AI for Your Research
AI can support parts of the research lifecycle, but it should not be treated as evidence, authority or a replacement for scholarly judgement. Click on a stage to explore techniques and tools.
AI in Research: An Introduction
Artificial intelligence can support academic research when its role is tightly defined. It can help organise material, generate search terms, critique drafts, draft code, and reformat outputs for different audiences. It should not be used as a citation source or as the final authority on evidence.
From literature mapping and grant preparation through to analysis support and dissemination, AI is most useful when paired with clear prompts, secure platform choices and independent verification. Research databases, primary sources, reproducible code and expert judgement still carry the evidential weight.
The resources below provide practical applications and tools for each stage of the research process. For a fuller treatment of secure platforms, RAG, prompt design and the VALID-AI checklist, use the dedicated research guide.
Full Research Guide
The research subsite expands this page with secure/private platform choices, a seven-part research prompt, the VALID-AI checklist, source-grounded NotebookLM/RAG guidance, and verification protocols.
AI is a collaborator, not evidence
Use AI for generation, critique, organisation and transformation. Use scholarly sources, data and expert judgement for evidence.
Verification is structural
Build checks into prompts and workflows instead of treating verification as a final tidy-up.
Source-grounded is not magic
NotebookLM and RAG can help interrogate a curated source set, but citations and interpretations still need checking.
Click on a research stage above to explore AI tools and techniques for that area.
Related AI Literacy Sites
Move between the staff, research, student and beginner-facing guides. Product features, pricing, model access and privacy settings change frequently, so check current provider documentation before relying on a platform for teaching, research or sensitive work.