Dense papers reward a repeatable reading loop. Use the same checklist every time and you will move faster without skipping rigor.
Start with the claim, not the equations
Read the abstract and conclusion first. Write one sentence: what problem, what approach, what result? If that sentence is fuzzy, skim figures before you dive into Section 3.
Method before proofs
Understand the algorithmic story—inputs, outputs, loss, optimization—before you parse every lemma. Notation is easier once you know what object each symbol represents.
Experiments are the receipt
Tables and ablations tell you whether the headline result is brittle. Spend time on baselines, ablations, and failure cases before you trust a leaderboard number.