Author
This section of the best practice guide has been written by Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe, Lion Spirit Media.
Using AI in academic research
How to use AI ethically and effectively in academic research is a complex, challenging and comprehensive consideration. It affects researchers, writers, publishing houses, educational institutions, students and the wider academic community.
At IFIS Publishing, we recognise that the advancing technology and conversations around it are increasing, so as AI continues to develop, key educational resources are essential to support researchers and writers throughout their academic research.
As a result, we have added a section about AI to our best practice guide to help steer effective literature searching while maintaining scientific integrity.
How AI tools can be helpful
AI tools can support researchers, writers and students during their academic research process, including the wordsmithing and research stages. The University of Arizona states wordsmithing tasks as those that don’t require search and are related to idea generation, honing ideas and forming the building blocks for creating academic research papers by focusing on writing levels and style.
As highlighted in a Harvard Business Publishing article, using AI in academic research can be your partner not your replacement. The benefits of generative AI in the academic sector revolve around the technology’s potential to help increase the writing process’s efficiency and enable researchers to communicate their findings more clearly.
A 2024 systematic review found AI can support academic writing and research by helping to manage complex ideas and comprehensive information. Specifically, it can help in six core ways:
Using AI tools to speed up part of the writing and research process may also mean academic journals can enter the widespread food industry quicker, enabling fellow researchers to draw upon their findings and start their studies sooner—ultimately bringing more research into the publishing sphere at a faster rate. AI tools can also help support researchers whose native language is not English in writing and gathering information more easily and efficiently.
Legitimate uses of AI tools in academic research
Researchers can use AI during the research process for tasks such as:
Legitimate uses of AI tools in academic writing
Researchers can use AI during the ideation and writing process for tasks such as:
Considerations when using AI tools
Whether an AI tool is grounded in a fact-based source is crucial when choosing one to support academic research. One way to ascertain its credibility and validity in academic food research is how extensive the objective data is that a tool relies on.
The University of Arizona says that ChatGPT 4o mini and Claude 3.5 Sonnet, both free versions, are grounded in something other than facts as they only operate by relying on their training data.
When platforms or tools like these use data based on their training, it can quickly become outdated, restrictive and inaccurate in providing reliable information. ChatGPT 4o mini was trained until October 2023 while Claude 3.5 Sonnetwas until April 2024.
Other accessible AI tools are grounded in fact-based sources, which means they can also use web search results or other types of search results alongside their AI-generated findings to provide more comprehensive insights on a particular area of food research.
ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT-4o (available for limited use in free accounts), Perplexity AI (available in both free and pro versions), Microsoft Copilot (in free and pro versions) and Google Gemini (in free and pro versions) are examples of these available and grounded AI tools.
Many tools have free and pro versions. The free tools often provide limited functions and usage limits, while the pro versions offer more extensive and unlimited capabilities.
Concerns about using AI tools
In 2024, at the Special Libraries Association annual conference hosted at the University of Rhode Island, Brian Pitchman, Director of Strategic Innovation at Evolve Project, discussed AI’s new frontiers, including the challenges it’s likely to experience as it evolves.
One of these is described as “garbage in, garbage out”, emphasising the importance of precision and quality data. Ultimately, the essential rule of thumb is that the results of anything you’re doing in AI are only as good as the data you put in it in the first place.
1. Accuracy of results and the challenge of generative inbreeding in AI content
The downside of using AI in academic research and writing is that it may lack accuracy. It is at risk of providing false references, otherwise known as artificial hallucinations. Fictional information, too, is a considerable concern. AI tools’ capabilities to learn user biases and feed these into algorithms also have the potential to produce offensive material, including sexist and racist content.
Whether AI can detect AI is also a problem today due to the sheer amount of content that AI generates. If AI tools are using that content and populating the research sphere with even more AI-based content, it becomes difficult to know what’s AI and what’s not AI. The term for this is generative inbreeding.
2. Unethical uses of AI tools in academic research and writing
With AI rapidly on the rise due to the arrival of its more advanced evolution, generative AI, academic institutions from schools, colleges, universities and professional development organisations have concerns about the proliferation of the technology in education.
Now, peer-reviewed academic journals are also worried about the rate and level at which AI is being deployed to support researchers with writing—from creating research outlines and drafts to completing entire papers.
