How to Use Claude Projects for Reading, Summaries and Revision

What you need

• A Claude account. Projects are open to free accounts too, but a free account can create up to five projects.
• Your study material saved as documents or text files, such as chapter notes you have typed or a text you are allowed to use.
• A clear goal, for example “summarise this chapter” or “prepare for a unit test next week.”
• Your textbook or class notes nearby, so you can check what Claude says.

Step by step

1. Open the Projects section. Hover over the left side of your account and click “Projects.” This is where all your projects are listed.
2. Start a new project. Click “+ New Project” in the upper right corner. Make one project for each subject or assignment so your chats stay organised.
3. Name the project and add a short description. For example, “Intermediate Revision – Chapter 4 Notes.” Claude does not see these details, so the real study material must go into the knowledge base.
4. Find the project knowledge base. Look on the right side of the project’s main page. Anything you add here is used as context in every chat inside that project.
5. Click the “+” button to add content. This lets you choose the files you want Claude to use.
6. Upload your study files. You can add documents, text files or code snippets. Claude processes them and uses them when it answers your questions in that project.
7. Write your instructions. Describe how you want Claude to respond, such as “use simple English, short bullet points, and tell me when the notes do not cover something.” These apply to all chats in the project.
8. Click “Save instructions.” Your instructions are only kept once you save them.
9. Start a chat inside the project. Chats started here use the files and instructions you just set up.
10. Paste a prompt and read the reply. Use the prompt below, then compare the answer with your notes.
11. Move an older chat into the project if needed. Click the dropdown arrow next to the chat name, choose “Add to project,” and pick the project in the window that opens.

Using only the uploaded chapter notes, write a summary of this topic in about 150 words, in simple English. Then list five key terms with a one-line meaning for each. Finally, tell me which points you are unsure about or which the notes do not cover.

Example: A matric student preparing for annual exams uploads her revision notes for two chapters into one project. She saves an instruction asking for short answers. She then asks for a summary and a list of questions she should revise. She checks each point against her textbook before she studies it.

Tips and common mistakes

• Put shared material in the knowledge base. Context is not shared across chats in a project unless the information is added to the project knowledge base. A file mentioned only in one chat may be missing from the next.
• Do not forget to save instructions. Typing instructions is not enough; click “Save instructions.”
• Know that each project has its own memory. Claude uses the project’s memory and your memory from chats outside projects, but not memory from other projects.
• Turn memory off when you need a clean start. Turn off “Use account memory” under Memory on the project’s page to keep the project’s memory fully separate. To turn memory off for one chat, open the “+” menu and turn off “Memory” before you send your first message.
• Archive finished projects. Archiving helps you declutter your project list, especially for completed work you may need later. Archiving does not remove members or reset sharing.
• Star projects you use often. A starred project appears in your starred items in the left side panel for quick access.
• Plan for larger files. On a paid plan, Claude automatically enables a mode that expands project capacity when your knowledge gets close to its limit.

Use it responsibly

• Check every answer. Compare summaries and key terms with your textbook, notes or teacher’s material. AI can make mistakes or leave things out.
• Protect your privacy. Never paste or upload private information such as your CNIC number, phone number, home address, passwords, or family details. Keep study files to material you are allowed to use.
• Follow your school or university rules. Check what your institution allows for AI use, especially for assignments, tests and submitted work. Use Claude to understand and revise, not to hand in work that is not your own.
• Review sharing settings. If you use a Team or Enterprise plan, check who can view or edit a project before you share it, and remove access when it is no longer needed.