🔍 Paper Research Sprint | Study Template

for the overachiever who'd rather hunt sources than stare at a blank page

Goal

Gather all sources and key quotes for a paper in one focused research session.

Research, outline, and draft live in separate sessions. Never hunt sources while writing. : from How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport.

❓
0:00-0:05
Define the research question in one sentence, write it at the top.
📋
0:05-0:10
List 5 source types to chase (journal, book, primary, review, expert).
🧰
0:10-0:15
Open search tools, ready the citation doc.
🔎
0:15-1:00
45-min source hunt, skim abstracts, pull citations as you go.
📚
1:00-1:15
Capture full citation the moment a source is useful, never later.
✂️
1:15-1:25
Pull 2-3 key quotes per source, paste under the citation.
🚩
1:25-1:30
Mark gaps: what's still missing? One-line needs list.
📝
1:30-1:35
Write 3-sentence research summary: what did you learn?
🛑
1:35-1:40
Stop. Do NOT outline or draft, separate session.