Without undergoing a vetting procedure by publishing houses or academics disclosing AI tools in their work, using AI tools may be considered plagiarism. AI tools could also result in the spread of fake references and insights, producing an inaccurate and non-credible picture of the food research space. The added problem of failing to make the use of AI clear and exactly how and where it’s been used in the journal article is another issue affecting academia.
3. Difficulty in detecting AI, restricting trust and credibility
AI increasingly appears in academic journal searches and writing, ultimately finding its way into final journal articles. However, while it provides various uses, it’s often hard to detect, limiting its acceptance and uptake in the research community. Subsequently, it risks restricting academia’s trust in the research process and potentially the findings and conclusions themselves, lowering their credibility.
Despite ethical watchdogs investigating instances of generative AI use in academic research that makes its way into scientific writing, there’s no advanced method of detection that matches AI’s sophistication.
In August 2023, the online publication WIRED brought attention to one peer-reviewed study in the academic journal Resources Policy, belonging to Elsevier Publishing, that contained the sentence: “Please note that as an AI language model, I am unable to generate specific tables or conduct tests, so the actual results should be included in the table.”
Apart from this sentence, the journal article appeared like other academic research papers. The study’s authors were listed with names and institutions and did not appear to be produced using AI language models. After another researcher published a screenshot of this sentence to X (formerly known as Twitter), Elsevier began investigating. In response, Elsevier highlighted its publishing ethics on X, referencing its rules on acceptable use and necessary disclosure methods.
While the publishing house does not prohibit the use of AI tools, it does require disclosure. Without disclosure, readers, including other researchers and the publishers, do not know the methods—a growing number of which may rely on AI to support their writing and research process—are used, pulling a veil over writing and research methods.
Balancing effectiveness with ethical issues
There is no standard definition or response to using AI tools in academic research, making it harder for researchers to know the do’s and don’ts of using AI tools to assist them in their research. Typically, the rule of thumb is that journal policies stipulate that it’s the author’s responsibility to ensure the validity of information provided by AI.
The use of AI in academic research appears to be becoming a field of study in its own right. Guillaume Cabanac, a professor of computer science at the University of Toulouse explored this subject in 2021. With his team, Cabanac identified several telltale signs of text generator use in academic research, including “tortured phrases”, complicated or convoluted wordplay instead of simple terminology and generative AI.
AI detection tools are one way to counter unethical uses of AI and a lack of vetting or disclosure. In 2023, researchers studied using a tool that can review science writing and differentiate with 99% accuracy those written by a human and those created by ChatGPT. Rather than building a “one-size-fits-all” approach, the researchers sought to develop an accurate tool focused on a narrow type of writing.
As AI only becomes more advanced, academia needs to prioritise education on AI tools and the opportunities and challenges associated with their use to retain scientific integrity, trust and credibility.
A case study: Using AI in a mock research setting
To see how well AI tools perform at responding to prompts and the level of information provided, IFIS Publishing entered several questions into five of the leading AI tools available:
Here are the prompts entered into each of these AI tools:
AI tools in academic research: Our results
Here is what we found. Please note that all these prompts have been entered into the free versions of the tools below.
Users do not need to create an account to use its free version.
Prompt 1: Find recent scientific research on nutrition.
Response:
“Here are some key findings from recent nutrition research:
The MIND diet, which emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats, may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline. A study found similar benefits for both Black and white participants following this diet1.
Replacing ultra-processed foods in the diet with less processed options can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes1. Additionally, higher consumption of red and processed meat is associated with increased type 2 diabetes risk, according to an analysis of nearly 2 million people1.
Blackcurrant supplementation may help mitigate bone loss in postmenopausal women1.
Higher fruit consumption in midlife was linked to lower odds of depression later in life in a large Singapore cohort study2.
Omega-3 therapy showed promise in preventing birth-related brain injury in newborn rodents2.
Binge-eating disorder appears to be more persistent than previously thought, with many individuals still experiencing symptoms 2.5 to 5 years later2.
Teens with later sleep schedules tend to be less active and consume more carbohydrates2.
Researchers identified a unique brain circuit linked to body mass index2.
A study found that poor diet quality may lead to brain changes associated with depression and anxiety2.
New research suggests obesity may be driven by a buildup of molecular mesh around hunger-regulating neurons, disrupting normal food intake and metabolism5.
Calorie labels on alcoholic drinks may influence over half of heavier drinkers in England to change their drinking habits1.
Reducing serving sizes of beer, lager and cider in pubs and restaurants by about 10% could be an effective alcohol control measure1.
This overview highlights some of the diverse and impactful nutrition research published in recent months, spanning topics from specific dietary components to broader eating patterns and public health interventions.”
Additional information:
The tool also provides the sources of information behind this generated response, which it lists as:
It also provides content it deems related content:
Prompt 2: What do research findings say about how people can eat a nutritious diet?
Response:
Based on the search results and current nutrition research, here are some key recommendations for eating a nutritious diet:
Emphasize consumption of:
Plant-based foods provide essential nutrients, fiber, and beneficial phytochemicals that support overall health and cognitive function23.
Opt for:
Limit red meat and processed meats, which are associated with higher health risks2.
Use olive oil as a primary cooking oil and include other sources of healthy fats like avocados and nuts34.
Reduce intake of:
Research supports the benefits of dietary patterns like:
These patterns emphasize plant-based foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats while limiting processed foods and added sugars34.
Consume alcohol, if at all, in moderation. The MIND diet allows up to one glass of wine per day4.
Focus on overall dietary patterns rather than individual nutrients. A balanced, varied diet rich in minimally processed plant foods appears most beneficial for long-term health and disease prevention12.
By following these evidence-based guidelines, individuals can work towards consuming a more nutritious diet that supports physical health, cognitive function, and overall wellbeing. However, it's important to note that dietary needs may vary based on individual factors, so consulting with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can provide personalized guidance.
Additional information:
The tool also provides the sources of information behind this generated response, which it lists as:
It also provides content it deems related content:
Prompt 3: What conclusions do recent research studies make about eating a nutritious diet?
Response:
Recent research studies have drawn several important conclusions about eating a nutritious diet:
Adhering to healthy dietary patterns can significantly increase life expectancy:
Nutritious diets show strong links to better brain health and cognitive performance:
Certain foods and nutrients appear particularly beneficial:
Research emphasizes overall dietary patterns rather than individual nutrients:
Developing healthy eating habits early and making gradual changes are important:
The research highlights the need for public health initiatives:
In conclusion, recent research strongly supports the profound impact of nutritious dietary patterns on longevity, brain health, and overall wellbeing. It emphasizes the importance of plant-based foods, whole grains, and healthy fats while limiting processed foods and added sugars. These findings underscore the potential for dietary interventions to significantly improve public health outcomes.
Additional information:
The tool also provides the sources of information behind this generated response, which it lists as:
It also provides content it deems related content:
Users do not need to create an account to use its free version. The below is based on the prompts entered into ChatGPT 4o mini.
Prompt 1: Find recent scientific research on nutrition.
Response:
Here are some recent trends and areas of research in nutrition that have gained attention:
For the latest studies, academic journals like The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nutrition Reviews, and The Journal of Nutrition often publish cutting-edge research. Websites like PubMed and Google Scholar can also provide access to recent articles in the field. If you have access to specific databases or journals, I can help you find more targeted information!
Prompt 2: What do research findings say about how people can eat a nutritious diet?
Response:
By integrating these findings into daily habits, individuals can foster a more nutritious diet and promote overall well-being.
Prompt 3: What conclusions do recent research studies make about eating a nutritious diet?
Response:
Recent research studies consistently highlight the numerous benefits of eating a nutritious diet. Here are some key conclusions:
Overall, these studies advocate for a shift toward whole, minimally processed foods to enhance both individual and community health outcomes.
Below are answers to the same prompts after logging into ChatGPT, but still using their free version. For each of its responses, it confirms it searched sites and indicates where this is demonstrated in the responses.
Prompt 1: Find recent scientific research on nutrition.
Response:
Recent scientific research on nutrition has explored several emerging trends and areas of interest:
These research directions indicate a broader shift towards more holistic, individualized, and sustainable approaches to nutrition.
Prompt 2: What do research findings say about how people can eat a nutritious diet?
Response
Recent research offers valuable insights into how people can adopt a nutritious diet for better health outcomes:
In summary, a nutritious diet is one that prioritizes whole, plant-based foods, minimizes ultra-processed foods, and can be customized to fit individual health needs for optimal results.
Prompt 3: What conclusions do recent research studies make about eating a nutritious diet?
Response:
Recent research on nutrition offers several key conclusions about what constitutes a nutritious diet and its impact on health:
In summary, the consensus from recent research is that a nutritious diet should prioritize whole, minimally processed foods, be tailored to individual health needs, and include a focus on gut health and sustainability. This approach supports physical and mental health while reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Users do not need to create an account to use its free version.
