The Complete Obsidian Setup for PhD Researchers (2026 Guide)
A step-by-step guide to building an Obsidian vault designed for academic research — folders, plugins, templates, Zotero …
An open learning hub for researchers
Welcome. Let's build the workflows your research deserves.
Free, in-depth guides on AI, code, and automation for academics — taught the way a good colleague would: step by step, measured, and honest about when a tool isn't worth it.
60 in-depth guides
19 tool reviews
5 topic areas
4 learning paths
Browse by topic
Five areas, one connected curriculum
14 guides
Research Tools
Obsidian, Zotero, LaTeX, Inkscape — mastered properly and wired together.
4 guides AI in ResearchUsing AI rigorously, with your integrity and scholarly voice intact.
37 guides Code & AutomationReproducible pipelines, Git, CI for science — coding the way labs should.
4 guides AI LiteracyHow AI actually works, in plain language, hype removed.
1 guide For EducatorsBetter courses and materials with AI — without ethical compromise.
Not sure where to begin?
Pick the path that matches your research
Computational / Quantitative
Python, Git, CI, containers, coding agents — the full pipeline.
Wet Lab / ExperimentalData management, protocol automation, publication figures.
Humanities & QualitativeZotero + Obsidian depth, text analysis, verified AI for sources.
Social & Mixed MethodsStats workflows, surveys, pre-registration, qualitative coding.
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All guides →Featured guides
Research Tools
Educators
AI in Your Classroom: A Practical Guide for Academic Educators in 2026
AI didn't break your course — it changed it. Here's how to redesign your assessments, update your AI policy, and …
Ai Literacy
How AI Actually Works: A Plain-Language Guide for Researchers Who Don't Code
You don't need to understand machine learning to use AI tools effectively. But knowing these 5 core concepts will make …
Ai Research
The Researcher's Guide to Using AI Without Losing Scientific Integrity
How to integrate AI tools into your research workflow rigorously — with verification protocols, attribution practices, …
Reviewed & verified
Full directory →The tool directory
Writing
Pandoc
Convert between Markdown, LaTeX, Word, HTML, and PDF from the command line. Write your paper once in …
Reference
Paperpile
Browser-first reference manager with deep Google Docs and Overleaf integration. Fast, clean, and …
Figures
Diagrams.net
Free, open-source diagramming tool for flowcharts, system architecture diagrams, and methodology …
Figures
Canva
Drag-and-drop design tool for conference posters, graphical abstracts, and presentation slides. No …