# How to Use the Paper Reading Template ## Overview This template implements a **three-pass reading methodology** specifically designed for academic papers. It balances efficiency with depth, allowing you to progressively engage with research papers based on your needs and time constraints. --- ## Philosophy & Approach ### The Three-Pass Method 1. **Pass 1 (Survey)**: Quick scan for relevance and structure (5-10 min) 2. **Pass 2 (Size-Up)**: Strategic reading for key ideas (15-30 min) 3. **Pass 3 (Sort-Out)**: Deep analysis and integration (30-60+ min) ### Key Principles - **Progressive commitment**: Each pass involves deeper engagement - **Decision points**: After each pass, decide whether to continue - **Topic-based organization**: Move beyond linear chapter structure in Pass 3 - **Active reading**: Generate questions, make connections, evaluate critically --- ## Before You Start ### 1. Set Up the Note - Copy the template into your Obsidian vault or note-taking system - Rename the file: `[FirstAuthorLastName][Year] - [Short Title].md` - Example: `Smith2023 - Machine Learning Healthcare.md` ### 2. Fill in Metadata - Complete basic bibliographic information - Set your **Reading Goal**: Why are you reading this paper? - Understanding methodology? - Literature review inclusion? - Citation for your own work? - Replication purposes? - This context guides how deeply you read ### 3. Pre-Reading Context **Critical step**: Before opening the paper, answer: - What do I already know about this topic? - Why am I reading this specific paper? - What questions do I hope to answer? This activates prior knowledge and creates a mental framework. --- ## Pass 1: Survey (5-10 minutes) ### Goal Quickly determine if the paper is relevant and worth deeper reading. ### What to Do 1. **Identify Paper Type** - Check the boxes to categorize (empirical, theoretical, etc.) - This shapes your expectations 2. **Read Strategically** - Title: What's the scope? - Abstract: Full read (1-2 min) - Introduction: First and last paragraphs - Section headings: What's the structure? - Conclusion: Key findings - References: Recognize any authors/works? 3. **Scan Visual Elements** - Note important figures and tables - These often contain core results 4. **Assess Technical Complexity** - Do you have the background knowledge? - Will you need additional resources? ### Decision Point After Pass 1, choose: - ☐ **Continue to Pass 2**: Relevant and accessible - ☐ **Skip**: Not relevant to your work - ☐ **Save for later**: Relevant but not urgent ### Pro Tips - Don't read linearly yet - Focus on structure, not details - Takes practice to resist deep reading - Write down first impressions while fresh --- ## Pass 2: Size-Up (15-30 minutes) ### Goal Understand the paper's argument, methods, and main findings without getting lost in details. ### What to Do 1. **Read Strategically** - **Introduction**: Full read for context and research question - **Methods**: Skim for approach (don't get bogged down in technical details yet) - **Results**: Read carefully, refer to figures/tables - **Discussion/Conclusion**: Full read for interpretation - **Everything else**: Skim or skip 2. **Extract Core Information** **Central Argument** - What's the main thesis? - Why does this matter? - What's novel? **Methodology** - Research design in one sentence - Data sources and size - Note limitations (authors usually mention these) **Key Findings** - List top 3 findings - Note the evidence for each - Assess significance 3. **Build Your Vocabulary** - Create a terminology table for important terms - Define them in your own words - This aids retention and understanding 4. **Identify Evidence** - What are the 1-2 most critical pieces of evidence? - Statistical significance noted? - Are figures/tables convincing? ### Decision Point After Pass 2, choose: - ☐ **Proceed to Pass 3**: Need deep analysis (writing about this, replicating, etc.) - ☐ **Sufficient**: You have what you need for your purposes - ☐ **Deep analysis required**: This paper is central to your work ### Pro Tips - Take notes in your own words (not copy-paste) - Mark sections to revisit in Pass 3 - If you find yourself re-reading the same paragraph 3+ times, move on - Focus on understanding the "what" and "why" before the "how" --- ## Pass 3: Sort-Out (30-60+ minutes) ### Goal Critically analyze, evaluate validity, and integrate with your existing knowledge. ### What to Do 1. **Critical Evaluation** **Assess Strengths & Weaknesses** - What did the authors do well? - What's missing or problematic? - Methodological soundness? - Do conclusions follow from evidence? **Consider Alternatives** - Are there other interpretations of the data? - What counterarguments exist? - What assumptions did authors make? 2. **Topic-Based Organization** This is the **key innovation** of Pass 3: Instead of organizing notes by paper structure (Introduction → Methods → Results), organize by **topics** that matter to YOU. **How to Identify Topics** - What themes emerge across sections? - What connects to your research questions? - What concepts appear repeatedly? **For Each Topic** - Extract relevant content from anywhere in the paper - Note page references (for later citation) - Add your critical analysis - Connect to your research - Generate new questions **Example Topics** - "Machine learning interpretability challenges" - "Healthcare data privacy frameworks" - "Model validation approaches" 3. **Literature Connections** **Map the Research Landscape** - What prior work does this build on? → Add links - What does this contradict? → Note why - What cites this work? → Track influence - What's related but different? → Compare Use Obsidian's linking: `[[OtherPaper2022]]` 4. **Synthesis** **Takeaways**: 3-5 main lessons from this paper **Research Implications** - How does this apply to YOUR work? - Methodological lessons? - Theoretical contributions? **Questions Raised** - What remains unclear? - What should be researched next? - Where do you disagree? 