Claude for Document Analysis and Research

Claude's large context window and careful reasoning make it one of the best AI tools for working with documents. This lesson covers practical techniques for summarizing, extracting data, comparing documents, and conducting research with Claude.

Uploading Documents

Claude accepts several file formats:

Format	Best For
PDF	Reports, papers, contracts, presentations
TXT/MD	Plain text, notes, documentation
CSV	Data tables, spreadsheets
Code files	Source code in any language
Images	Charts, screenshots, diagrams

How to Upload

1. Click the paperclip icon in the chat input
2. Select your file (or drag and drop)
3. Add your prompt describing what you want
4. Send the message

You can upload multiple files in a single message — Claude will process them all together.

Summarizing Documents

Quick Summary

For a fast overview:

Summarize this document in 5 bullet points, focusing on
the key findings and recommendations.

Executive Summary

For leadership audiences:

Write a one-page executive summary of this report.
Include: key metrics, notable changes from last quarter,
and the top 3 recommended actions.

Layered Summaries

For complex documents, ask for summaries at different levels:

Provide three levels of summary for this research paper:
1. One sentence (the core finding)
2. One paragraph (key findings and methodology)
3. One page (comprehensive summary with supporting data)

This approach is useful when you need to share the document with audiences who need different levels of detail.

Extracting Information

Finding Specific Details

In this contract, find and list:
1. All payment terms and deadlines
2. Termination clauses
3. Liability limitations
4. Renewal conditions

Building Structured Data

Claude can extract unstructured information into organized formats:

This PDF contains meeting notes from the last 6 team meetings.
Extract all action items into a table with columns:
- Action item
- Assigned to
- Due date
- Status (if mentioned)

Pulling Quotes and Evidence

Find all passages in this report that discuss customer
satisfaction. Quote them directly and note the page or
section where each appears.

Comparing Documents

One of Claude's strongest capabilities is comparing multiple documents:

Side-by-Side Comparison

I've uploaded two vendor proposals. Compare them across:
1. Pricing (total cost and payment structure)
2. Timeline (delivery milestones)
3. Scope of work (what's included and what's not)
4. Risk factors
5. Your recommendation based on value for money

Tracking Changes

I've uploaded the original contract and the revised version.
Identify every change between the two documents,
categorized as: additions, deletions, and modifications.

Literature Review

I've uploaded 5 research papers on remote work productivity.
For each paper:
1. Summarize the key findings in 2-3 sentences
2. Note the methodology (survey, experiment, meta-analysis)
3. Identify where the papers agree and disagree
4. Highlight gaps that no paper addresses

Research Workflows

Claude can't browse the internet, but it's excellent at analyzing research materials you provide.

Step 1: Gather Your Sources

Collect the documents, reports, and data files you want to analyze. Upload them to a Claude Project so they persist across conversations.

Step 2: Initial Analysis

I've uploaded 3 industry reports on the electric vehicle market.
Give me an overview of the key trends all three reports agree on,
and flag any areas where they contradict each other.

Step 3: Deep Dive

Let's focus on the battery technology section.
What do the reports say about solid-state batteries specifically?
Include any projections, timelines, and companies mentioned.

Step 4: Synthesis

Based on everything we've discussed, write a 500-word analysis
of where the EV battery market is heading. Include specific
data points from the reports to support each claim.

Step 5: Identify Gaps

What questions does this research leave unanswered?
What additional data would strengthen this analysis?

Analyzing Specific Document Types

Financial Reports

Analyze this quarterly earnings report:
1. Revenue growth (quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year)
2. Profit margins and any changes
3. Notable expenses or one-time items
4. Management's guidance for next quarter
5. Red flags or concerns an investor should notice

Legal Documents

Review this lease agreement from a tenant's perspective.
Highlight any clauses that are unusual, potentially unfavorable,
or that I should negotiate. Explain each in plain English.

Technical Documentation

I'm joining a new team and need to understand their API.
Review this documentation and create:
1. A quick-start guide (the 5 most common API calls)
2. A glossary of domain-specific terms
3. A list of gotchas or common mistakes to avoid

Academic Papers

Read this research paper and help me understand it:
1. What question does the paper try to answer?
2. What method did they use? (explain simply)
3. What did they find?
4. What are the limitations they acknowledge?
5. How does this fit into the broader field?

Tips for Better Document Analysis

Tip 1: Tell Claude What You Already Know

I've read the executive summary already. Focus your analysis
on sections 3 through 7, which cover the technical implementation.

This prevents Claude from repeating information you already have.

Tip 2: Ask About What's Missing

What important topics does this business plan NOT address
that a typical investor would expect to see?

Claude is good at identifying gaps and omissions.

Tip 3: Request Specific Formats

Create a one-page cheat sheet from this 50-page manual
that I can pin to my wall. Use bullet points and bold
the most critical information.

Tip 4: Use Follow-Up Questions

After an initial analysis, dig deeper:

You mentioned the contract has an unusual indemnification clause.
Explain what it means in practical terms — what's the worst-case
scenario for us under this clause?

Tip 5: Cross-Reference Within Documents

In section 4, the report claims revenue grew 15%. Does this
match the financial data in Appendix B? Are there any
inconsistencies between the narrative and the numbers?

Key Takeaways

• Upload PDFs, text files, CSVs, and images directly to Claude for analysis
• Ask for summaries at different levels (one sentence, one paragraph, one page) for different audiences
• Claude can extract structured data from unstructured documents — action items, terms, quotes
• Comparing multiple documents is one of Claude's strongest capabilities
• Build research workflows: gather sources, initial analysis, deep dive, synthesis, identify gaps
• Tell Claude what you already know to avoid redundant analysis
• Always ask about what's missing — Claude is good at finding gaps in documents