Your Digital Research Assistant: An Open Educational Resource for Teaching the Basics of Obsidian

Your Digital Research Assistant: An Open Educational Resource for Teaching the Basics of Obsidian Nele Fuchs, Data Science Center, University of Bremen, Germany 1 Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 2 Evaluating Obsidian: Advantages and Limitations ................................................. 3 Workshop Details for Teaching Obsidian............................................................... 6 How to use the OER ............................................................................................ 7 Prerequisite for the Instructor ............................................................................... 8 References .......................................................................................................... 9 Abstract This paper is accompanying the Open Educational Resource (OER) materials "Obsidian for researchers" 2 , which have been published on GitHub 3 . The workshop concept was developed as part of the third-party funded project Data Nord, supported by the BMFTR (Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt). In this project, an interdisciplinary data competence center is being established at the Data Science Center of the University of Bremen. Discipline-specific workshops are offered to improve the data skills of researchers at all career levels. The workshop on which the OER is based was created for the target group of humanities researchers with the aim of addressing a topic that is well known in the humanities community, thus drawing attention to the services in the data competence center. 1 ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6837-6968 2 Disclaimer: The author is neither a member nor a representative of Dynalist Inc, the company that makes Obsidian. Obsidian was chosen for this workshop because it is a widely recognized and frequently used tool among humanities scholars. 3 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17978344 Introduction In the contemporary era, digitalization is advancing rapidly across various domains of life. This transformation is particularly evident in the field of science and research, which are increasingly becoming digital endeavors. As science transitions into the digital age, researchers are faced with the challenge of managing an ever-increasing volume of information. Information is meant here in a broader sense and includes discipline-specific knowledge as well as organizational information and tasks. Insufficient Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) can hinder the achievement of milestones in the research process (Shahzad et al., 2022, p. 1). Information overload can impair decision-making and judgement by causing stress and cognitive inhibition, colloquially known as ‘paralysis by analysis’ (Gorman & Pauleen, 2026, p. 2). PKM involves a collection of activities that individuals perform daily to gather, organize, store, search for, and retrieve knowledge (Tsui, 2002 cited in Grundspenkis, 2007, p. 455). Effective PKM and Research Data Management (RDM) are one of many foundations for data science, as they ensure well-organised and accessible data and information. However, data science also requires advanced analytical techniques, programming skills and expertise to gain meaningful insights. But with a well-structured PKM, learning processes are simplified and it also provides a basis for personal project management to streamline work processes. The OER published here has two aims: Firstly, the instructions provided in the GitHub repository can serve as self-learning material. It was adapted and improved in several iterative processes so that feedback from workshop participants could be incorporated. Secondly, the didactic concept is published on Zenodo, which can be used by trainers to teach PKM with Obsidian. The didactic concept was tested twice and adapted on the basis of the participants' evaluations. The workshop were held as part of the DataNord project at the University of Bremen’s Data Science Center. DataNord is an interdisciplinary data competence center for the Bremen region, which is being established as part of the U Bremen Research Alliance (UBRA) ‒ the cooperation network of the University of Bremen and twelve nonuniversity research institutes. The main objectives of the project are to strengthen the data science competences of researchers at all career levels and to create a place for inter-institutional data science learning, research, and networking. The project involves five data scientists working at the Data Science Centre (DSC) of the University of Bremen (Steinmann et al., 2023), who support the profile areas of environmental and marine sciences, social sciences, materials and engineering sciences, health sciences and humanities. Data competences are to be specifically extended to disciplines that are rather distant from data sciences in their disciplinary tradition, as is the case in the traditional humanities. The aim is to strengthen the digital humanities (DH) in the region. But why was the first workshop on PKM and not on a classic DH topic such as topic modeling or text mining? The answer lies in the strategic approach to engage a broad target group of humanities scholars and draw attention to the services offered by the DataNord data competence center, including training, consultations, and networking opportunities. From a strategic perspective, Obsidian—a highly customizable notetaking software known to many humanities scholars at the time—was chosen as the initial focus. This first step ensured that traditional humanities scholars were also included at the Bremen location, which