5. **Quote Selection** Choose quotes that: - Capture key ideas concisely - You might cite later - Require exact wording Always include: - Page number - Context (why this appears) - Why it matters to you ### Pro Tips - Read with a pen/highlighter (even PDFs) - Pause frequently to process - Make connections as you read, not after - Challenge the authors' claims - This pass might require multiple reading sessions - Focus on understanding assumptions and implications --- ## After Reading ### 1. Reflection Fill out the **Reflection & Assessment** section: - Compare initial understanding with final - Check which questions were answered - Note what remains unclear This metacognitive step solidifies learning. ### 2. Action Items Create specific, actionable tasks: - ✓ Good: "Compare Smith's clustering method with Zhang2021's approach by Friday" - ✗ Vague: "Look into related papers" ### 3. Review Schedule Set a review date based on: - **Important paper**: Review in 1 week, then 1 month - **Background reading**: Review in 1 month - **Not directly relevant**: Review in 3-6 months Use spaced repetition for better retention. --- ## Adaptation Strategies ### For Different Paper Types **Empirical Studies** - Spend more time in Pass 3 on methodology and results - Evaluate statistical approaches carefully - Check if data/code are available **Literature Reviews** - Focus on synthesis in Pass 2 - Extract key themes and gaps - Use as a roadmap to find other papers **Theoretical Papers** - Pass 3 requires careful logical analysis - Map out the argument structure - Evaluate coherence and assumptions **Case Studies** - Focus on generalizability - Extract lessons applicable to other contexts - Note boundary conditions ### For Different Goals **Literature Review** - Focus on synthesis and connections sections - Complete "Related Work" connections thoroughly - Extract quotes for potential citation **Methodology Learning** - Deep dive into Methods section in Pass 3 - Create separate notes on techniques - Look up cited methodological papers **Quick Reference** - Pass 1 might be sufficient - Focus on findings and conclusions - Bookmark for later if needed **Replication** - Pass 3 essential - Document every methodological detail - Note ambiguities to clarify --- ## Integration with Obsidian ### Linking Strategy 1. **Bidirectional Links** - Link to related papers: `[[Smith2020]]` - Link to concept notes: `[[Transformer Architecture]]` - This builds your knowledge graph 2. **Tags for Organization** - Use hierarchical tags: `#research/ml/nlp` - Tag by methodology: `#method/survey` - Tag by status: `#reading/completed` 3. **Create Concept Notes** - When a topic appears in multiple papers, create a dedicated note - Link all related papers to it - Example: Create `[[Attention Mechanisms.md]]` linking all relevant papers ## Common Pitfalls & Solutions ### Pitfall 1: Reading Everything Deeply **Solution**: Trust the three-pass structure. Most papers don't need Pass 3. ### Pitfall 2: Taking Too Many Notes **Solution**: Synthesize, don't transcribe. Use your own words. Quality > quantity. ### Pitfall 3: Not Filling Metadata **Solution**: Metadata makes papers searchable later. Invest 2 minutes upfront. ### Pitfall 4: Skipping Pre-Reading Context **Solution**: Activating prior knowledge dramatically improves comprehension. ### Pitfall 5: Linear Chapter-by-Chapter Notes **Solution**: Pass 3 should be topic-based. This creates more useful, integrated knowledge. ### Pitfall 6: No Review Schedule **Solution**: Papers fade from memory. Schedule reviews based on importance. --- ## Example Workflow ### Monday: Survey 10 Papers (Pass 1 only) - Goal: Identify 3-4 worth deeper reading - Time: ~60-90 minutes total - Outcome: Shortlist for the week ### Tuesday-Thursday: Deep Reading (Pass 2-3) - Select 2-3 papers from Monday's shortlist - Complete Pass 2 for all - Complete Pass 3 for the most relevant - Time: ~2-3 hours per paper for Pass 3 ### Friday: Integration & Review - Update connections between papers - Create concept notes for emerging themes - Review last week's papers - Plan next week's reading --- ## Efficiency Tips 1. **Time-box your reading** - Set a timer for each pass - If you exceed the time, take a break 2. **Read with purpose** - Constantly ask: "Why am I reading this section?" - Skip sections that don't serve your goal 3. **Use incremental reading** - Don't force Pass 3 if you're tired - Come back to difficult papers fresh 4. **Build reading stamina** - Start with easier papers - Work up to complex, dense papers - Like exercise, reading skill improves with practice 5. **Create a reading routine** - Same time, same place - Minimize distractions - Use focus techniques (Pomodoro, etc.) --- ## Questions & Troubleshooting **Q: Should I always complete all three passes?** A: No. Many papers only need Pass 1-2. Pass 3 is for papers central to your work. **Q: How do I know when to move between passes?** A: Use the decision points in the template. Ask: "Do I need more detail to meet my reading goal?" **Q: What if I don't understand the methodology?** A: Note it in Pass 2, then look up background concepts before Pass 3. Sometimes you need prerequisite knowledge. **Q: Should I read papers linearly?** A: Not necessarily. In Pass 2, jump around strategically. In Pass 3, organize by topic. **Q: How detailed should my notes be?** A: Detailed enough to understand without re-reading the paper. Err on the side of synthesis over transcription. **Q: What about math-heavy papers?** A: Work through key equations in Pass 3. Use a separate page for derivations. Focus on understanding what equations represent, not just mechanics. --- ## Conclusion This template is a **flexible framework**, not a rigid checklist. Adapt it to your needs: - Skip sections that don't apply - Add sections for your specific domain - Modify pass timing based on paper difficulty The goal is **active, purposeful reading** that builds integrated knowledge, not passive consumption. **Remember**: Reading papers is a skill that improves with practice. Be patient with yourself, and trust the process.