Rectoly: How to Read Papers

Rectoly: How to Read Papers is an app for students reading research papers for the first time. You've just joined a lab, you're reading the literature for your senior thesis, or you've been asked to present a paper in your seminar. Rectoly stays with you until you can read research papers on your own. Instead of writing the answers for you, it teaches you a way of reading: finding what a paper says, and where. READ IN THREE PASSES First pass: just the title, abstract, figures and conclusion (5–10 minutes). Second pass: the figures and tables, and the text that describes them. Third pass: the details of the methods. Rectoly guides you to the next part to read, in order, and remembers how far you've read in each paper. If you stop partway, you can pick up where you left off. FIVE QUESTIONS: YOU FIND THE ANSWERS Research question, method, data, findings, limitations. The app asks, “Where does this paper state its purpose?” and you highlight the paragraph you found. The app checks whether your highlight falls where the answer is written. If it's off, Rectoly guides you to the paragraph where the paper says it. It never says “wrong.” Once you've found all five, you've read that paper. SEE HOW A PAPER IS PUT TOGETHER In Reading Mode, the margin shows colors for background, purpose, method, results and limitations. Tap an abbreviation to jump to where the paper defines it. SUM IT UP IN YOUR OWN WORDS For each of the five questions, write a line in your own words — by hand in the margin with Apple Pencil, or typed. Afterward, compare it side by side with the original text. Nothing is graded. ORIGINAL AND TRANSLATION Translate any paragraph into your own language, right where you are. Translation runs on this device; the paper is never sent to a translation service. EASIER READING IN READING MODE Two-column papers become a single column that's easy to read, even on a phone. You can go back to the original PDF anytime. Highlight, underline and write by hand without leaving Reading Mode. WORK BACK FROM YOUR DEADLINE Answer “When do you want to have it read by?” and the app spreads the three passes and the five questions over the days, with a reminder only at the time you choose (once a day at most). A widget on your Home Screen shows your next step. After 3 days and again after 1 week, you practice recalling the paper from your own highlights and summary. Your progress is shown as a weekly count, not a daily streak. SAMPLE PAPERS FOR YOUR FIELD For your first four weeks, you can practice with sample papers from your field. Each one comes with an explanation of the reading order and questions written for that paper. Sample papers are free. AI DOESN'T WRITE THE ANSWERS AI is used only to check where your highlights overlap the original text. The AI runs on this device, and the paper never leaves it. If AI can't run on your device, you can also set up your own API key (only then is it sent to the provider you chose). THE PDFS YOU ALREADY HAVE Open them from the Files app (iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox and more), including class handouts and papers you downloaded from your university's website. No sign-in needed. WHEN YOUR RESEARCH BEGINS: Rectoly for Zotero / for Mendeley Once you start managing references, you can move up to Rectoly for Zotero or Rectoly for Mendeley. The papers you've read, your highlights, handwriting and summaries come with you as they are. 14-DAY FREE TRIAL → ONE-TIME PURCHASE The sample papers and the first PDF of your own are free. Try every feature free for 14 days. No subscription: pay once and keep using it.