AI Research Assistants

They accelerate parts of a workflow but can miss relevant work, misread methods, or invent citations. A researcher remains responsible for checking sources and conclusions.

Key takeaways

• Define the search protocol.
• Check claims against the original papers.
• Preserve privacy and researcher accountability.

Define the literature question, date range, and inclusion criteria before searching. Semantic retrieval can find related wording, while exact terms and citation chains can find specific studies. Use multiple search strategies and record the databases or collections searched. Keep paper metadata and passages attached to every extracted claim. A summary should distinguish the authors’ result, a limitation, and the assistant’s interpretation. Check sample sizes, study design, units, and whether a paper actually supports the statement being made. Use the assistant to organize review, not to hide uncertainty. Include negative or contradictory evidence and document what was not found. A fluent list of references is not evidence that each paper exists or is relevant. Protect unpublished manuscripts, peer-review material, and participant information. Preserve a reproducible search record and have a qualified researcher approve any conclusion used in a publication, grant, or decision.

1. Imagine an assistant saying that three studies found the same effect.
2. Open the papers and compare population, intervention, outcome, and uncertainty; similar wording may hide different questions.
3. Rewrite the conclusion to reflect agreement, disagreement, or insufficient evidence.

The constructed review separates reference retrieval from synthesis.