Academic AI Tools That Feel like CHEATING

The video discusses the transformative impact of AI tools on academic research, which could almost feel like cheating due to their efficiency. The speaker shares their experience with two AI tools: Avid Note and Kahoot. Avid Note is praised for its web-based platform that allows for effective organization of research notes, seamless integration with reference managers, and the ability to create smart notes on PDFs using AI. Kahoot is highlighted for its specialized AI functions tailored for researchers, including a transcribe function, code generation, and AI chat, which can assist in various research tasks from writing a literature review to creating a research proposal. The speaker emphasizes the time-saving potential of these tools and suggests that combining them can create a powerful network for academic work.

Takeaways

• 📚 Reference managers like Mendeley were crucial during the speaker's PhD for organizing papers and creating reference lists.
• 💡 Avid Note is a web-based tool that stands out for its effective organization and integration with reference managers, enhancing the research note process.
• 🔍 Avid Note allows users to create smart notes on PDFs and has an AI feature that helps explain and search for information within documents.
• 💻 The AI in Avid Note provides a one-page user interface for interacting with PDF documents, making it simple and accessible.
• 📝 Avid Note saves all prompts related to a particular paper, offering a clean and organized way to manage research discussions.
• 💰 Avid Note requires a subscription, but it promises time-saving benefits by integrating AI into the note-taking process.
• 🚀 Kahoot is an AI tool designed for research that can write, read, and analyze data, offering a dashboard with numerous prompts for researchers.
• 📈 Kahoot's features include a transcribe function, code generation for data analysis, and an AI chat for research documentation.
• 📝 Kahoot provides a wide range of templates for different research needs, from interviews to literature reviews, making it a comprehensive tool for researchers.
• 📑 The AI-generated text by Kahoot serves as a solid first draft, requiring further refinement and scientific validation by the user.
• 🔗 Combining tools like Avid Note and Kahoot can create a powerful network for managing and enhancing research workflows.
• ✨ The speaker recommends checking out additional AI tools for research and signing up for a newsletter for exclusive content on research and academia.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the AI tools discussed in the transcript?

The main purpose of the AI tools discussed is to assist in academic research by facilitating tasks such as reading, writing, organizing research notes, and analyzing data, which can significantly save time and enhance the research process.

Which software was mentioned as being helpful during the speaker's PhD?

The software mentioned as being helpful during the speaker's PhD is reference managers, specifically Mendeley.

What is the name of the web-based tool that the speaker appreciates for its ability to write and organize research notes effectively?

The web-based tool that the speaker appreciates is called Avidnote.

How does Avidnote integrate with a reference manager?

Avidnote integrates with a reference manager by allowing users to import or export their bibliography to any citation manager, which streamlines the research and referencing process.

What feature of Avidnote allows users to create smart notes on PDFs?

Avidnote allows users to create smart notes on PDFs through a simple interface where they can select a prompt, ask a question, or paste a snippet of text they want to understand better, and the AI provides explanations and outlines.

What is the name of the AI tool that the speaker mentions as being able to write, read, and analyze effectively for research?

The AI tool mentioned for effective writing, reading, and analyzing in research is called Kahoot.

What does Kahoot offer to researchers in terms of functionality?

Kahoot offers a range of features for researchers, including a transcribe function, a coding function to generate code, AI chat, and access to various AI templates for different research tasks such as suggesting interview questions, analyzing data, and writing research proposals.

What is the speaker's suggestion for improvement in Avidnote?

The speaker suggests that Avidnote could improve by having a separate panel for AI features like suggesting research proposals and timelines, rather than integrating them directly into the document viewing and note-taking interface.

What is the advantage of using both Avidnote and Kahoot together?

The advantage of using both Avidnote and Kahoot together is that they can create a comprehensive network of tools that cater to different aspects of research, such as note-taking, PDF interaction, data analysis, and proposal writing, thus enhancing the overall research experience.

How does the speaker describe the initial draft generated by Kahoot for a research proposal?

The speaker describes the initial draft generated by Kahoot as comprehensive, covering all necessary sections of a research proposal, including introduction, objectives, background, and methodology. It provides a solid foundation for researchers to build upon.

What is the speaker's opinion on the importance of using AI tools in academic research?

The speaker believes that AI tools can significantly enhance academic research by making the process more efficient and less time-consuming. They feel that these tools can almost feel 'too good to be true' or 'cheating' due to the level of assistance they provide.

What additional resources does the speaker invite the audience to explore?

The speaker invites the audience to sign up for their newsletter at andrew.com/newsletter for exclusive content, and to check out AcademiaInsider.com for ebooks, resource packs, blogs, and upcoming courses aimed at improving research and academic experiences.

Outlines

00:00

📚 AI Tools for Academic Research

The speaker discusses the evolution of AI tools in academia, starting with the use of reference managers like Mendeley during their PhD. They highlight the convenience of Mendeley's plugin for Word to create reference lists. The introduction of Avid Note is praised for its web-based accessibility, effective organization through tags, and seamless integration with reference managers. Avid Note's AI feature is demonstrated, which helps in understanding and expanding on complex text snippets from research papers. The speaker also mentions a potential improvement for AI integration in the tool.

