Introduction- Artificial Intelligence and Research
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a pervasive force that is changing environments, social relationships, and daily routines. Although AI tools have been around for a while, the advent of ChatGPT has reignited debate over how artificial intelligence should be used in academic research. AI possesses the potential to profoundly influence research across diverse fields, from generating references and producing articles to editing and proofreading text.
“Research ethics are a major concern about AI in academia. However, AI is here to stay. Therefore, we need to shift our attention to its proper, ethical use” (Academia and Academia, 2023).
As eliminating the use of AI in research and academia is non-viable, the best we can do is adapt to its advent by learning how to use it mindfully. This article seeks to explore the ways in which ChatGPT, a public tool developed by OpenAI, can enhance the research process. It will also delve into the optimal prompts to maximize the quality of results
Using ChatGPT in Research
As a sophisticated chatbot, ChatGPT can fulfil a wide range of text-based requests, including answering simple questions and completing more advanced tasks such as generating thank you letters and addressing productivity issues (Lund and Wang, 2023).
Graphic Credits: Apoorva Jyoti, Graphics Head at Mandonna
However, using ChatGPT effectively for research paper writing requires a careful, calculated approach; researchers must emphasize input specification, language, tone, review, and editing while using the AI tool to maximize the strength of ChatGPT and curate high-quality research articles.
Here is how you can effectively use ChatGPT in research:
ChatGPT as a Summarizing tool: One prominent use of ChatGPT is information retrieval and summarisation of existing literature, relevant theories, and methods. It provides concise summaries of lengthy research papers and published books helping one quickly grasp the key concepts and discoveries, with minimal effort, along with substantially facilitating literature reviews by summarizing research papers.
Prompt 1: “Explain the key concepts and theories present in the book [Name of the book] by [Author of the book] in detail, while mentioning its relevance in the study of [Domain/field] in today’s scenario.”
Prompt 2: “Summarize the following research paper in about 800 words [Title of the paper], the link for which is [Link for the paper]. Additionally, mention at least 10 keywords, important statistics and methodology used.”
Idea Generation and Brainstorming: ChatGPT can help you brainstorm research ideas, hypotheses, and research questions. By discussing your topic with ChatGPT, you might come up with new angles or perspectives to explore in your research.
Prompt 1: “Suggest some research topics for someone who is getting started in the field of [any academic domain/field] and would like to explore unique topics to research. Also, add 2 research questions for each prompt.”
Prompt 2: “Write a draft in 1000 words on this topic for a research paper- [Topic. Example-Women in diplomacy: Gender issues in international affairs]. Include an abstract as well.”
Editing and Grammar Assistance: ChatGPT to help edit and proofread papers for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. However, ensure that you carefully review and make any necessary revisions to the content generated by the AI tool.
Prompt 1: “Proofread the following text, and provide additional tips for making it more concise and engaging- [Add text]”
Prompt 2: “Check the following text for any grammatical errors, specifically punctuation and spelling errors- [Add text]”
Feedback and Peer Review: ChatGPT can be used to receive feedback on research drafts, proposals, or presentations. Insert your work in the chat box and ask the AI to deliver constructive comments and suggestions for improvement.
Prompt 1: “Review the following draft on the topic- [Topic] and give suggestions for improvement. [Attach the work]”
Prompt 2: “Review the following draft on the topic- [Topic] and add recommendations and policy changes that I can include in the paper. [Attach the work]”
Research Methodology & Statistical Analysis: ChatGPT can help one discuss and refine their research methodology, including sampling techniques, survey design, and data collection methods. If you are working with statistical analysis, ChatGPT can also assist you in explaining statistical concepts, choosing appropriate tests, and interpreting results.
Prompt 1: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of using [Type] techniques in quantitative data analysis?”
Prompt 2: “What are some data analysis techniques used for qualitative research? Which would be the best for my research work on – [Topic]”
It is important to note, that without careful inspection and editing, the generated text should never be relied upon, and it should not serve as the only source of data in a research report. The researcher is responsible for ensuring that the material is accurate and that the necessary ethical and legal issues are considered. The information generated by ChatGPT may contain errors or inaccuracies (Nayyeri, 2023).
Advantages and Drawbacks
ChatGPT can improve efficiency and stimulate critical thinking. Though AI tools cannot possibly compete with an insightful conversation with an expert in your research field, they can encourage you to reflect critically on your work.
However, it is impossible to disregard AI’s coming downsides. Although ethical application is conceivable, chief issues include plagiarism, a decline in originality, quality and creativity in research, and the problem of bias in AI models, which has recently received attention. The consequences of ChatGPT on scientific publications are concerning. In a recent study, abstracts by ChatGPT were submitted to academic reviewers, who only caught 63% of these fakes (Holden, 2023). This issue can be dealt with by introducing guidelines for using AI in academic publishing, such as declaring and explaining its use, acknowledging its limitations, and verifying its sources (Dupps, 2023).
A culture of ethical responsibility and understanding among researchers using AI tools, such as informing them of the potential drawbacks and advantages is essential. Considering this, we at Mandonna strive to use AI techniques effectively and responsibly, while establishing an inclusive community. Stay tuned for more articles on AI tools that can help with research processes like data collection and analysis, Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, image and video analysis, hypotheses generation, and many other topics.
References
Academia, and Academia. “How to Properly Use AI in Academic Research – Master Academia.” Master Academia – (blog), August 27, 2023. https://master-academia.com/ai-use-academia/#google_vignette.
Dupps, William J. “Artificial Intelligence and Academic Publishing.” Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 49, no. 7 (July 1, 2023): 655–56. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000001223.
Lund, Brady, and Ting Wang. “Chatting about ChatGPT: How May AI and GPT Impact Academia and Libraries?” Library Hi Tech News 40, no. 3 (February 14, 2023): 26–29. https://doi.org/10.1108/lhtn-01-2023-0009.
Nayyeri, Pooyan. “Using ChatGPT for Research Paper Writing: Tips and Best Practices.” Www.Linkedin.Com, n.d. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/using-chatgpt-research-paper-writing-tips-best-pooyan-nayyeri/.
Taddeo, Mariarosaria, and Luciano Floridi. “How AI Can Be a Force for Good.” Science 361, no. 6404 (August 24, 2018): 751–52. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat5991.
Thorp, H Holden. “ChatGPT Is Fun, but Not an Author.” Science 379, no. 6630 (January 27, 2023): 313. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adg7879.
Ye, Hong. “How I Use ChatGPT Responsibly in My Teaching.” Nature, April 12, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-01026-9.
Authorship Credits
Debastuti Talukdar is a third-year student of Political Science at Deshbandhu College at Delhi University and the Content Head at Mandonna.
