phd-weekly-review
PhD Weekly Review
Purpose
Help the user convert a week of scattered research activity into (1) a structured written update suitable for sending to their advisor and (2) a short reflection that catches early signs of common failure modes. This is based on the advisor communication framework and productivity principles in the New Researcher Handbook.
The goal is not to produce a bureaucratic report. It's to help the user think clearly about their week — what moved forward, what got stuck, what they need help with, and what they should do next.
When to Use
- End of the work week (Friday afternoon, Sunday evening — whenever the user's "weekly boundary" naturally falls)
- Before an upcoming advisor meeting
- When the user feels adrift and needs to reorient
- When the user asks for help writing a progress update
The Review Workflow
Walk the user through the following stages one at a time. Don't dump all the questions at once — that defeats the purpose. Ask, listen, then move on.
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