📂 Week 03: Project Setup

Week 03: Project Setup

Role: The Scientist | Phase: Organization | Points: 25

Due: Before Week 4 class meeting

🎯 The Mission (Why we are doing this)

Amateur researchers have files scattered across Downloads, Desktop, and Documents folders. Professional Liaisons maintain a “Chain of Custody.”

If a colleague sits down at your computer, they should be able to navigate your entire project without asking you a single question. This week, you will prove that your “Digital Office” is built to code and ready for data.

🛠️ The Task (Step-by-Step Instructions)

Step 1: Verify Your Vault Architecture

You downloaded your Liaison_Vault.zip in Phase 1. Verify that your vault contains these folders exactly as written (case-sensitive):

Liaison_Vault/
├── 00_Inbox           (Messy notes)
├── 01_Journal         (Reflections)
├── 02_Literature      (PDFs & readings)
├── 03_Project/        (Active research work)
│   ├── 01_Prospectus/
│   ├── 02_Codebook/
│   ├── 03_Data/
│   └── 04_Drafts/
├── 04_Resources/      (Media & attachments)
├── 99_Templates/      (Reusable templates)
└── 00_START_HERE.md   (Orientation guide)

What to check: - All folder names start with 00, 01, 02, etc. - No spaces in folder names (e.g., 01_Journal NOT 01 Journal) - Subfolders exist inside 03_Project/ - Hidden folder .obsidian/ is present (if using Obsidian)

Step 2: Open Your Vault in Obsidian

Tell Obsidian this folder is a vault:

Open Obsidian
Click “Open folder as vault” (or File → Open as vault)
Navigate to your Liaison_Vault folder and select it
Obsidian will create a .obsidian/ hidden folder automatically

Step 3: Verify the File Explorer View

In Obsidian’s left sidebar, you should see the File Explorer showing all your folders:

✅ File tree shows numbered folders in correct order (00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 99)
✅ Subfolders visible under 03_Project/
✅ 00_START_HERE.md file visible at vault root
✅ .obsidian/ folder visible in file explorer (or accessible via View → Show Hidden Files)

Take a Screenshot: Capture the File Explorer pane showing your complete vault structure.

📤 Submission Requirements

Upload a Screenshot (JPG or PNG) showing your Obsidian file explorer with all folders visible.

What the screenshot must show: 1. Obsidian window with your vault name in the title 2. File explorer sidebar displaying the numbered folder structure 3. All main folders: 00_Inbox, 01_Journal, 02_Literature, 03_Project, 04_Resources, 99_Templates 4. Subfolders inside 03_Project visible (01_Prospectus, 02_Codebook, 03_Data, 04_Drafts)

🧐 Grading Checklist (Pass/Fail)

Your submission will be checked for:

Numbered Folders: Do folders start with 00, 01, 02, etc.?
No Spaces: Are filenames clean? (e.g., 01_Journal, NOT 01 Journal)
Folder Structure: Are all 6 main folders present?
Subfolders: Does 03_Project/ contain the four expected subfolders?
Obsidian Open: Is Obsidian clearly open with your vault?
Screenshot Clear: Can all folder names be read clearly?

💡 Pro Tips

Already have a vault from Phase 1? You’re done! Just take the screenshot.

Lost your vault? Re-download from the Resources page and extract fresh.

Obsidian not showing all folders? Try: - Restart Obsidian - Go to Settings → File & Links → Show hidden files (toggle on) - Refresh the file explorer

Stuck? Reach out via email or office hours. We’ll get it sorted!

Next: Phase 2 Activities

Once you submit this, you’re ready for: - Activity 1: Understanding Good Research Questions - Activity 2: Stakeholder & Data Source Mapping - Activity 3: Mini Research Proposal