Commonplacing is a brilliant and intuitive way of cataloguing information. Popularised in the seventeenth century, it is a practice that has been used by some of the greatest thinkers in history. In this class, you will learn how to commonplace, but also how commonplacing can help you think more synoptically and approach projects in new, creative ways.
Commonplacing is a broadly valuable skill, and can help you in your academic, professional and personal life. It is a very useful thing to have in your research toolbox, and something with which everyone should be familiar. I have kept a commonplace book for a year now, and it has completely changed the way I approach research.
Among other things, you will learn how to:
- Start a commonplace book (all you will need is a good old notebook, preferably pocket-sized).
- Ask better questions.Â
- Think more synoptically and draws links between material which does not usually fit together.
