Scan the Normandy Weapons and Normandy Hull by examining the docked ship for some Codex Entries, then board the Normandy and you’ll be prompted by Joker to give a little speech, which boils down to three flavors: uplifting and conciliatory, brash and xenophobic, or brief. Sticking to the upper options will yield Paragon +4, while picking the lower options will net you Renegade +4.

View Full-size

1

2

3

(1 of 3) You’ll have to deliver a speech on Normandy which comes in three flavors: xenophobic, conciliatory or brief.

There are plenty of new Codex Entries to seek out now that you’re back on the Normandy. Search to the left of Joker to get the “Look Outside” prompt for one, then talk to Joke and exhaust his dialog options for more.

Next head to the CIC and talk to Navigator Pressly and be sure to pick both “They’re on our side.” and “You doubt my decision?” to score Paragon +2 and Renegade +2, respectively, then exhaust his dialog options for another Codex Entry. You’ll get another Codex Entry when you approach the Galaxy Map.

Make your way downstairs to the Quarters level, and examine a “Sleeper Pod” then head into the Captain’s Office and investigate a screen (“Personnel Manual”). Both yield Codex Entries.

Finish up by riding the elevator down to Engineering, where you can find and talk to all the aliens you recruited on the Citadel: ideally Garrus, Wrex and Tali. They all have Codex Entries for you, as does Engineer Adams.

Whew. Lots of Codex Entries there.

You’re done with your current business in the Normandy, which leaves you with, for the first time in the game, the ability to choose what you want to do next. You’ve a state-of-the-art frigate at your disposal and a whole galaxy to explore. That said, the Citadel hasn’t been properly explored yet, so if you want to, just exit the Normandy (via the door to the left of the Bridge) and check out the Citadel Exploration page. Rather anticlimactic, but there’s a good bit of XP to be earned completing Assignments and picking up Codex Entries there.

You’ll also earn various Codex Entries by scanning/surveying planets and anomalies throughout the galaxy, including:

Alternatively if you want to do something rather more violent, you have three missions you can pursue: Find Liara T’Soni (Therum), Noveria: Geth Interest and Feros: Geth Attack. Of the three, Therum is the easiest, as some extended vehicle sequences are basically just free XP, and it’ll result in you recruiting the sixth and final party member available to you in Mass Effect. This makes it something of a no-brainer as your first mission post-Citadel, although you’re free to attempt Feros or Noveria as and when you see fit.