How To Write A Strong Literature Review Using AI | Write In 4 Easy Steps

Dr Amina Yonis
7 Nov 202311:07

TLDRThe video script introduces five AI platforms designed to assist students with the literature review process. It emphasizes the ease of finding relevant literature through automated research papers and staying updated with recent publications. The script also highlights the importance of evaluating and selecting sources using AI, identifying themes, gaps, and debates within the literature. Furthermore, it suggests tools for generating outlines and writing the review, emphasizing seamless integration and time-saving features to enhance academic writing efficiency.

Takeaways

  • 📈 In the last 6-12 months, there has been a significant increase in AI products aimed at assisting students with essay writing, assignments, and research processes.
  • 🔍 The first step in writing a literature review is conducting a literature search, traditionally done on platforms like PubMed or Google Scholar, but AI platforms like 'Our Discovery' can automate this process.
  • 📚 Our Discovery allows users to receive automated research papers based on their interests and can be set up to follow specific topics or journals, making the search for relevant literature more efficient.
  • 🗣️ Chat PDF is an AI platform that enables users to upload a research paper and ask questions about its content, including explanations of figures and summaries of the paper.
  • 🔎 To identify themes, gaps, and debates in the literature, platforms like 'Elicit' can extract data from multiple PDFs and provide a list of concepts, helping to narrow down research focus.
  • ✍️ Jenny is a platform that can help generate an outline for a literature review based on the user's input about the topic, aiding in organizing the structure and content of the review.
  • 🖋️ When writing the literature review, tools like Microsoft Word with Mendeley add-ins or platforms like Jenny and Paper Pal can streamline the writing process and assist with citation management.
  • 💡 It's important to select the most recent papers to ensure the literature review is up-to-date and accurate, as the field of study can rapidly evolve.
  • 📈 AI platforms can greatly enhance the efficiency of the literature review process by providing automated searches, content summaries, and question-answering features.
  • 🌐 Different AI tools may suit different individuals based on their research interests and aims, so exploring various platforms can help find the most suitable toolset for one's needs.
  • 📊 The use of AI in literature review writing is a testament to the growing integration of technology in academic research, offering new ways to manage and synthesize information.

Q & A

  • What is the main challenge students face when choosing AI tools for writing assistance?

    -The main challenge students face is the overwhelming number of AI products available, making it difficult to decide which ones to use, which are worth paying for, and which will provide the best results in the shortest time without requiring extensive time to figure them out.

  • How does the AI platform 'Discovery' help in the literature search process?

    -Discovery simplifies the literature search process by automating the delivery of recent research papers related to the user's selected topics directly to their inbox, along with notifications. Users can set their feed, follow specific topics and journals, and even exclude ones they are not interested in, to receive customized and relevant research content.

  • What is the role of the 'Chat PDF' AI platform in evaluating and selecting sources?

    -Chat PDF allows users to upload a research paper and ask questions about it. The platform provides answers, summaries, explanations of figures, and identifies limitations, aiding users in understanding the content deeply and selecting the most relevant sources for their literature review.

  • How can the 'Elicit' platform assist in identifying themes, gaps, and debates in the literature?

    -Elicit can extract data from multiple PDFs, find papers, and list concepts. It can analyze a set of papers the user provides to identify gaps in the literature and suggest relevant research, offering a refined answer based on the user's specific research papers.

  • What is the purpose of the 'Jenny' platform in writing a literature review?

    -Jenny helps in generating an outline for the literature review based on the user's input about their topic. It suggests a structure, including potential subtopics and areas of discussion, which the user can then refine and expand upon with their own research and citations.

  • How does the Microsoft Word add-in for Mendeley facilitate the writing process?

    -The Mendeley add-in for Microsoft Word allows for seamless integration of citations from the user's Mendeley library directly into their document. This feature aids in proper citation management and ensures that the literature review is academically rigorous and well-referenced.

  • What are some tips for efficiently organizing and managing research papers for a literature review?

    -Users can follow specific topics and journals within the Discovery platform, set up notifications for new publications, and export papers directly to their referencing manager, such as Mendeley, to automatically add them to their library and save time during the writing process.

  • How can AI tools help in understanding complex figures and data presented in research papers?

    -Tools like Chat PDF can explain complex figures and data by providing detailed descriptions and interpretations, helping users to grasp the significance and relevance of the visual information presented in research papers.

  • What is the benefit of using multiple AI platforms during the literature review process?

    -Using multiple AI platforms allows for a more streamlined and efficient process, as each tool can assist with different aspects of the literature review, from initial search and organization to writing and citation management, without requiring the user to spend excessive time learning and navigating each platform individually.

  • How can students ensure that their literature review includes the most current and relevant research?

    -Students can ensure their literature review is up-to-date and relevant by using platforms like Discovery to receive notifications about recent publications, and by filtering their search results in Elicit to focus on the latest papers in their field of study.

  • What is the importance of proper citation management in writing a literature review?

    -Proper citation management is crucial for maintaining academic integrity, giving credit to original sources, and providing a solid foundation for the arguments and discussions presented in the literature review. It also helps readers locate the original research for further exploration.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Streamlining Literature Search with AI

This paragraph discusses the challenges of navigating the vast array of AI products designed to assist students with essay and assignment writing. It highlights the difficulty in choosing the right tool, considering factors like cost, effectiveness, and time efficiency. The speaker introduces a methodical approach to writing a literature review using five different AI platforms, starting with the crucial first step of finding appropriate literature. The platform 'Our Discovery' is introduced as a free app that automates the process of receiving recent research papers tailored to one's research interests, thus streamlining the literature search process.

