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Tools are the scaffolding that enables you to carry out your process. Without them, deep research would take double the time necessary to develop an understanding of an area or subject. Every tool fulfills a specific step in the process and each produces different information.
The content for each research objective will be different, but as a starting point to general exploration, here's a collection of my favorite websites, podcasts, and newsletters. Each one on the list has provided me with a lot of useful information.
Search
We've all been there: typing a query into Google, clicking through the first few results, and calling it a day. But the real magic of Google’s search engine lies hidden beneath the surface.
Enter the world of advanced search - a realm where the savvy researcher can uncover treasures of information that most users never see.
Google's advanced search feature is like a secret weapon for the intellectually curious. It's the difference between fumbling around in a dark room and wielding a precision laser. With advanced search, you're not just throwing keywords at the wall and seeing what sticks; you're crafting queries with surgical precision.
X Advanced Search
Imagine being able to filter through the noise of social media to find exactly the information you need. X’s advanced search provides you with that ability.
The beauty of advanced search in social media is you can consume targeted information very quickly. I’ve used X’s advanced search to filter by a company name then stubble into graphs showing their retention rates from sources I never would have found otherwise.
AI Models
You now have a personal tutor who's read every book, watched every tutorial, and absorbed every piece of information on the internet. That's essentially what tools like Perplexity and Claude offer us today. These AI models are changing the way we approach learning and research.
Perplexity
Perplexity is like having a hyper-intelligent research assistant at your fingertips. I used to pay a research assistant to provide me with resources on topics every week. But Perplexity is better (and cheaper).
It doesn't just regurgitate information; it understands the context of your questions and synthesizes answers from a vast array of sources. The beauty of Perplexity lies in its ability to provide concise summaries based on your guidelines while still offering breadcrumbs to follow deeper into the rabbit hole of knowledge.
Claude
But what about when you want to truly master a complex skill? That's where Claude comes into play. As of August 2024, it's considered the top model for it’s reasoning capabilities. Using Claude is like having a seasoned skill acquisition coach in your pocket, ready to craft a personalized learning plan at a moment's notice.
One particularly powerful prompt for Claude, created by Dru Riley, acts as a skeleton key for unlocking any skill:
<role>You are an expert skill acquisition coach.</role>
<task>Help me master <skill>[Complex Skill]</skill> quickly and effectively.</task>
<response_format>
<learning_plan>
<skill_breakdown>
**Skill Breakdown:**
* Deconstruct the skill into its fundamental components and sub-skills.
* Explain how these components relate to each other and contribute to overall mastery.
</skill_breakdown>
<learning_resources>
**Learning Resources:**
* Recommend high-quality resources (books, courses, tutorials, articles, etc.) for learning each component of the skill.
* Prioritize resources that are suitable for my current skill level (beginner, intermediate, advanced).
</learning_resources>
<practice_strategies>
**Practice Strategies:**
* Suggest effective practice techniques and exercises for each component of the skill.
* Emphasize deliberate practice, focused repetition, and application in real-world scenarios.
</practice_strategies>
<progress_tracking>
**Progress Tracking:**
* Recommend methods for tracking my learning progress and identifying areas where I need more focus.
* Suggest tools or techniques for setting goals, measuring improvement, and maintaining motivation.
</progress_tracking>
<challenges_and_solutions>
**Challenges and Solutions:**
* Identify common obstacles and plateaus that learners encounter when mastering the skill.
* Provide actionable strategies and advice for overcoming these challenges.
</challenges_and_solutions>
</learning_plan>
</response_format>
<thinking>I need to create a comprehensive plan to guide the user in mastering the skill. I'll start by breaking down the skill, then recommend resources, practice strategies, ways to track progress, and how to overcome challenges.</thinking>
This simple request unleashes a torrent of structured guidance, breaking down the skill into its fundamental components, recommending high-quality resources, suggesting practice strategies, and even anticipating common obstacles you might face.
It's like having access to the world's best curriculum designers, but tailored specifically to your needs and learning style. Want to master machine learning? Speak fluent Mandarin? Become an expert chef? This prompt will set you on the path to expertise in any domain.
Ahref
In the early days of the internet, Google's search engine changed how we find information. Their engine was built around backlinks. They assumed if lots of other sites were linking to a particular page, it must be valuable.
But one of the little-known tricks turns this concept on its head: you can use backlinks to expand your research.
Ahref is an SEO tool. Here’s how to use it:
1. Find a great source on your topic.
2. Plug that URL into Ahrefs' backlink checker.
3. You now have a list of every page that links to your original source.
It's like finding a book you love, then magically getting a list of every other book that references it. Suddenly, you're not just reading one great source – you're tapping into an entire ecosystem of related content.
This technique is particularly potent when you're building a "hub and spoke" model of research. Your main topic is the hub, and each related subtopic becomes a spoke. Ahrefs helps you find more spokes, faster.
Notecards
Since 2023, I've been jotting down every interesting tidbit I encounter on palm-sized pieces of paper. It's a practice that feels almost rebellious in our tap-and-swipe world. But here's the kicker: this archaic method of using notecards has changed how I process and retain information.
Before notecards, I was a disciple of the "second brain" movement. I fed every interesting piece of data into software, believing I was building a digital fortress of wisdom. The reality was I created a labyrinth of information so vast and unwieldy that it became practically unusable. My digital brain had turned into a black hole, swallowing ideas whole and never letting them see the light of day again.
The notecard system was inspired by Billy Oppenheimer's approach. At first glance, it seems counterintuitive. How could something so simple outperform our sophisticated digital tools? But that's where the magic lies.
The act of writing by hand forces a level of engagement that typing simply can't match. Each card is a deliberate choice to remember something, not just a reflexive click and save. It's the difference between curating a personal museum and hoarding random artifacts.
The physical nature of the cards introduces a delightful element of serendipity. As you shuffle through them, unexpected connections emerge. Ideas that seemed unrelated suddenly spark new insights when they're juxtaposed in your hands.
But perhaps the most powerful aspect of this analog system is its built-in filter. The effort required to create each card acts as a gatekeeper, ensuring that only truly valuable information makes the cut. It's a stark contrast to the "save everything" mentality that digital tools often encourage.
As we rush headlong into an AI-powered future, it's worth remembering that sometimes, the most effective tools are the simplest ones. In doing research, the ability to curate, connect, and create becomes more valuable than mere accumulation.
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