Reading academic papers (PDFs) : what is your workflow and what PDF reader do you use

[PF4Mobile]

Hi all

I would like to know about your workflow when you read PDFs on your e-readers.
Here is mine:

-read the document on a 9.7" ereader- (Onyx M92)
-mark the important text by scribbling
-transfer the document to desktop where I use PDF XChange for reading the document again, this time just to highlight the text marked on ereader. PDF XChange is configured to automatically copy the highlighted text to comments
-the last step is to summarize the comments by also using this feature available in PDF XChange viewer
-Edit and structure the comments in MS Word to create a final document

How about you?

Thanks
PF

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by PF4Mobile

Hi all

I would like to know about your workflow when you read PDFs on your e-readers.
Here is mine:

-read the document on a 9.7" ereader- (Onyx M92)
-mark the important text by scribbling
-transfer the document to desktop where I use PDF XChange for reading the document again, this time just to highlight the text marked on ereader. PDF XChange is configured to automatically copy the highlighted text to comments
-the last step is to summarize the comments by also using this feature available in PDF XChange viewer
-Edit and structure the comments in MS Word to create a final document

How about you?

Thanks
PF

Have you checked this already?

Here on the forum:

Project: E-Paper Tablet (touch-typable!)

[PF4Mobile]

Yes I did
It's a dream to nice to become true
I even posted a link to it (see the thread named Keyboard and mouse for M92)

[Kumabjorn]

I prefer to read academic papers on my Transformer, that way I can add comments as I read. I can either have it docked to its own keyboard or I can brin along a small foldable BT keyboard. I will write comments and move them to Evernote so they are available on my laptop when I put it all together.

[HarryT]

Pretty hard to beat an iPad + Goodreader for reading and annotating PDFs, in my view. That's my preferred toolset.

[PF4Mobile]

Do you guys study long hours? Like 2-4h? How do you feel your eyes after that?
Igf I could I would have used Adroid (10") and ezPDF Reader but the eye strain is a problem for me

[Salgueiros]

I use a Kindle DX to read the pdf-s and use Mendeley to annotate and organize them all.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by PF4Mobile

Do you guys study long hours? Like 2-4h? How do you feel your eyes after that?
Igf I could I would have used Adroid (10") and ezPDF Reader but the eye strain is a problem for me

Given that I've been staring at illuminated computer screens for at least 8h a day for the last 30-odd years, I have no problem at all with it. If you suffer from eyestrain, you probably have the backlight set too high - most people do.

[PF4Mobile]

I played with that, It did not help a great deal.
What bothers me is the lack of sharpness that the PDF readers presents when it comes to rendering different documents. I also played with what I could to adjust that. Played with the contrast and brightness, color saturation, background and text color ...nothing helped.
Another issue is that sometimes I seem inclined to see the small cells (grid) that the monitor is made of... More with the new LED monitors less with the OLD LCDs.
I reed a lot about it.
Another issue seem to be that a wider monitor seems to be more distracting and not very helpful when focusing on the text. The efficiency improved dramatically when I got my first ereader. I could only explain these when I read Carr's book "The shallows...What internet is doing to our brain"... now I am entirely sold to reading on ereaders as a compromise between paper and tablet/PC

[PF4Mobile]

Originally Posted by Salgueiros

I use a Kindle DX to read the pdf-s and use Mendeley to annotate and organize them all.

I am not very happy with having my notes handed to a third party. Especially when you are reading things that you want to remain only yours depositing your notes is not a good idea. I looked at Mendeley for a short wile and that was my conclusion/impression.

[andyh2000]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Given that I've been staring at illuminated computer screens for at least 8h a day for the last 30-odd years, I have no problem at all with it. If you suffer from eyestrain, you probably have the backlight set too high - most people do.

People say this all the time, but the backlight on my iPad is turned all the way down and it's still way too bright for me indoors in the evening. I've concluded that a) I've got sensitive eyes and b) our house is very dimly lit.

Andrew

[Salgueiros]

Originally Posted by PF4Mobile

I am not very happy with having my notes handed to a third party. Especially when you are reading things that you want to remain only yours depositing your notes is not a good idea. I looked at Mendeley for a short wile and that was my conclusion/impression.

what third party?

[emellaich]

iPad plus iAnnotate

[PF4Mobile]

Originally Posted by Salgueiros

what third party?

Aren't your notes and everything else stored on Mendeley servers?

[vxf]

Originally Posted by emellaich

iPad plus iAnnotate

Same. Then I email the paper to myself and store the annotated PDF on my PC.

I prefer eink - as many do - but for papers it's just not feasible. None-the-less, I often read 6+ hours in a day (just finished my PhD...) and I can handle it. My eyes are strained by the end of it, but this is still the best compromise.

I tried a SONY PRS950 for PDFs and a Kindle DX. Sony's screen was too small and it was too slow for looking things up. Kindle was also too slow and the lack of a touchscreen on the DX was a no-go for my purposes.