Review systems and methods facilitate active reading by providing a flexible environment in which users can examine documents. A review system may include a virtual workspace, a document view region, a preview region, and optional document objects. The virtual workspace may simulate a desktop or other physical workspace. The document objects may be created from one or more documents through tools of the review system. These document objects may be independently moveable throughout the virtual workspace as needed to facilitate the user's active reading process, and the document objects within a single workspace may refer to more than a single document. The review system may also include analytical tools enabling the user to analyze his and others' use of the tools as applied to selected documents.