research-log

Context

Today: !date +%Y-%m-%d

Notes added or changed in the last 7 days:

!find research/notes -name '*.md' -mtime -7 2>/dev/null | sort || echo "(no research/notes directory)"

Commits in the last 7 days:

!git log --since='7 days ago' --format=' %ad %s' --date=short 2>/dev/null || echo "(not a git repository)"

Working tree:

!git status --short 2>/dev/null | head -20

Last log entry:

!awk '/^## /{n++} n==1' RESEARCH_LOG.md 2>/dev/null | head -40 || echo "(no RESEARCH_LOG.md yet)"

Task

Append one entry to RESEARCH_LOG.md (create it with a # Research log heading if absent). Entries are newest-first, so insert after the title, before the previous entry.

Arguments, if any: $ARGUMENTS. Treat them as the student's own summary and fold them in verbatim under the right headings; do not rephrase their words.

Entry format

## 2026-09-21

### Read
- smith2023feedback: one line on what it contributed to the thesis (from the note's "Relation to this thesis").

### Did
- What was built, run, analysed, or written, with paths or commit hashes.

### Decided
- Decisions made, each with the reason and what it rules out. Link to research/QUESTION.md or a note where relevant.

### Open
- Questions for the supervisor, blockers, things that need data or approval.

### Next
- The two or three concrete next actions.

Rules

• Every bullet must be traceable: a note file, a commit, a path, or something the student said in this session. Do not infer activity from silence.
• Omit a heading with nothing under it rather than writing "nothing".
• Keep "Decided" honest: a decision reversed later is recorded as a new decision, not edited out.
• If the "Open" list has items older than two entries, say so in the reply; those need a supervisor.
• After writing, print the new entry and the count of entries in the log.