Split notes at every 'and' or 'also' — one idea per note…
When a note contains multiple ideas connected by 'and' or 'also,' create separate notes—one per idea—with explicit links between them, rather than allowing compound ideas to remain fused in a single container.
When This Fires
- Reviewing notes and finding compound sentences with "and," "also," "additionally," or "furthermore"
- Creating a new note and realizing it covers two distinct ideas
- During knowledge base maintenance when a note refuses to be cleanly linked
- Any time a note seems relevant to multiple unrelated contexts (it's probably compound)
Common Failure Mode
Splitting too aggressively into fragments that lack standalone meaning. "Cognitive load" is not a note — it's a keyword. "Working memory has a 4±1 item capacity, which means compound ideas exceed processing limits" is an atomic note — it states one complete idea that stands on its own. The test for atomicity: can this note be understood without reading any linked notes? If yes, it's atomic. If no, it's a fragment, not a note.
The Protocol
When reviewing or creating notes: (1) Scan for "and," "also," "additionally," and semicolons connecting distinct ideas. (2) For each compound connection, ask: "Are these truly one idea, or two ideas that happen to be adjacent?" (3) If two ideas: create a separate note for each. (4) Add an explicit link between the new notes, with a relationship label if your system supports it ("relates_to," "contrasts_with," "enables"). (5) Delete the compound original or convert it into a hub note that links to its atomic children.