# NotebookLM prompt: compare methods across papers

Source: https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/compare-methods-across-papers-prompt  
Section: Prompts  
Last verified: November 2026  
Plan: Free

Use it when studies reach different results and you suspect the methods explain why. Paste the prompt below into the NotebookLM (Gemini Notebook) chat and replace the parts in square brackets. It tells NotebookLM to answer only from your sources, cite them and flag what they do not cover.

## Quick facts

| Item | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Works in | NotebookLM / Gemini Notebook chat, and the customise box of Studio items |
| Sources needed | Papers that study the same phenomenon. |
| Cost | Free to copy. Saving it in the extension is free for up to 10 plain prompts. |

## The prompt

```text
Compare how the sources study [PHENOMENON].
For each source describe: how the key variable is defined and measured, the design, the sample, and the analysis.
Then explain which differences in method could account for differences in findings. Mark each explanation as stated by an author or as your inference.

Use only the sources in this notebook. Cite the source for every claim. If the sources do not cover something, say "not covered in the sources" instead of filling the gap.
```

## How to use it

1. Open the notebook and tick only the sources this question is about.
2. Paste the prompt into the chat and replace every part in [SQUARE BRACKETS].
3. Open two or three citations in the answer to confirm they say what the answer claims.
4. Save the answer as a note, then keep it: [Export to LaTeX](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notes-to-latex).

## Adapt it

- Ask whether results are comparable at all, and why or why not.
- Request a one-paragraph summary for a methods section.

> NotebookLM can misread or over-generalise a source. A prompt reduces that; it does not remove it. Check cited passages before you rely on an answer.

## Frequently asked questions

### What should be in the notebook before I use the compare methods across papers prompt?

Papers that study the same phenomenon.

### Why does the prompt ask NotebookLM to say what is not covered?

Because a grounded tool is most useful when it shows the edges of your sources. An explicit instruction to flag gaps reduces confident answers that the sources do not support.

### Does this prompt work in Gemini Notebook?

Yes. Gemini Notebook is the new name of NotebookLM since July 16, 2026. The chat works the same way: it answers from the sources you select.

## Related guides

- [Export NotebookLM notes to LaTeX](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notes-to-latex)
- [NotebookLM prompt: map consensus and debate](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/consensus-vs-debate-map-prompt)
- [NotebookLM prompt: check bias and limitations](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/bias-and-limitations-check-prompt)
- [NotebookLM prompt: explain a paper in plain language](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/explain-a-paper-in-plain-language-prompt)
- [NotebookLM prompt: literature review outline](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/literature-review-outline-prompt)
- [NotebookLM prompt: research evidence matrix](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/prompts/research-evidence-matrix-prompt)