05:01

🤖 Enhancing Comprehension with AI: Chat PDF

The second paragraph focuses on the next step in writing a literature review: evaluating and selecting sources. The traditional method of manually reading through research papers is replaced with an AI platform called 'Chat PDF,' which allows users to upload a document and ask questions to gain a deeper understanding of the content. This platform is particularly useful for newcomers to a topic, as it can clarify complex concepts, summarize papers, and explain figures, thus enhancing the user's comprehension of the material.

10:03

🔍 Identifying Research Gaps with Elicit

This section delves into the third step of the literature review process: identifying themes, gaps, and debates within the literature. The AI platform 'Elicit' is recommended for this task, as it can extract data from multiple PDFs and even find relevant papers based on a user's research interests. The platform's ability to pinpoint gaps in the literature and suggest relevant research papers, complete with abstract summaries, makes it a valuable tool for refining one's research focus and ensuring that the literature review addresses current and relevant topics.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI platforms

AI platforms refer to artificial intelligence-based tools or applications designed to assist with specific tasks, such as writing, research, and data analysis. In the context of the video, AI platforms are used to aid students in the literature review process, making it more efficient and streamlined. Examples include Our Discovery, Chat PDF, and Jenny, each serving different functions like automated research paper delivery, content understanding, and outline generation respectively.

💡Literature review

A literature review is a scholarly paper that discusses published research on a specific topic, providing a summary, analysis, and synthesis of the information. It is a crucial part of academic writing, helping to establish the context and background for further research. The video focuses on the process of writing a literature review, offering strategies and AI tools to streamline the task.

💡Research papers

Research papers are written documents that present original research results, often in the form of a study or experiment. They are a primary source of information in academic fields and are essential for keeping up-to-date with the latest findings in any given discipline. In the video, the speaker discusses the importance of finding and including the most recent research papers in a literature review to ensure accuracy and relevance.

💡Abstract

An abstract is a brief summary of a research paper, thesis, review, or other in-depth analysis of a particular subject or discipline, and is often provided at the beginning of the document. It quickly informs the reader about the main findings, methodology, and conclusions of the research. In the context of the video, reading and understanding abstracts is emphasized as a key step in the literature review process, helping to determine the relevance of a paper to the topic at hand.

💡Chatbot

A chatbot is an AI software designed to simulate conversation with human users, either via text or voice interactions. In the video, Chat PDF is introduced as a chatbot-like platform that allows users to ask questions about research papers and receive answers, aiding in the comprehension of complex academic material.

💡Themes

In the context of a literature review, themes refer to the recurring ideas, concepts, or topics that emerge from the analysis of the collected research papers. Identifying themes helps to organize the literature review and focus on the most significant aspects of the research area. The video discusses the use of AI platforms to help identify these themes and gaps in the literature.

💡Gaps in literature

Gaps in literature refer to areas where there is a lack of research or incomplete understanding on a particular topic. Identifying these gaps is important as they can guide the direction of future research and provide a rationale for new studies. The video emphasizes the use of AI tools to uncover such gaps, which is a critical step in the literature review process.

💡Outline

An outline is a structured plan that lists the main points and subpoints of a document, providing a roadmap for the writing process. In academic writing, particularly for a literature review, an outline helps to organize thoughts and ensure that all relevant topics are covered systematically. The video introduces Jenny, an AI platform that can generate an outline based on the user's input about their writing topic.

💡Citations

Citations are references to the sources of information used in a piece of writing, such as research papers, books, or articles. They are essential for giving credit to the original authors and for allowing readers to locate the sources for further reading. In the context of the video, managing citations is a critical part of writing a literature review, and the speaker mentions the use of tools like Mendeley for this purpose.

💡Academic writing

Academic writing refers to the style of writing used in scholarly and academic contexts, which is characterized by a formal tone,严谨的论证, and the inclusion of citations to support claims. It is a critical skill for students and researchers, as it allows them to communicate their findings and ideas effectively. The video's main theme revolves around the use of AI tools to assist in academic writing, specifically in the creation of a literature review.

Highlights

AI products have seen a significant increase in the last 6 to 12 months, particularly those aimed at assisting students with writing essays, assignments, and research.

The challenge of choosing the right AI tool for academic writing is addressed by the video, offering guidance on selecting the most effective and cost-efficient option.

The platform 'our discovery' is introduced as a free app that automates the delivery of recent research papers to a user's inbox, based on their research interests.

Users can customize their 'our discovery' feed by following specific topics, ranking their importance, and even excluding certain areas of research.

The importance of staying updated with the most recent publications is emphasized for accurate and relevant literature reviews.

The AI platform 'chat PDF' is recommended for evaluating and selecting sources by allowing users to upload research papers and ask questions about their content.

Chat PDF provides detailed explanations of complex concepts, figures, and limitations of research papers, aiding in a deeper understanding of the material.

The platform 'elicit' is introduced for identifying themes, gaps, and debates within the literature by extracting data from multiple PDFs.

Elicit can suggest research gaps and relevant papers based on a user's specific set of research papers, offering a tailored and academic-focused response.

The platform 'jenny' is recommended for generating outlines for literature reviews, with the ability to customize prompts based on the user's research focus.

Jenny can provide sentence suggestions and citation recommendations, streamlining the writing process and ensuring academic rigor.

The video emphasizes the seamless integration of various AI platforms for academic writing, such as syncing between 'our discovery', M, and Microsoft Word.

Different tools suit different researchers, and the video encourages exploration of the recommended platforms to find the most suitable option.

The practical application of AI in academic writing is demonstrated through the step-by-step guide, showcasing the potential to save time and improve efficiency.