You'll get 7046 different answers. Chances are that they all work or have worked for the person posting. Do what works for you. Sowing directly into soil removes a couple chances of damaging the roots. If you are doing a bunch of seeds and don't want to wast containers or dirt for some that may not pop, the paper towel method works just fine.
I use tap water, add an airstone for 12 hours then PH to 6.3
Drop the seeds in, cover so it's in a dark/warm location. Then after 12 hours stir the seeds and they will sink. Then 12 hours after that they go right in to soil. Just done 13 beans from a number of breeders/strains and all 13 germinated.