Academic Reading Workflow

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

Purpose

• Run a disciplined, repeatable paper-reading workflow that produces searchable annotations and evidence for downstream writing.
• Apply prompt-architect refinements to surface constraints, guard against overclaiming, and keep outputs English-only with explicit ceilings.
• Preserve skill-forge structure-first requirements: SKILL.md + README + examples + references; log any gaps.

Trigger Conditions

• Positive: requests to read, digest, or annotate academic papers/books; build citation-ready notes; turn readings into evidence.
• Negative: casual skimming or non-research entertainment; route targeted prompt crafting to prompt-architect.

Guardrails

• Extract constraints in three classes: HARD (must satisfy), SOFT (should), INFERRED (flag for confirmation) with sources cited.
• Run the two-pass refinement loop: (1) structure/coverage; (2) epistemic/confidence calibration.
• Enforce confidence ceilings: inference/report 0.70; research 0.85; observation/definition 0.95. State ceiling explicitly in every response.
• Maintain evidential trail: cite sections/pages for each insight; avoid verbatim quotes unless necessary.

Inputs

• Source details (title, authors, venue/year, access links).
• Research question or goal for the reading block.
• Time/length constraints and output format for notes.

Workflow

1. Intent & Constraint Scan: Capture the research question, success criteria, and the three constraint classes; confirm INFERRED items before proceeding.
2. Plan the Passes: Outline skim → detailed read → consolidation; define note schema (summary, claim, evidence, page, keyword tags).
3. Pass 1 – Structural Read: Map structure, thesis, methods, key figures/tables. Log HARD coverage gaps.
4. Pass 2 – Evidence Pass: Extract claims with page anchors, record confidence per claim, and tag uncertainties for follow-up.
5. Synthesize & Validate: Cluster notes by theme, mark contradictions, and run a self-check against constraints and quality gates (searchability, completeness, bias).
6. Package Deliverables: Produce annotated notes (Markdown), a findings digest, and open questions; store with project-level tags for recall.

Validation & Quality Gates

• Notes include source/page anchors and keyword tags; duplicates merged.
• Minimum two passes completed with documented deltas between passes.
• INFERRED constraints resolved or explicitly flagged.
• Deliverables saved alongside README, examples, and references when available.

Response Template

**Intent & Constraints**
- HARD: ...
- SOFT: ...
- INFERRED (confirm): ...

**Plan**
- Pass design and note schema.

**Findings & Evidence**
- Claim → evidence (page/link) → confidence ceiling.
- Gaps / follow-ups.

**Deliverables**
- Notes: <location>
- Digest: <summary bullets>

Confidence: 0.78 (ceiling: inference 0.70) - based on structured review of provided sources.

Confidence: 0.78 (ceiling: inference 0.70) - Template assumes structured reading completed with evidential anchors.