Synthesis Notebook Builder
Make your PDF library usable for writing and citation recall
You have "organized" folders and notes, but pulling everything together for writing still takes days. This recipe converts scattered paper notes into a synthesis-ready document — themes, key claims, and where each citation supports your argument.
INGREDIENTS
PROMPT
Create a skill called "Synthesis Notebook Builder". Inputs (ask for what exists): - Notes text (paste) OR Zotero/RIS/BibTeX export OR folder structure description - Target output type (lit review / intro / grant background / systematic review synthesis) - Preferred synthesis structure: themes, chronology, methods, debates (if unknown: unspecified) Output: - A synthesis notebook (outline) with: - Theme headings - Bullet claims with supporting citations - Gaps/contradictions list - A "citation recall index" for fast retrieval. Constraints: - Do not fabricate citations; if a paper is missing, mark as unspecified and leave a placeholder.
How It Works
This recipe creates a synthesis layer that sits above your PDFs and citation folders.
Instead of hunting for "that paper about X," you query a structured notebook that
maps themes to evidence to citations.
What You Get
- A thematic outline (themes → subthemes → evidence bullets)
- Each bullet links to:
- The paper identifier (DOI/title)
- What it supports (claim/method/limitation)
- Your note or quote (if provided)
- A "citation recall" index: query by theme, method, dataset, or author
- A "contradictions" section for later writing
Setup Steps
- Provide any of: Zotero export, BibTeX/RIS, or a note dump (Google Doc/Markdown)
- Tell the Claw your target output: lit review, intro, related work, grant background
- Choose your synthesis taxonomy (themes, chronology, methods, debates)
- The Claw generates a synthesis notebook + index you can keep updating
Tips
- Don't aim for perfect summaries — aim for "why this paper matters to me"
- Keep a contradictions section; it makes your argument stronger later
- Re-run periodically as you read more papers