USE CASES · RESEARCH AND ACADEMIA
How to do a literature review with NotebookLM
Short answer
For a literature review, load the candidate papers into one notebook, ask NotebookLM for a comparison table by theme, method and finding, then draft section by section from cited notes. NotebookLM Ultra Exporter handles bulk import by DOI and exports the table to Excel, the notes to Word and the references to BibTeX or RIS.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stages | Collect sources, work in NotebookLM, export the result |
| Outputs | Screening and comparison table (.xlsx); Drafted sections (.docx); All notes as one document (.docx / .pdf); References (.ris) |
| Cost to start | Free. Each linked guide states whether its output is Free or Pro. |
Steps
- Install NotebookLM Ultra Exporter in desktop Chrome, then refresh any open NotebookLM (Gemini Notebook) tab.
- Create a notebook for this piece of work and add the sources listed below.
- Generate and save the answers, reports or Studio items you need.
- Export each result in the format its destination accepts, then check the file.
1. Collect the sources
- Bulk-import the candidate set: papers by DOI or arXiv papers.
- When the notebook is full, merge sources into one to free slots.
2. Work in NotebookLM
- Generate a data table with one row per paper.
- Ask for themes, then for the papers that support and contradict each theme.
- Use the literature review outline prompt.
3. Get the result out
| Output and guide | Format |
|---|---|
| Screening and comparison table | .xlsx |
| Drafted sections | .docx |
| All notes as one document | .docx / .pdf |
| References | .ris |
A notebook only knows the papers you loaded. It cannot tell you what the field says, only what this set says.
Free or Pro?
The basics are free; the advanced options listed on this page need Ultra Exporter Pro. Pro covers the extension only; it does not include a Google subscription or raise NotebookLM's own limits. Current prices are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
How many papers fit in one notebook?
Google documents 50 sources per notebook on the free tier and more on paid Google plans. For a larger corpus, split by theme or merge related sources.
Can NotebookLM answers be trusted for this?
NotebookLM answers from the sources you give it and cites passages, which makes checking fast, but it can still misread a source. Open the cited passage for anything you will reuse, and keep the export as your record of what was checked.
Related guides
How to export NotebookLM data tables to Excel. You get a tab-separated file that opens directly in Excel with each cell in its own column.
How to export NotebookLM notes to Word. You get an editable .docx with real headings, lists and tables.
Merge NotebookLM notes and reports into one document. You get a single document built from the notes and reports you select, in the order you set, with a.
How to export NotebookLM sources to RIS. You get RIS records for the selected sources, the exchange format EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero import.
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