Google NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and note-taking tool designed to help you organise information, summarise content, and generate insights from your sources. It’s especially useful for managing large amounts of reading, creating study notes, and preparing for exams.
NotebookLM allows you to:
upload sources (PDFs, Google Docs, text files, audio and video)
ask questions about your uploaded content
generate summaries, outlines and explanations
create structured notes for study or research.
NotebookLM can save you time and improve your understanding by summarising complex readings into clear points, answering questions directly from your sources and organising ideas for essays, projects, or presentations.
Note
NotebookLM can make mistakes like any other GenAI tool. Remember to check what NotebookLM produces. Additionally, you can find out more about AI at Monash here.
1. Create notebooks that contain your sources Organise all your sources in dedicated notebooks to create a central database where you can talk directly to NotebookLM about those specific sources.
2. Ask questions to deepen understanding Explore your uploaded content by talking to NotebookLM directly. Ask it questions about your sources or get it to expand on topics from the wider web.
3. Verify NotebookLM’s responses with citations NotebookLM will provide citations in its responses to show you where in your uploaded sources it got the information from. This allows you to easily check their accuracy and reliability.
4. Turn notebooks into study tools Transform your content into quizzes, flashcards, and study guides. These interactive tools are useful when memorising information or preparing for exams.
5. Create podcasts or video summaries Turn your sources into engaging podcasts or videos which are excellent to reinforce understanding—perfect for visual and auditory learners.
6. Combine AI Insights with your own notes for critical thinking Add personal annotations and ideas to your notebooks. Let the AI interact with both your sources and your notes to spark deeper analysis and critical thinking.
