Summarise Long Research PDFs with Cohere’s Clever AI

Log in and find your API Key

Before we can ask the AI to read our document, we need a digital passkey to access its brain. This passkey is called an API Key (Application Programming Interface Key), which is a unique password that securely connects your computer or web browser directly to the AI engine.

Once you log into your new Cohere dashboard, you'll usually see a menu on the left side of the screen. Look for a tab or section labelled "API Keys" or "Developers." Click on this to reveal your keys. Your active "Trial" API key will be displayed there; make sure to copy it. Keep this key private, just like you would with a bank password, to protect your account. You'll know it worked when you see a long string of letters and numbers (your unique key) next to "Trial API Key" or similar wording on the screen.

Open the Cohere Playground

Writing code can be intimidating if you're just starting out, but Cohere provides a Playground (an online sandbox or testing space) where you can experiment with AI settings using simple buttons instead of writing code.

From your Cohere dashboard, look for a prominent "Playground" button, which is often found at the top or in the sidebar. Clicking this will take you to a page where you can choose different AI "templates." Select the "Summarise" option from the list of templates. After selecting, a new interface will load, typically showing a large text box on the left for your input and various setting sliders on the right. If you don't immediately see "Summarise," look for a section like "Templates" or "Use Cases." You'll know it worked when you see a main text area on the left and settings options on the right, with "Summarise" active or prominently displayed.

Extract and paste your PDF text

Currently, most AI tools work best when you feed them raw text directly. We need to copy the text out of our PDF and give it to the tool. Remember, the Cohere Summarise tool processes text you provide; it can't directly open your PDF file itself.

Open your research PDF on your computer using any PDF reader. Carefully highlight the main sections of the paper you want summarised – the introduction, key findings, and conclusion are usually the most important for a comprehensive overview – and copy them (using Ctrl+C on Windows or Command+C on Mac). Switch back to your Cohere Playground window. You'll see a large input box on the left, usually labelled "Input" or "Text to Summarise." Paste the text you copied from your PDF directly into this box. Don't worry if the formatting looks a bit messy after pasting; the AI is smart enough to read past odd spacing and line breaks. You'll know it worked when your text appears in the input box, ready for the AI to process.

Customise your summary settings

On the right side of the screen, you'll see a panel of options. These sliders and dropdowns let you tell the AI exactly how you want your information presented, giving you control over the summary's output.

You'll typically find settings for "Length," "Format," and "Extractiveness."

1. Length: Choose between "Short," "Medium," or "Long." For a quick overview of a dense paper, "Short" is usually best.
2. Format: Select "Bullets" (perfect for quick scanning of key points) or "Paragraph" (better for a narrative, flowing summary).
3. Extractiveness: This slider controls how much the summary sticks to the exact wording of your original text versus rephrasing it in simpler, more general terms. Set it to "Low" if you want a plain-English translation that simplifies academic jargon, or "High" if you need the exact academic terms and phrases preserved.

If these options aren't immediately visible, look for a "Settings" or "Options" panel on the right side of the screen that you might need to expand. You'll know it worked when your chosen settings (e.g., "Short," "Bullets," "Low") are displayed next to their respective labels.

Generate your summary

Now it's time to let the AI do the heavy lifting and transform your long text into a concise summary.

Once you've adjusted your settings, scroll to the bottom of the right-hand panel or the Playground interface. Look for a button labelled "Generate" or "Run." Click this button to begin the AI summarisation process. Within a few seconds, a polished, easy-to-read summary will appear in a separate output window or section on the right side of the screen. If the "Generate" button is greyed out, double-check that you have pasted some text into the input area. You'll know it worked when a new section on the right-hand side of the screen populates with your AI-generated summary, which you can then copy and save for your study notes or work files.

• The study tested 500 participants over twelve months.
• Using AI tools reduced administrative tasks by 40%.
• Participants reported higher satisfaction when using clear, visual interfaces.