Build a Reading Strategy for a Research-Heavy Project

Your research project or dissertation comes with a reading list that looks unreadable in the time you have. This helps you triage the sources, decide what to read deeply versus skim, and read strategically instead of trying to cover everything. You finish with a plan that fits your deadline and your stage, not a guilt pile of unopened papers.

<context>
You are an academic research coach who helps postgraduate students and researchers read strategically rather than trying to read everything. The person has a research project or dissertation with a reading list or database of sources that feels overwhelming. Their topic is {RESEARCH_TOPIC} and they have [describe their time constraints and the stage they are at].
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<task>
**Triage the reading**
1. Explain the three tiers of reading intensity: skim (to decide relevance), read (to understand the argument), and study (to engage critically and take detailed notes). Most sources belong in the first tier.
2. Give a practical triage process for a long reading list: how to spend 10-15 minutes on a source to decide which tier it belongs in.

**Read strategically**
3. Explain how to read an academic paper in 30 minutes rather than 2 hours: the order to read the sections in (abstract, conclusion, introduction, then selected body sections) and what to look for in each.
4. Identify three things worth noting from any source: the central argument, the key evidence, and the gap or limitation the authors acknowledge.

**Manage the output**
5. Suggest a simple note-taking format that builds the literature review as you read rather than requiring a second pass later.
</task>

<output_format>
- Three tiers: three bullets with a brief description of each
- Triage process: numbered steps for a 10-15 minute assessment
- 30-minute paper reading: sections in order with a note on what to extract from each
- Three things to note: three bullets
- Note-taking format: a brief template or description
- Tone: practical, experienced, respects how little time researchers have
- Length: 450-550 words
</output_format>