still has few institutionalized DH offerings and therefore no fixed target group. However, it is important to note that the Data Science Center's workshop offer for humanities scholars was not limited to PKM. Advanced DH topics, such as text mining, were also included in the curriculum. This balanced approach allowed for a gradual introduction of more complex DH methods, catering to both novices and those with some experience in digital methods. This low-threshold offer has the potential to not only introduce humanities scholars to basic digital literacy but also to awaken their interest in more advanced DH topics. By offering a mix of introductory and advanced workshops, the Data Competence Centre thrives on getting feedback from all researchers, ensuring that future workshops are tailored to meet the diverse needs of the humanities community in the region of Bremen. Evaluating Obsidian: Advantages and Limitations There exists a vast market of various software applications designed to organize notes, knowledge, and tasks. Determining which software is "the best" is an impossible question to answer definitively, as the needs of each individual are highly specific. Software that is well-suited for some may not be appropriate for others. This Open Educational Resource (OER) does not aim to promote Obsidian as the ultimate software solution; indeed, in some respects, it is not. It has several disadvantages, which will be discussed alongside its advantages. Additionally, based on my experience conducting workshops on Obsidian, I will provide insights into who might find Obsidian to be the right tool for their needs. Firstly, what is Obsidian? Obsidian is a note-taking application and personal knowledge base designed to organize notes in a non-linear manner. Initially released in March 2020, it is currently maintained by the company Dynalist Inc., making it a proprietary application, which is one of its main drawbacks. Open-source software offers the advantage of transparency in code and functionality, ensuring no hidden data collection or security vulnerabilities. It fosters community collaboration and contributions from a global community of developers. One of the most significant reasons for favoring opensource software is its longevity, as it is not dependent on a company that could potentially go bankrupt, and it is typically free to use. Even though Obsidian is proprietary software, its developers have embraced some open-source philosophies. Notably, Obsidian adheres to the "file over app" principle, meaning it does not produce proprietary data formats. Instead, Obsidian uses Markdown (.md) files, an open file format accessible with any standard text editor. Markdown is a simple markup language for creating formatted text using a plain-text editor. Essentially, Obsidian functions as a text editor that opens and displays these files. Should Obsidian ever cease operations or change its pricing model from free to paid for private users, users can still access all their notes and open them in another Markdown reader or text editor. Thus, one of Obsidian's greatest strengths is that users are not locked into the platform. Here is an overview of some additional other advantages and disadvantages: Advantages: 1. Customizability: • Plugins and Themes: Obsidian supports a wide range of plugins and themes, allowing users to tailor the environment to their specific needs and preferences. This flexibility can enhance productivity and user experience. 2. Offline Access: • Local Storage: Obsidian stores notes locally, ensuring that users have full access to their data even without an internet connection. This feature is crucial for researchers who need to work in environments with limited connectivity. 3. Community and Support: • Active Community: Obsidian has a vibrant and active community of users who share tips, plugins, and best practices. This community can be a valuable resource for new users looking to maximize the potential of the tool. • Regular Updates: The development team frequently releases updates and new features, ensuring that the tool remains current and responsive to user needs. 4. Linking and Knowledge Management: • Graph View: Obsidian's graph view visually represents the connections between notes, helping users see the relationships between different pieces of information. This feature is particularly useful for researchers who need to manage complex information networks. • Backlinking: The ability to create backlinks between notes facilitates the development of an interconnected knowledge base, making it easier to navigate and retrieve information. Disadvantages: 1. Learning Curve: • Complexity: While Obsidian's customizability is a strength, it can also be a drawback for new users. The sheer number of plugins and features can be overwhelming, requiring a significant investment of time to learn and master. 2. Lack of Built-in Collaboration Features: • Single-User Focus: Obsidian is primarily designed for individual use and lacks built-in collaboration features. Researchers who need to work collaboratively on notes and documents may find this limitation challenging. 3. Dependency on Plugins: • Plugin Reliability: While plugins extend Obsidian's functionality, they can also introduce instability and compatibility issues. Users may encounter bugs or performance issues when using certain plugins. 