Enhancing Academic Efficiency: My PhD Workflow
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Creating an effective workflow took some time, but the result is a system that significantly reduces my daily workload while retaining the knowledge I've gained.
Ready to enhance your productivity?
With this 8-step guide, you can alleviate the stress associated with academic responsibilities.
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1. Finding Seed Papers
A seed paper serves as the foundational reference for your research.
- For instance, if you're aiming to replicate a study, the original paper you intend to replicate is your seed paper.
- Review articles are also excellent starting points, as they summarize the current state of knowledge on your topic of interest.
For example, I drafted a research proposal focusing on lucid dreaming, starting with the review titled “The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming” by Baird et al. (2019), which served as my seed paper.
Utilize various search databases to locate your seed papers:
- Google Scholar
- PubMed
- Scopus
- Web of Science
2. Accessing Open Access Papers
I don’t rely on Sci-Hub.
Determining whether a paper is open access is straightforward. If not, there are various methods to access it.
- I utilize the Unpaywall extension, which indicates if a paper is freely accessible.
- If it’s not open access, I leverage my academic email to gain access, as many universities provide students with access to paywalled papers.
- Emailing authors often works well; researchers are usually willing to share their work with interested parties.
- ResearchGate is another platform where many academics post their paywalled papers, and you can request full versions directly.
Here's how the Unpaywall extension looks:
If you click the green lock, Unpaywall directs you to the download source.
If access remains elusive, I check on ResearchGate:
If I still can’t obtain the paper, I send a request. I’ve always received positive responses to my requests.
3. Organizing Papers with Zotero
After acquiring my papers using Unpaywall and ResearchGate, my next step is to store them in Zotero.
This process is incredibly simple. Download Zotero and its connector if you haven't done so yet.
I navigate to the paper's URL and click the Zotero icon in my browser's extensions:
Done!
Zotero automatically saves my paper in my library.
Note 1: The paper is saved in the last opened Zotero collection. Note 2: Zotero will save the PDF version if it's open access.
4. Discovering Related High-Impact Papers with Research Rabbit
With my seed papers stored in Zotero, it’s time to discover additional relevant papers using Research Rabbit.
I click on “Import Zotero collection” to incorporate all my papers.
Then, I select a paper of interest and choose to view similar works, references, or citations. The right side displays a visual graph.
Next, I select interesting papers and click “Add to:” my Zotero collection.
5. Note-Taking in Zotero
Isn’t this quick?
I can find relevant papers within minutes or a couple of hours. Now it’s time to read them.
For this, I utilize Zotero's impressive note-taking feature.
I can highlight, annotate, and more!
The best part?
I can take notes on my iPhone or iPad, as Zotero offers an app for iOS and a beta version for Android!
6. Sending Notes to Obsidian
Once my notes are taken, it's time for automation.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Smart individuals have developed methods for this, and I’ve customized them to fit my needs.
Here’s a quick summary:
- Right-click on your paper in Zotero.
- Select “Add notes from annotations.”
- Open Obsidian and create a new note.
- Use the search function in the citations plugin to find my paper.
- The outcome:
It may seem chaotic, but this saves me HOURS of effort. I just need to rephrase these highlights in my own words.
If you’re interested, I wrote about this automation process:
My PhD Workflow with Obsidian and Zotero
Say goodbye to stress with this academic workflow.
Note: I’m in the process of writing a detailed article on this, so follow me for updates!
7. Keeping Track of Every Paper Read in Obsidian
A significant benefit of syncing Zotero and Obsidian is the ability to create a database of all the papers I've read.
Using the database plugin, I can compile this:
I had this idea yesterday!
Currently, there’s just one paper, but I plan to store every paper I read moving forward.
And that purple title in the File column?
That’s where I keep all my notes for each paper.
Now I can easily track which papers I’ve read and find all my notes in one location.
8. Writing Papers Using Google Docs and Zotero
Finally, it’s time to write my thesis, research proposal, or paper.
Zotero is incredibly helpful during the writing process.
In Google Docs, I click on the Z icon:
Then, Zotero prompts me to choose a reference style, such as APA.
I can select multiple papers at once, and upon pressing enter, Zotero updates my Google Docs with the selected references.
If I click on Zotero/Add edit bibliography, the complete references will appear.
This is how I approach writing my papers now.
I rely on Zotero to manage citations, ensuring I don’t forget any references.
And yes, the document automatically updates as I add new citations!
That wraps it up, friends.
Apologies for the lengthy overview!
I realize I didn’t delve into some details.
I’ll be sharing more articles that break down how to use these tools, so let me know if you're interested!
Do you have any other suggestions?
Feel free to share in the comments!
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Thanks for reading!
See you, Axel