Who this is for
Grad students and researchers on long projects who lose the thread between sessions and want continuity on the argument and the next step.
The moment this saves you
My thesis sprawls across months and I keep losing the plot, forgetting my advisor's last note, re-reading chapters to remember where the argument was going, and burning weeks just reorienting.
See it work
Messy spoken thought in. A clean, structured artifact out.
Thesis progress note. This week I finished the literature review section on the second framework, that's done, finally. My advisor's last feedback was that my argument in chapter three is too descriptive and needs a sharper claim, I've been avoiding that. Where I'm stuck, I have the data analyzed but I can't figure out how to connect the two case studies into one coherent argument, they feel separate. The next concrete step is to draft a single thesis sentence that both case studies support, that's the unlock. I'm also behind on the methods chapter. Advisor meeting is in two weeks, I want chapter three sharper by then.
Thesis progress, June 5, 2026
- Done this week: Literature review section on the second framework (finally complete)
- Advisor's open feedback: Chapter 3 is too descriptive, needs a sharper central claim (I've been avoiding it)
- Stuck on: Connecting the two case studies into one coherent argument, they feel separate
- Next concrete step: Draft a single thesis sentence both case studies support (the unlock)
- Also behind on: The methods chapter
- Deadline: Advisor meeting in 2 weeks, want chapter 3 sharper by then
The workflow
Record a voice note
Hit the hotkey and talk, no formatting, no typing.
Tag it with this context
Contextli shapes your words into the structured output above.
Find it later
Everything's searchable and organised by context.
Pull it into Claude or ChatGPT
Bring your contexts straight into your AI tools with the Contextli MCP.
Your raw recording and transcription stay on your device, so you can always go back to the original.
The prompt behind this context
I'm going to talk through progress on my thesis or long research project. Turn it into a dated progress note: a bold "Thesis progress, [today's date]" heading, then labeled lines: Done this week, Advisor's open feedback (anything outstanding from a supervisor), Stuck on (the specific blocker), Next concrete step (the single most useful action, the "unlock"), Also behind on (other lagging parts), and Deadline (upcoming dates). Keep my specifics and the advisor's notes exactly. Don't invent progress or feedback. Output only the note.
Make it your own. This is a starting point. Once it's in Contextli, tweak the instructions so the output comes out exactly how you like it.
Use this context
One tap adds it to your clipboard. Open Contextli and paste to add it.
Next, open Contextli, Contexts, Import, paste.
Make it your own. This is a starting point. Once it's in Contextli, tweak the instructions so the output comes out exactly how you like it.
Your raw recording and transcription stay on your device, so you can always go back to the original.
Related contexts
Reading & Research Note
You highlighted half the article and saved it to a graveyard you'll never revisit. Instead, say what the source actually claimed and why it matters to your project. The takeaway, the relevance, and the caveat all get kept.
Weekly Review
Sunday rolls around and you mean to review the week, but staring at a template kills it. Just talk through what got done, what slipped, and what you learned. You get a structured weekly review you'll actually reread next Sunday.
Study Question Log
Studying, you hit something you don't understand, tell yourself you'll come back to it, and never do. The moment you're confused, say what you don't get. You build a list of exactly the things to ask or review, so your weak spots stop being the questions that wreck the exam.