# Relevance Skim Protocols

Quick-reference checklists for assessing whether a source is worth reading fully. Complete each checklist in order — stop and mark the source **Read** as soon as you find clear relevance, or **Discard** as soon as you confirm it is not relevant. If evidence is mixed, mark **Monitor**.

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## Protocol A: Books (Print or Digital)

1. **Index scan:** Find your primary keywords in the index. Check the pages listed under those keywords.
   - If your keywords do not appear → likely Discard (unless the topic uses different terminology; try 2-3 synonyms first)
   - If keywords appear on many pages → promising; continue

2. **Chapter-level keyword density:** Identify chapters with the most keyword hits. Read the first and last paragraph of each such chapter.
   - Do the opening and closing paragraphs address your question? → continue to Read verdict
   - Do they address related issues only tangentially? → Monitor

3. **Front matter skim:** Read the prologue, preface, or introduction. Read any "How to use this book" or overview section.

4. **Summary structures:** Read any dedicated summary chapters, epilogues, or conclusion chapters — specifically their first and last 2-3 pages.

5. **Edited collections:** Read the editor's introduction in full; it maps the book's intellectual territory and often explains which chapters are most central.

6. **Bibliography check:** Scan the bibliography or works cited for titles you already know are relevant to your topic. A source that cites your core sources is likely part of the same conversation.

**For e-books:** Follow steps 1-6, and also run a full-text search for your primary keywords. Review the surrounding context (1-2 paragraphs) around each hit to assess density.

**Verdict signals:**
- Read: keywords appear frequently; first/last paragraphs of relevant chapters directly address your question; bibliography overlaps significantly with your known sources
- Monitor: keywords appear but only in passing; source addresses a related but not directly relevant question
- Discard: keywords absent or appear only as one-word mentions; source's central question is clearly different from yours

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## Protocol B: Journal Articles

1. **Abstract:** Read the full abstract if present. Does the article's question intersect with yours? Does it report findings or arguments you need to engage with?

2. **Introduction and conclusion:** If no abstract, or to confirm relevance after reading the abstract:
   - If headings mark introduction and conclusion clearly: read both in full
   - If headings are absent: read the first 6-7 paragraphs and the last 4-5 paragraphs

3. **Section headings:** Scan all headings. Do they suggest the article addresses your specific question or a related sub-question?

4. **Section skim:** For sections whose headings look relevant, read the first and last paragraph of each section.

5. **Bibliography check:** Scan the works cited for overlap with your source list.

**Verdict signals:**
- Read: abstract directly addresses your question; introduction sets up a problem you care about; conclusion reports findings you need to engage with
- Monitor: article addresses a related question; findings may be cited as context
- Discard: article is on the same general topic but a clearly different question with no intersection

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## Protocol C: Online Sources

**First: identify what kind of source this is.** Many online sources resemble print articles or books — apply Protocol A or B after this initial classification step.

1. **Article-resembling source** (structured with introduction, sections, conclusion, citations):
   - Apply Protocol B (article protocol)
   - Also run a keyword search on the page or within the site

2. **Website or web resource** (no clear article structure):
   - Look for sections labeled: "introduction," "overview," "summary," "about this site," or similar
   - Check for a site map or index; scan it for your keywords
   - Use the site's search function if available; search for your primary keywords
   - Read the "About" page to understand the sponsor's purpose and credentials

3. **No structure visible and no search:** This is a red flag for both relevance assessment and reliability. Note it as a reliability concern (see Reliability Rubric).

**Special notes for online sources:**
- Treat online sources as tertiary or primary by default; prove secondary status before relying on them as scholarly sources
- For secondary-source online materials (preprints, institutional reports, published PDFs), apply the article protocol
- For primary sources online (historical documents, datasets, fan forums as primary data): apply Protocol A or B as appropriate to the format, not the medium

**Verdict signals:**
- Read: clearly scholarly or authoritative; directly addresses your question; has attribution, date, and sponsor
- Monitor: addresses your topic but unclear authority; may be useful for orientation
- Discard: no attribution; no date; sensationalist or advocacy tone without evidence; clearly not relevant

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## When to Stop Skimming

Stop and commit to **Read** the moment you find a passage that directly addresses your research question. Do not skim further — you have confirmed relevance.

Stop and commit to **Discard** the moment you have completed all steps in the protocol and found no direct relevance. Do not second-guess yourself — you can always return to a Discarded source if later reading suggests you missed something.