How to run a research project with NotebookLM

Use NotebookLM to organize sources, extract key insights, compare documents, and synthesize findings—from first source to final write-up.

NotebookLM works well as a research hub: you bring your sources together in one notebook, then use the AI to interrogate them, spot contradictions, and pull out findings—without losing track of where each claim came from. This guide walks you through a complete research workflow, from setup to export.

Set up and run your research

1. Set up your notebook

   Create a new notebook and name it after your research topic—for example, “Climate Policy 2024”. Use one notebook per research question so the AI’s context stays focused and its answers stay relevant to that project.

2. Gather your sources

   Upload all relevant PDFs, add Google Docs links, paste URLs to key articles, and add YouTube interview links. Aim to add all sources before you start analysis. The more complete your source set is upfront, the more useful the AI’s comparative answers will be.

3. Get the lay of the land

   Open Notebook Guide and click Summary. NotebookLM generates a collective overview of what your sources cover, which helps you spot gaps and decide where to dig deeper.

4. Dig into specific questions

   Use the chat to ask targeted questions:

   • “What does [paper X] conclude about [topic]?”
   • “Are there contradictions between sources on [issue]?”
   • “Which sources discuss [specific term or event]?”

   The AI answers using only your uploaded sources and includes inline citations you can click to verify.

5. Compare across sources

   Ask comparative questions to surface agreements and disagreements across your material:

   • “How do the authors differ in their policy recommendations?”
   • “What evidence is cited for [claim] across all sources?”
   • “Which source provides the most detailed treatment of [topic]?”
6. Export your findings

   Open Notebook Guide and generate a Briefing Doc or FAQ. Copy the output to a Google Doc and use it as the skeleton for your write-up. The generated content includes references back to your sources so you can trace every point.

Build a bibliography using citations

Every AI response in NotebookLM includes inline citation markers. Click any citation to jump to the exact passage in the source. To build a bibliography:

1. Note the source title shown in the citation panel—this matches the document name you uploaded.
2. For PDFs, the citation also shows the page number, giving you the reference detail you need.
3. Compile the cited sources into your bibliography by working through the citations in your key AI responses.

This approach means your bibliography reflects what the AI actually drew on, not just everything you uploaded.

For large research projects that span multiple questions or themes, create a separate notebook for each aspect. For example, if you are researching climate policy, you might have one notebook for scientific literature, another for policy documents, and a third for news coverage. This keeps each notebook focused and prevents the AI from mixing contexts.

AI-generated summaries are a starting point, not a substitute for reading primary sources. Always go back to the original text for critical claims—especially statistics, quotations, and conclusions you plan to cite in your own work.

Related guides

Notebook Guide

Generate briefing docs, FAQs, study guides, and timelines from your sources.

Citations

Understand how NotebookLM links every answer back to your source material.

Adding sources

Learn how to upload PDFs, Google Docs, URLs, and YouTube links.

AI chat

Tips for asking effective questions and getting the most from the chat panel.