Deep analysis prompts
Build a topic index first
Deep analysisGoes in: Chat
Run this before anything else on messy material — transcripts, mixed PDFs, scattered notes. The index becomes the map for every later question.
Go through every source in this notebook and build an index of the distinct topics they cover. Output only a numbered list of topic titles — no summaries, no descriptions. Where several sources overlap on the same topic, merge them into one entry.
How to use it
- 1Open your notebook at notebooklm.google.com.
- 2Replace the [bracketed] parts with your specifics.
- 3Paste the prompt into the chat box and send it.
Square brackets mark the parts you replace with your own topic or question.
More deep analysis prompts
- Explain one topic across all sourcesThe follow-up to the index. “Explain” keeps structure and nuance that “summarize” throws away; going topic-by-topic forces full coverage.
- Structured synthesis with rulesThe heavyweight. A research-grade answer with explicit rules, so the model can't paper over gaps or drift outside the sources.
- Contradiction finderSources rarely agree as much as a summary implies. This surfaces the disagreements a polite answer smooths over.
- Assumption mapperFinds what the material takes for granted — the fastest way to spot where an argument is weakest.