Use summaries to triage sources
Use this guide to read source summaries and decide what to read closely, what to skip, and what to ask next.
When to use summaries for triage
Use summaries when a project has more sources than you can read closely. A summary helps you decide which sources deserve detailed attention first.
Before you start
Decide what you are triaging for. Different decisions need different criteria:
- Relevance to a specific research question
- Strength of evidence or methodology
- Limitation or caveat coverage
- Disagreement with your current understanding
- Usefulness for a piece of writing or presentation
Read summaries with that criterion in mind, not just for general interest.
Steps
- Open a source from the project list.
- Read the summary for that source.
- Identify the main claim, method, findings, and any limitations mentioned.
- Decide: read closely now, return later, or skip.
- Repeat for the next source.
Create a triage note
A triage note captures your decisions so you can act on them:
| Source | Why it matters | Read closely? |
|---|---|---|
| Paper A | Strong method match for the question | Yes |
| Paper B | Background context only | Later |
| Report C | Has useful definitions | Partial |
Move from triage to evidence
Summaries are decision aids, not evidence. Do not cite a summary in a note or report. After you decide a source matters, open it and verify the relevant passage directly.