A workspace search is trustworthy only when its scope is explicit. Decide which file types and folders belong to the manuscript before entering the query. Read match count and matching-file count separately; eighteen matches in one file tell a different story from eighteen matches spread across twelve chapters.
Draw the workspace map first
If the twelve manuscript chapters live under chapters and research notes live under refs, include the chapter Markdown files and exclude the references. The same .md extension does not give files the same editorial role.
Write the rule in a sentence. This prevents an old spelling quoted in research notes from becoming a replacement target in the novel.
Use expected counts to test scope
With eighteen manuscript matches and four excluded reference matches, a correctly scoped search should return eighteen, not twenty-two. Also note how many files contain them. A correct total in an unexpected set of files still indicates a scope problem.
The result list should be read as file, line, and surrounding context. The number is an inventory; context determines whether a location needs action.
Read the Rune Studio results in two passes
First compare match and file counts with the expected map. Second, classify each context as a repair candidate, a correct use, or excluded material. In a controlled workspace, six matches across three files were previewed, changed, and followed by a reverse search returning zero old terms.
That verifies the scoped search-and-preview route for the sample. It does not automate semantic judgment.
Test the exclusions before the real query
Place a harmless marker only in a folder that should be excluded, then search for that marker. If Rune Studio reports it, the workspace boundary is not ready for a bulk operation. Correct the scope and repeat this small test before searching for the production term. This separates two questions that are easy to conflate: whether the query is correct and whether the set of files is correct. A clean preview answers both before any replacement is applied.
Search can be the final action
Researching where a character first appears, comparing terminology, or locating a motif may require no replacement at all. Treat workspace search as a reading tool in its own right.
Rune Studio fits multi-file manuscript review when the folder boundary is clear. Check current search scope on the Rune Studio product page, then begin by writing one include rule and one exclusion rule before entering the query.