ATHENA
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Learning block · Thesis preparation

From a hunch to a defensible argument, in five stations.

Brainstorm a vague idea, frame the problem, sharpen the research question, find papers worth reading, then stress-test the argument. Each station ends with something concrete you keep. You do the thinking — ATHENA helps you see it clearly.

What you walk away with

Five takeaways, one per station

  • Candidate angles
  • Claim map
  • Research question
  • Reading list
  • Stress-tested argument

Where are you right now?

Pick the sentence that sounds like you. It sets your starting station — the rest of the path stays open.

The path, station by station

Every station names what you bring in and what you leave with. Stations 2–4 are one continuous guided session; station 1 is an optional warm-up and station 5 stands on its own.

  1. 1

    Brainstorm angles on a hunch

    Optional5–10 min

    Pick a persona to think with and cut the idea from several angles.

    You bring
    A vague idea — a topic, an irritation, half a claim.
    You leave with
    Three to seven distinct angles, and one problem you can bound.
    Open the brainstormWalk the demo
  2. 2

    Frame the problem

    Guided sessionAbout 5 min

    Answer four short questions: field, objective, stakeholders, impact.

    You bring
    A problem you can name, even roughly.
    You leave with
    A claim map of your problem, plus a stakeholder lens on it.
    Begin the sessionWalk the demo
  3. 3

    Sharpen your research question

    Guided session15–20 min

    Write what you take as true, compare it with the map, then defend it against an expert and a stakeholder.

    You bring
    Continues from your claim map.
    You leave with
    A research question that survived rigor and relevance pressure.
    Continue the session
  4. 4

    Find papers worth reading

    Guided sessionAbout 5 min

    ATHENA turns the question into a Semantic Scholar search over real papers.

    You bring
    Your sharpened question.
    You leave with
    A reading list of up to five real papers, and an updated claim map.
    Continue the session
  5. 5

    Stress-test your argument

    40–50 min

    A sparring dialogue: surface assumptions, meet the strongest objection, rewrite.

    You bring
    A draft, an abstract, or a one-paragraph claim.
    You leave with
    The assumption your argument rests on — and an exportable argument map.
    Open the exercise

Your claim map travels with you: drafted at station 2, challenged at station 3, updated by the literature at station 4 — and ready to show a supervisor at the end.

Anytime: your claim map

Edit claims and assumptions, then show a supervisor what is settled, contested, or still tentative.

Open the claim map

Coming later inside this block: writing beside the map, and coding support.