Tag: #Discover

AI tools for students are becoming a common part of how students find, read, and understand academic information. These tools are designed to help make research faster, more organised, and easier to manage. As more students rely on digital platforms for learning, AI plays a growing role in academic environments.

AI tools for students are a specific type of AI tool built to support academic work. They can search through large databases of scholarly content, find relevant papers, summarise complex texts, and help manage citations. Unlike general AI tools, they are trained to focus on academic literature and research tasks.

This article lists the top AI research assistants students are using in 2025, including tools like ZAIA, Elicit, Perplexity AI, Research Rabbit, Scite, ChatGPT, and Connected Papers. Each one serves a different purpose within the research process. The goal is to help students understand what these tools do and how they support academic research.

Why AI Research Assistants Are Essential for Students

Many students struggle with research challenges like limited access to academic journals, difficulty understanding complex language, and spending too much time searching for relevant papers. AI assistants address these issues by providing simplified summaries and streamlining the search process.

These tools are part of a growing trend in AI research for students. They work within AI research libraries to help students access quality academic content without needing special access or advanced research training.

6 Powerful AI Tools for Academic Success

ZAIA

ZAIA is an AI assistant integrated into Zendy’s academic library. It gives students access to millions of research articles across different subjects.

What makes ZAIA stand out is how it simplifies complex academic content:

1. Answers Research Questions

• You can ask ZAIA anything about a paper, topic, or concept.
• Example: “What is the main finding of this study?” or “Explain this in simpler terms.”

2. Summarises Academic Papers

• Provides quick, clear summaries of long or complex research articles.
• Tailors responses to students, researchers, or professionals.

3. Explains Technical Terms

• Breaks down jargon, statistics, and methodology into plain language.

4. Generates Insights from PDFs

• Upload a paper and ask ZAIA for:
  • Key takeaways
  • Strengths and weaknesses
  • Implications of the research

5. Guides Literature Review

• Suggests related topics or authors.
• Helps formulate research questions.

A student working on a climate change project can upload journal articles and quickly extract the main findings without reading the entire paper. ZAIA connects to scholarly databases, providing access to both free and subscription-based academic content.

Its main strength is making literature reviews faster by delivering focused results with verified references.

Elicit

Elicit specialises in literature reviews. It searches academic databases to find papers related to specific research questions.

Here’s what Elicit best for:

1. Finds Relevant Papers from Semantic Scholar

• You can ask a research question (e.g. “What are the effects of mindfulness on anxiety?”), and Elicit returns papers that answer or relate to that question, even if they don’t use the exact same wording.
• It pulls from Semantic Scholar’s open-access database.

2. Extracts Key Information from Papers

• Elicit automatically pulls out:
  • Abstracts
  • Sample sizes
  • Interventions
  • Outcomes
  • Methods
• This helps researchers quickly compare and understand multiple studies.

3. Supports Literature Review Workflows

• You can organise papers into a table.
• Customise what columns you want (e.g. population, findings, study design).
• Useful for identifying patterns, gaps, or summaries across studies.

4. Other Features:

• Brainstorm hypotheses and related questions
• Suggests relevant variables or search terms
• Summarises findings

Limitations:

• It only accesses open-access papers, mostly from Semantic Scholar.
• Less effective for very recent, niche, or paywalled research.

Elicit offers a free version with basic features and paid plans starting at $12/month. Its key advantage is evidence synthesis, comparing findings across multiple studies in an organised way.

Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI works like a smart search engine that answers questions with sources. Students can ask complex questions in everyday language instead of searching with keywords.

The tool shows citations alongside its answers, making it easy to check where information comes from. It’s available for free, with a Pro version offering additional features.

Perplexity AI excels at handling complicated questions in natural language, making it helpful for exploring new topics or getting quick, sourced answers for assignments.

Research Rabbit

Research Rabbit creates visual maps showing how academic papers connect to each other. This helps students see relationships between studies, authors, and topics.

By entering one paper you already know about, Research Rabbit generates a map of related research. This visual approach helps discover papers you might miss with regular searches. Its core features are:

1. AI-Powered Paper Discovery

• Suggests new papers based on your library and reading habits—using citation networks and topic similarity.

