What you will get
At the end of this workflow you will have:
- One note per paper (with consistent headings)
- One synthesis note linking everything together
- A short list of open questions for follow-up reading
If you are new to SystemSculpt, start here first: Getting Started.
Vault setup (recommended)
Create a folder structure like:
Sources/Papers/(PDFs or clipped text)Notes/Literature/(your per-paper notes)Notes/Synthesis/(topic synthesis notes)
Keep your seed note in Notes/Synthesis/ so it becomes the home base for the topic.
Step 1: Create the seed note
Create a note named something like Synthesis - <Topic>.md and add:
- A one-paragraph goal for the review
- The scope (what is in, what is out)
- A section for links to paper notes
Step 2: Summarize each paper into a structured note
For each paper, ask SystemSculpt to produce a note with:
- Summary (5 to 10 sentences)
- Key claims
- Methods
- Results
- Limitations
- Quotes worth keeping (only if allowed to quote)
- Tags (optional)
If you have embeddings enabled, you can speed this up by using semantic search to retrieve related notes while you write: Embeddings & Search.
Step 3: Extract questions and next reads
Prompt idea:
- "List open questions, missing evidence, and 3 next papers to read based on what we have so far. Keep it specific."
Save the output under an Open Questions heading in your synthesis note.
Step 4: Build the synthesis note (with links)
Ask SystemSculpt to:
- Group papers by theme
- Link to each paper note under the right theme
- Call out contradictions and uncertainty
- Suggest what evidence would resolve disagreements
Step 5: Use Agent Mode approvals for safe edits
When SystemSculpt proposes creating or editing notes, keep approvals on:
- Review the diff (what changed)
- Approve only what you want written
- Re-run with tighter instructions when outputs drift
Monetization path
If this workflow matches how you work, the fastest path is the Pro plan: SystemSculpt Pro pricing.
Related template
If you want a consistent structure for per-paper notes, start with the Obsidian Literature Note Template.