Prompt 1: Find recent scientific research on nutrition.
Response:
Here are some recent findings in the field of nutrition:
Is there a specific aspect of nutrition you’re particularly interested in?
Additional information:
It references links to the source below:
Learn more
Prompt 2: What do research findings say about how people can eat a nutritious diet?
Response:
Research offers several key guidelines for maintaining a nutritious diet:
Are there any specific dietary habits or foods you’re curious about?
Additional information:
The responses suggests possible next steps, detailed below:
Prompt 3: What conclusions do recent research studies make about eating a nutritious diet?
Response:
Recent research studies emphasize several key conclusions about eating a nutritious diet:
These findings highlight the importance of a balanced, varied diet and mindful eating practices for maintaining good health. Is there a specific aspect of nutrition you’re interested in exploring further?
Additional information:
The responses suggest possible next steps, detailed below:
Prompt 1: Find recent scientific research on nutrition.
Response:
Here are some recent scientific findings in the field of nutrition:
For more in-depth information, you can explore these reputable sources:
Would you like to delve deeper into a specific area of nutrition research?
Additional information:
Below this, users are given the following information:
Search related topics:
Prompt 2: What do research findings say about how people can eat a nutritious diet?
Response:
Research has consistently shown that a balanced, nutritious diet is crucial for optimal health and well-being. Here are some key findings:
Remember, individual needs may vary. It's always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized advice based on your specific health goals and circumstances.
Would you like to know more about specific dietary guidelines or recommendations for a particular health condition?
Additional information
Below this, users are given the following sources and related content, with links:
Prompt 3: What conclusions do recent research studies make about eating a nutritious diet?
Response:
Recent research studies continue to emphasize the importance of a nutritious diet for overall health and well-being. Here are some key conclusions:
In summary, recent research reinforces the longstanding understanding that a nutritious diet is a cornerstone of good health. It's important to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized advice based on your individual needs and goals.
Would you like to learn more about specific dietary recommendations or the benefits of a particular nutrient?
Additional information
Below this, users are given the following sources and related content:
Disease Maps: https://www.diseasemaps.org/kienbock-disease/top-questions/diet/
The AI tool requires users to login with their email address and password.
It provides the following instructions:
Welcome! I'm your research assistant. I can help you find academic papers.
You can tell me exactly what you want, like a colleague, and I'll understand. That means I can find very specific and extremely complex ideas.
To get started,
To do a careful job, the final literature search will take ~3 minutes.
So, what topic do you want to find research papers on? Please be as detailed as possible.
Prompt 1: Find recent scientific research on nutrition.
Response:
I understand you're looking for " Find recent scientific research on nutrition. ". Can you be a bit more specific? Imagine explaining yourself fully to a colleague. What would you tell them?
Having this detailed information is crucial to help us find exactly what you're looking for.
Prompt 2: What do research findings say about how people can eat a nutritious diet?
Response:
When considering recent scientific research on nutrition, it's important to analyze both diet composition and dietary patterns that holistically contribute to a nutritious diet.
Could you clarify if you're interested in certain aspects of nutrition, such as the impact of macronutrients like proteins, carbs, and fats, or focusing on specific dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet? Additionally, are you looking for studies that highlight specific nutrients' effects on health outcomes?
Are you specifically looking for clinical studies, meta-analyses, or perhaps reviews that summarize the current trends and paradigms in nutritional science? Clarifying this will ensure we pinpoint precisely the type of literature that will be most beneficial.
Prompt 3: What conclusions do recent research studies make about eating a nutritious diet?
Response:
Great, I've revised the search criteria and copied them below. Take a look and edit them if necessary, then when you're ready to start the deep search, click submit.
Prompt 4: (Generated by Undermind):
I want to find recent scientific research that examines what constitutes a nutritious diet and outlines specific dietary recommendations or patterns supported by evidence, focusing on the most current consensus or conclusions on promoting overall health.
Response:
The most crucial finding from the literature search is that the Mediterranean and DASH dietary patterns, rich in plant-based foods and low in processed foods, are consistently supported by recent evidence as promoting overall health and reducing risks of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes [1, 4, 5, 13].
You can find the full report and references below, but I can answer your questions about them directly. What do you want to know?
Additional information
Below this, the tool gives users the option to do:
Undermind then suggests I can access:
Editorial Notes