highlights its unique approach compared to traditional apps like Evernote and Notion, focusing on its transformative impact on his workflow over four months of daily use. This review, part of his new 'Appy Hour' series, aims to demystify Roam, explaining its core features, use cases, and potential drawbacks.

CORE FEATURES: DAILY NOTES AND BI-DIRECTIONAL LINKING

Roam's foundation rests on two key features: the 'daily note' and 'bi-directional linking.' Upon opening the app, users are presented with a blank daily note page, eliminating the need for predefined folders or structures. This allows immediate freeform writing. Bi-directional linking enables users to create links to other notes or concepts. When a link is created, Roam automatically tracks and displays all 'linked references' pointing back to that specific note, creating an interconnected web of information.

USE CASE: BOOK NOTES AND EVERGREEN NOTES

Abdaal extensively uses Roam for managing book notes. Each book can have its own page, with summaries organized by chapter and key quotes. Importantly, Roam facilitates the creation of 'evergreen notes'—concepts or ideas that hold lasting relevance. By highlighting a phrase and using double square brackets, a new, independent page is created for that concept. This allows users to capture insights from books or other media and develop them further, with Roam automatically linking back to the original source for context.

PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND CONTENT INBOX (NIBBLE FRAMEWORK)

Roam functions as a powerful personal knowledge management system. Abdaal utilizes a 'Trees of Knowledge' page to organize his evergreen notes thematically. He also employs the 'nibble framework,' borrowed from Tiago Forte's 'Building a Second Brain,' to process content. Each piece of consumed information is a 'nibble' waiting to be 'digested'—meaning its insights are extracted and converted into evergreen notes. This structured approach ensures that consumed content actively contributes to his knowledge base rather than being passively retained.

INTEGRATING DAILY TEMPLATES AND WORKFLOWS

A tailored daily note template significantly enhances Roam's utility. Abdaal's template includes six categories: Create, Connect, Consume, Cerebrate, Coordinate, and Consolidate. This structure prompts daily actions like filming content, messaging friends, noting consumed media, thinking about evergreen notes, managing calendar events, and focusing on health. Using tools like Alfred for snippets, this template streamlines daily planning and execution, ensuring a consistent focus on key life areas.

PRICING, DRAWBACKS, AND INVESTMENT

Roam research is priced at $15 per month, with a 31-day free trial and a discounted scholars program for eligible users. Abdaal views this cost as an investment in his workflow and productivity, considering it worthwhile. While acknowledging a learning curve and occasional performance stutters, he praises Roam's ongoing development and the recent release of desktop and mobile apps. The platform's ability to deeply integrate into diverse workflows makes it a valuable tool for those seeking to enhance their thinking and organization.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Roam Research is a note-taking app described as a 'tool for thought'. Its key differentiating features are the daily note system where every day starts on a blank page, and bi-directional linking, which allows notes to link to each other and track references in both directions.

Topics

Second Brain Digital Organization Personal Knowledge Management Technology & Innovation Mindset & Self-Improvement Workflow Optimization Note-Taking Knowledge Management Productivity Tools

Mentioned in this video

Books

Slave to Sensation

A book by Nalini Singh, used as an example to demonstrate Roam Research's bi-directional linking feature.

The Elephant in the Brain

A book used as an example for creating book notes and linking to authors within Roam Research.

Why Everyone Else is a Hypocrite

A book mentioned in the context of 'self-deception' and added to a 'to be read' list within Roam Research.

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

A book discussed by Paul Graham, which inspired a list of daily reminders within the speaker's Roam template.

War Doctor

An audiobook the speaker is listening to, which is logged under the 'Consume' section of the daily Roam template.

Rational Ritual

A book cited within the speaker's notes, used as an example for creating links and tracking reading lists ('TBR').

Building a Second Brain

An online course by Tiago Forte that provides a framework for organizing digital information, influencing the speaker's 'nibble framework'.

Man's Search for Meaning

A book the speaker read and highlighted, serving as an example task that can be revisited from the 'nibbles awaiting digestion' list.

People

Naval Ravikant

Co-founder of Uber, whose podcast episode inspired the creation of evergreen notes like 'work is synonymous with misery'.

Samantha Ryan

Mentioned as a podcast guest alongside Naval Ravikant, whose episode speaker used to generate evergreen notes.

Nat Eliason

A blogger with a course on Roam Research, whose content is linked and referenced multiple times in the speaker's notes.

Tiago Forte

The creator of the 'Building a Second Brain' online course, which inspired the speaker's 'nibble framework' for content consumption.

Tom Scott

Mentioned for his documentary 'Money', which explores the psychology of money, lying, and gambling.

David Attenborough

A creator of high-quality documentaries available on CuriosityStream.

Paul Graham

An essayist whose blog post inspired a daily reminder list in the Roam template, based on 'The Top Five Regrets of the Dying'.

Thomas Frank

An educational creator whose content is available on the Nebula platform.

Nalini Singh

Author of the book 'Slave to Sensation', used as an example for creating linked references in Roam Research.

Hugh Jackman

A podcast guest on Tim Ferris's show, whose episode was tagged as a 'nibble' awaiting digestion in the speaker's system.

Media

Money

A documentary by Tom Scott that explores the psychology of money, lying, and gambling.

Software & Apps

Evernote

A traditional note-taking app mentioned as a comparison point to Roam Research.

Wendover Productions

A creator with content on the Nebula platform.

Alfred

An app used to create a snippet for automatically generating a daily notes template in Roam Research.

Notion

A note-taking and productivity app mentioned as a comparison point to Roam Research and for its team-based features.

Roam Research

A note-taking application described as a 'tool for thought' that focuses on daily notes and bi-directional linking to enhance workflow and productivity.

CuriosityStream

A documentary streaming platform that is sponsoring the video and offers bundled access to Nebula.

Organizations

LegalEagle

A creator with content on the Nebula platform.

Concepts

Morning Pages

A creative exercise involving writing three pages of longhand prose at the start of each day to clear the mind and generate insights.

The Machiavellian Intelligence Hypothesis

A concept the speaker turns into an evergreen note in Roam Research, demonstrating how to create separate pages for interesting ideas.

Ikigai

A concept discussed in an article by Nat Eliason, which the speaker turned into an evergreen note in Roam Research.