One of the things you will do frequently while conducting research is reading papers —lots of them. To understand what others have said or done, you need to be able to explain it, even if only to yourself. The best advice I can give to streamline this process is: take notes! Taking notes forces your brain to engage with and internalize what you are reading. Summarize the key points in your own words, or thoughtfully absorb the authors’ phrasing.
You can take notes in a semi-structured way by following a template. While using a template may feel limiting in some cases, it is generally helpful because it structures the way you engage with a paper and ensures you don't overlook any important aspect of the work. The following is an example of a note-taking template that combines distilling a paper's key points with a critical analysis of its main components: