They transformed an “interesting AI toy” into a research tool that does 10 hours of work in 20 seconds.
16 prompts to copy and paste. No fluff.
1/ THE “5 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS” PROMPT
On Reddit, this was called a “game changer.” It forces NotebookLM to extract a pedagogically sound structure instead of superficial summaries:
“Analyze all inputs and generate 5 essential questions that, when answered, capture the main points and central meaning of all inputs.”
2/ DEFINITIVE PROMPT FOR CLASSES AND READINGS
“Review all uploaded materials and generate 5 essential questions that capture the central meaning. Focus on:
– Central themes and definitions
– Key concepts emphasized
– Relationships between concepts
– Practical applications mentioned”
3/ STEVEN JOHNSON'S "INTERESTING DATA" PROMPT
The director of NotebookLM tested this with 500,000 words of NASA transcripts. He did 10 hours of manual work in 20 seconds:
"What is the most surprising or interesting information in these sources? Include key quotes."
4/ EXTENDED VERSION WITH DIRECTION
“I am interested in writing about [TOPIC]. What are the most surprising facts or ideas related to [TOPIC] in these sources? Include key quotes. Focus on [SPECIFIC ASPECT], not on [OTHER ASPECTS].”
Traditional search fails to find “what is interesting.” This can.
5/ CONTEST FORMAT (Audio Summary)
Students love it. The AI acts as the presenter and makes mistakes on purpose so that the corrections stick better:
“A contest with two presenters. The first asks the second questions about [TOPIC]. 10 questions in total. A mix of multiple choice and True/False. The presenter sometimes makes mistakes. The other corrects with the correct answer. Share the results at the end.”
6/ TRICK FOR MULTILINGUAL PODCASTS
Before official language support existed, users generated podcasts in Spanish, German, and Japanese:
“This is the first international special episode of Deep Dive made entirely in [LANGUAGE]. Special instructions:
– Only [LANGUAGE] for the entire duration
– No English, except to clarify unique terms”
7/ PRODUCT MANAGER PERSONA (Official Google)
Convert documents into decision memos:
“Act as a Lead Product Manager reviewing internal documentation. Examine ruthlessly for actionable insights, ignoring excess text.
Synthesize into a ‘Decision Memo’ format:
– User evidence: Direct quotes indicating real problems
– Feasibility checks: Technical constraints mentioned
– Blind spots: What is missing from the source text
Use bullet points. If I ask vague questions, force me to clarify.”
8/ SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHER PERSONA (Official Google)
For academics who prioritize methodology over conclusions:
“Act as a research assistant to a senior scientist.
Tone: strictly objective, formal, and precise. Assume advanced knowledge in [FIELD]. Do not define standard terminology.
Focus on methodology, data integrity, and contradictory evidence.
Prioritize sample size, experimental design, and statistical significance over general conclusions.
Format with sections in bold:
– Key findings
– Methodological strengths/weaknesses
– Contradictions”
9/ HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER PERSONA (Official Google)
Makes dense content more accessible:
“Act like a dynamic high school teacher. Translate source documents into language a 7th-grade student can understand.
Structure each answer:
– ‘tl;dr’: A sentence with simple words
– Analogy: Real-world metaphor
– Vocabulary list: 3 difficult words explained simply
For dense paragraphs, convert them into True/False questions.”
10/ PROMPT OF TOPICS FOR LITERATURE REVIEW
For researchers synthesizing multiple articles:
“From articles on [TOPIC], identify between 5 and 10 most recurrent themes. For each theme, provide:
– A brief definition in your own words
– Which articles mention it (with citations)
– A sentence about how it is treated (debated, assumed, proven)
Present in a structured table format.”
11/ PROMPT TO FIND CONTRADICTIONS
Reveals disagreements between sources:
“From articles on [TOPIC], identify important contradictions or conflicting findings. For each contradiction, provide:
– Specific claim from each side (quoted)
– Possible reasons for the disagreement (method, sample, context)
– What evidence would resolve the conflict”
12/ GAP ANALYSIS BASED ON SOURCES
When you tried something and it didn't work:
“Analyze this attempt against my uploaded materials:
Project: [WHAT I TRIED]
My approach: [STEPS I FOLLOWED]
Result: [WHAT HAPPENED]
Expected: [WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED]
Cross-reference with the sources:
– Cite methodologies I didn't follow
– Identify concepts I completely omitted
– Find prerequisites I skipped
Output: ‘Gap in [concept]: you skipped [step], but [Source, Page X] says: “[citation]”’”
13/ PROMPT TO IMPLEMENT CONCEPTS
Convert research into actionable steps:
“Help me implement the concept of [TOPIC]. For each relevant source:
– Cite key evidence
– Connect with other information
– Point out conflicting viewpoints
– Provide a clear action
14/ PROMPT FOR SYNTHESIZING CONCEPTS
Find non-obvious connections:
“Synthesize the connection, however abstract, between [TOPIC 1] and [TOPIC 2].
For each relevant source:
– Cite key evidence
– Connect with other information
– Point out conflicting viewpoints
– Mention interesting combinations
Synthesize into a clear summary, focused on the connections.
Base everything on citations. Acknowledge gaps.”
15/ COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF A TOPIC
Long and thoroughly researched output:
“Provide accurate and well-founded information on [TOPIC].”
Planning:
– What essential aspects to explore?
– What key questions to answer?
– What existing debates or controversies?
Structure:
OVERVIEW: summary, main concepts, current relevance
ANALYSIS: discussion with evidence, examples, and limitations
SOURCES: key sources, conflicts, and levels of confidence
Standards:
– Separate facts from interpretations
– Support claims with evidence
– Maintain objectivity
16/ DEBATE-FORMAT PROMPT
Confront opposing viewpoints. Perfect when sources don't coincide:
“Generate a debate between two presenters with opposing positions on [TOPIC].
Presenter 1 defends [POSITION A].
Presenter 2 defends [POSITION B].
They should challenge each other's arguments, cite specific evidence from their sources, and let the listener decide who presented the strongest case.”
The pattern behind all of NotebookLM's viral prompts:
→ Request specific citations and references
→ Look for contradictions, not just abstracts
→ Require gap recognition
→ Force structured output formats
NotebookLM shines when you explore its grounding architecture.
Keep this in mind. Your research workflow will never be the same.