Research Log

Step 2: Write Structured Entry

Format the entry as HTML (notes use HTML content):

<h2>YYYY-MM-DD Session N</h2>
<p><strong>Goal:</strong> [what you set out to do]</p>
<h3>Findings</h3>
<ul>
  <li>[finding 1 — with source reference if applicable]</li>
  <li>[finding 2]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Decisions</h3>
<ul>
  <li>[decision — rationale — confidence: HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Dead Ends</h3>
<ul>
  <li>[what was tried — why it failed — what was learned]</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Next:</strong> [concrete next steps for the following session]</p>

Step 3: Append to Log Note

notes_append(note_id="log", content="<entry html>", folder="research")

If the log note doesn't exist yet, create it:

notes_create(title="log", content="<h1>Research Log</h1><entry html>", folder="research")

Output Format

Each log entry has: date, goal, findings (with sources), decisions (with rationale and confidence), dead ends (with learnings), and concrete next steps.

Verification Checklist

• Entry includes specific findings, not just "researched topic X"
• Decisions include rationale and confidence level
• Dead ends document what was learned (not just "didn't work")
• Next steps are concrete and actionable
• Entry appended to research/log note

When Stuck

• If you're unsure what to log: log what you tried, what you found, and what surprised you
• If the session produced nothing: log that too — what was attempted and why it yielded nothing

Integration

• Upstream: called at end of any research session, by research-orchestrator
• Downstream: SessionStart hook reads last 3 entries for session briefing
• Artifact: log note at research/log accumulates across sessions