4. Limited Advanced Features: • Basic Functionality: For researchers requiring advanced features such as complex data analysis or visualization, Obsidian may not be sufficient. Additional tools and software may be needed to complement its capabilities. Through teaching both basic and advanced functionalities to researchers at the university, I have observed that the software is not the right tool for everyone. In the workshop, participants who enjoy exploring the intricacies of software and wish to craft a system tailored to their needs find Obsidian to be a good fit. However, it requires some technical skills and patience to troubleshoot bugs. For those seeking a ready-touse tool with advanced functionalities (not just note-taking, but also task management etc.), Obsidian may not be suitable. Users need time to become accustomed to the software and its logic, and if community plugins are utilized, bugs are likely to occur, necessitating motivation to refine the system continually. Workshop Details for Teaching Obsidian Duration: 5 hours Location: On-site Language: English Maximum Number of Participants: 20 Workshop Format: Lecture-style with hands-on components Room Requirements: • Projector • Power sockets • WiFi access Target Audience: This workshop is designed for researchers interested in evaluating and enhancing their Personal Knowledge Management Systems. It is particularly suited for those who wish to explore Obsidian as a note-taking application. No prior experience with Obsidian is required. However, it is recommended that participants consider beforehand whether they are interested in trying Obsidian for note-taking. Conducting preliminary research on the software is advised to ensure it aligns with their needs and expectations. How to use the OER This Open Educational Resource (OER) comprises several key components designed to facilitate the teaching and learning of Obsidian for researchers: 1. Academic Paper: ‘Your Digital Research Assistant: An Open Educational Resource for Teaching the Basics of Obsidian’ (Fuchs, 2025) • This paper presents an overarching strategy for establishing a data competency center at a university, with a specific focus on engaging humanities scholars. • It includes a general introduction to Obsidian and shares insights and experiences gained from teaching the concept. 2. Didactic Table with Workshop Schedule 4 • This table provides a comprehensive overview of the workshop schedule and outlines a didactic framework to guide the instructional process. • It is written in Obsidian, so you need to open the .md file in Obsidian to get the best layout. Simply drag and drop the file into your Obsidian vault. 3. Slide Deck for Presentations 5 • The slide deck is intended for use during workshop to visually enhance the topics covered and increase participant engagement. • Note that it is essential to adapt the slides to fit specific workshop contexts, as they currently offer only a basic layout. 4. GitHub Repository 6 • The GitHub Repository contains all hands-on exercises which can be used during the workshop. It contains manuals which teach the participants a basic set up for obsidian. Participants can just follow the manual during the workshop and then afterwards have a ready to use vault with some advanced features. 4 See folder “workshop-materials” https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17978344 5 See folder “workshop-materials” https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17978344 6 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17978344 Prerequisite for the Instructor To effectively teach a workshop or course on using Obsidian for research, an instructor should meet several key prerequisites: 1. Advanced Knowledge and Experience: • It is essential for the instructor to have advanced knowledge of Obsidian, ideally with at least one year of daily experience using the software. 2. Familiarity with Markdown: • Since Obsidian utilizes Markdown, a solid understanding of this markup language is crucial. This knowledge is beneficial not only for teaching but also for assisting participants during the workshop. 3. Thorough Understanding of the Manual: • The instructor must be thoroughly familiar with the workshop manual. This ensures they can effectively assist participants and address any errors that may arise during the sessions. 4. Background in Research Processes: • Having a background or understanding of research processes and workflows is advantageous. This insight allows the instructor to tailor the workshop to meet the specific needs of researchers. 5. Unbiased Approach to Teaching: • One of the most important considerations is to avoid imposing Obsidian on participants. While you may be a convinced and enthusiastic user of Obsidian, it's crucial to recognize that it may not be the right tool for everyone. Accidentally attempting to convert participants to Obsidian users can detract from the learning experience. Be mindful that each individual has unique needs and preferences, and Obsidian might not be the ideal solution for all. References Gorman, G. E., & Pauleen, D. J. (2026). The Nature and Value of Personal Knowledge Management. Grundspenkis, J. (2007). Agent based approach for organization and personal knowledge modelling: Knowledge management perspective. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 18(4), 451–457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-0070052-6 Shahzad, K., Javed, Y., Khan, S. A., Iqbal, A., Hussain, I., & Jaweed, M. V. (2022). Relationship between IT Self-Efficacy and Personal Knowledge and Information Management for Sustainable Lifelong Learning and Organizational Performance: A Systematic Review from 2000 to 2022. Sustainability, 15(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010005 Steinmann, L., Thöricht, H., Zänkert, S., & Drechsler, R. (2023). Das Data Science Center an der Universität Bremen: Interdisziplinärer Knotenpunkt und ServiceInfrastruktur für die datenintensive Forschung. In E-Science-Tage 2023. heiBOOKS. https://doi.org/10.11588/HEIBOOKS.1288.C18083