05:02

🚀 Kahoy: The AI Research Assistant

The speaker introduces Kahoy, an AI tool designed specifically for researchers to write, read, and analyze documents effectively. Kahoy stands out for its focus on research without unnecessary features, offering a transcribe function, code generation, and an AI chat. The tool provides a wide range of prompts tailored for various research needs, from suggesting interview questions to writing different sections of academic papers. The speaker demonstrates Kahoy's ability to generate a research proposal and a literature review, noting the tool's effectiveness in providing a solid starting point for research documents.

10:04

🔍 Combining AI Tools for Research Efficiency

While Kahoy lacks a chat feature with PDF documents, the speaker suggests that combining it with Avid Note could create a powerful network of tools for researchers. They encourage viewers to explore and utilize AI tools that can enhance their research process. The speaker also promotes their newsletter and the resources available on AcademiaInsider.com, which are designed to support researchers and academics.

Keywords

AI tools

AI tools refer to software applications that utilize artificial intelligence to assist in tasks such as data analysis, document reading, and research assistance. In the context of the video, they are portrayed as being so effective that they could be considered as giving an unfair advantage, akin to cheating. They are central to the video's theme of enhancing academic research and writing.

PhD

PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy and represents the highest academic degree awarded by universities in most fields of study. In the video, the speaker reflects on the limited software tools available during their PhD, highlighting the evolution to more advanced AI tools that are the focus of the discussion.

Reference managers

Reference managers are software tools that help scholars organize, store, and format citations and bibliographies. The video mentions 'Mendy' as an example that the speaker used during their PhD, emphasizing its role in creating reference lists, which is a fundamental part of academic writing.

Avidnote

Avidnote is a web-based research tool that the speaker discovered and appreciates for its ability to elevate the reference process. It is highlighted for its effective organization features, such as tags, and seamless integration with reference managers. It is portrayed as a significant advancement in the workflow of academic research.

Smart notes

Smart notes in the context of the video refer to a feature within Avidnote that allows users to create annotations on PDF documents. This AI-integrated feature is showcased as a way to enhance understanding and retention of information from academic papers, which is crucial for research and study.

Citation managers

Citation managers are software applications that assist researchers in managing bibliographic references. They are mentioned in the video as compatible with Avidnote, allowing for the import and export of bibliographies, which streamlines the academic writing process.

Kahoi

Kahoi is an AI research tool that the speaker introduces as a means to supercharge research by generating, rewriting, and analyzing data. It is noted for its specific focus on researchers and its ability to provide a range of prompts and functions that cater to various stages of the research process.

Transcribe function

The transcribe function within the Kahoi tool is a feature that allows the conversion of spoken language into written text. This is particularly useful for researchers who need to convert interviews or discussions into a written format for analysis, as mentioned in the video.

AI chat

AI chat refers to an interactive feature within certain AI tools that allows users to communicate with the AI to ask questions or receive explanations. In the video, the speaker uses the AI chat feature to gain a better understanding of complex parts of a document, demonstrating its utility in enhancing comprehension.

Research proposal

A research proposal is a document that outlines the details of a proposed research study. In the video, the speaker uses the Kahoi tool to generate a draft of a research proposal, which is a testament to the tool's capabilities in aiding the initial stages of academic research.

Literature review

A literature review is a comprehensive summary of existing research on a particular topic. The video demonstrates the use of AI tools to assist in writing a literature review, showcasing how AI can help researchers by providing a starting point for their writing.

Highlights

AI tools are transforming academic research, making tasks like reference management and note-taking more efficient, potentially to the point of feeling like cheating.

Mendeley is a reference manager that has been a staple for many academics, allowing for easy organization and citation creation in Word.

AvidNote is a web-based research note organizer that elevates the reference process with effective organization, seamless integration, and AI-powered note creation on PDFs.

AvidNote's AI feature allows users to ask questions or seek explanations on specific text snippets, providing a glossary of terms and a clear outline.

Kahoi is an AI tool designed for research that can write, read, and analyze data, offering a dashboard with numerous prompts tailored for researchers.

Kahoi's free plan is generous, providing access to AI templates for various research needs, from data analysis to writing literature reviews.

The AI chat feature in Kahoi allows for interaction with research documents, although it lacks the chat with PDF documents functionality found in some other tools.

Combining tools like AvidNote and Kahoi can create a personalized network of AI tools that enhance research productivity.

Kahoi's AI-generated research proposal and literature review drafts provide a solid starting point for researchers, requiring further refinement and personalization.

The integration of AI in academic tools is changing the landscape of research, making it more accessible and efficient for those in the field.

AvidNote and Kahoi are examples of how AI can be leveraged to streamline the research process, from note-taking to data analysis and writing.

The speaker suggests that while these AI tools are powerful, they should be used as a starting point, with researchers adding their own insights and scientific rigor.

The video discusses the potential of AI to not only assist but also to revolutionize academic research, making it faster and more accessible.

The speaker shares their personal experience with these tools during their PhD, highlighting the evolution of academic software and its impact on research.

AvidNote's smart notes feature on PDFs is praised for its simplicity and effectiveness in enhancing understanding and note-taking.

Kahoi's ability to generate code for data analysis is particularly beneficial for researchers who are not comfortable with coding.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of using AI tools responsibly, ensuring that they augment rather than replace the researcher's own contributions.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to share their experiences with AI tools in academia and to subscribe to the speaker's newsletter for exclusive content.