Review research papers in Notion without losing context
Research papers are dense. A separate PDF annotation tool can work well for highlighting, but long-term research notes often end up in Notion or another knowledge base. A workbook approach keeps page-level context visible while you write reusable notes.
Create a paper page under the project
Put each paper workbook under the project or topic it belongs to. For example, a paper about retrieval-augmented generation might live under a broader Literature Review page.
This gives the paper a home in your knowledge base instead of leaving it as an isolated PDF attachment. When the project changes, the paper notes are still connected to the surrounding research trail.
Separate observation from interpretation
Under important PDF pages, write two kinds of notes. First, record what the paper actually says: the claim, method, dataset, or result. Second, write your interpretation: why it matters, what is unclear, and how it affects your own work.
Keeping these separate makes future review more reliable. You can quickly distinguish a paper's evidence from your own reactions and ideas.
Use page-level notes for figures and methods
Figures, tables, and method diagrams often need more context than a highlight can provide. A workbook lets you put a short explanation directly below the relevant page image.
For methods sections, add reproducibility questions: what inputs are required, which assumptions are hidden, and what would be hard to replicate. These notes become useful when you compare papers later.