The Thinking Journal is a template designed to help doctoral students and academics record important reflections, ideas and questions as they read. It encourages readers to balance reading with writing and helps them avoid the common trap of reading endlessly without producing written results. This tool supports active thinking and ensures that the insights gained from reading are actually put into writing.

Inspired by personal user manuals used by CEOs in the business world, this template encourages academics to clarify how they like to collaborate, helping co-authors navigate working relationships more effectively. It’s also a conversation starter, giving teams the opportunity to align expectations and improve communication from the outset. While it might not solve every challenge, it’s a step towards smoother, more productive co-authorships.

A kickoff meeting allows collaborators to align on roles, goals, workflow, and communication, creating a solid foundation for the project. By taking the time to discuss each person's working style—perhaps even sharing an academic user manual—you can set clear expectations and prevent common collaboration pitfalls, making future teamwork more enjoyable and productive.