2. Interactive Citation Maps

• Visualises relationships between papers (citing, cited, similar), and co-author networks in node‑and‑edge maps. 

3. Personalised Feeds & Alerts

• Delivers updates when new papers related to your collections or authors are published, without spam.

4. Collaborative Libraries

• Enables sharing collections, commenting, and collaborating, supporting teamwork and peer exploration. 

5. Reference Manager Integration

• Syncs with Zotero, Mendeley, etc., making it easy to import/export your research

The tool also offers personalised paper recommendations and allows sharing collections with classmates or professors. It’s especially useful for understanding how academic conversations have developed over time.

Scite

Scite analyses how research papers are cited by others. This helps students evaluate a paper’s credibility by seeing how the academic community has responded to it. For example, a paper with many contrasting citations might have contested findings.

Scite features:

1. Smart Citations

• Scite shows how a paper is cited, not just that it’s cited.
• It categorises citations into:
  • Supporting (agreeing with the findings)
  • Contrasting (disagreeing with the findings)
  • Mentioning (neutral reference)
• This gives a clearer picture of a paper’s credibility and influence.

2. Citation Statements in Context

• You can see the actual sentence in which another paper cited the one you’re reading, making it easier to understand how and why it was cited.

3. Research Discovery

• Scite helps users find high-quality, debated, or under-reviewed papers by showing citation patterns.
• You can also explore citation networks and related works.

4. Scite Assistant

• A chatbot-style AI that helps you ask questions and discover relevant research based on Scite’s citation database.

5. Research Dashboards & Reports

• Used by universities and institutions to analyse research impact, identify experts, or track fields of study.

Scite is particularly valuable for checking if a source is reliable before using it in an assignment. Students can access it through individual or school licenses.

Connected Papers

Connected Papers creates visual graphs showing relationships between research papers. By entering one paper, students get a map of related studies.

This tool helps find:

1. Visual Graph Mapping
   • Builds an interactive graph where each node represents a paper.
   • Node size reflects citation count; colour shading shows publication year
   • Spatial layout shows conceptual similarity—not direct citations—clustered accordingly
2. Prior & Derivative Works
   • “Prior works” highlights foundational studies cited by the cluster.
   • “Derivative works” surfaces newer papers citing multiple cluster members 
3. Multi‑Origin Graphs
   • Add additional seed papers to explore intersections across multiple topics 
4. Export Options
   • Export bibliographic data (e.g., BibTeX) directly for reference managers

Connected Papers is free to use, but doesn’t cover every academic journal. Its strength is helping students understand the structure and history of a research topic through visual connections.

How to Choose the Right AI Assistant for Your Needs

Different AI research assistants work better for specific tasks. Here’s a simple guide to help you pick the right tool:

Task	Best Tools	Why
Literature review	ZAIA, Elicit	Search across academic sources with summaries
Quick answers	Perplexity AI	Conversational interface for fast results
Checking source reliability	Scite	Shows how papers are cited by others
Finding related papers	Research Rabbit, Connected Papers	Visual maps of connected research

Your budget also matters when choosing a tool. Research Rabbit and Connected Papers are completely free. Perplexity AI offers free versions with premium options. ZAIA, Elicit, and Scite have both free features and paid plans with more capabilities.

For students with limited funds, combining free tools can work well. For example, use Connected Papers to discover papers, then use ZAIA to summarise them.

Addressing Credibility and Source Reliability

When using AI research assistants, checking the reliability of information is important. Not all AI tools verify their sources equally well.

To check AI-generated information:

1. Look for the original source citation
2. Verify the source exists in academic databases
3. Confirm the AI accurately represented the source

Some tools focus more on peer-reviewed content than others. ZAIA connects directly to academic databases with verified research. Elicit provides supporting quotes from papers. Scite shows how papers are cited in other academic work.

For academic writing, it’s essential to verify any citations an AI provides. Check that the publication exists, the authors are real, and the information matches what the AI claimed. This helps maintain academic integrity while still benefiting from AI assistance.

Time-Saving Strategies With AI Research

AI research assistants can significantly reduce the time spent on academic tasks. Here are some effective combinations of tools:

For a literature review, try this workflow:

1. Use Connected Papers to identify key papers in your field
2. Import those papers into Elicit to extract main findings
3. Use ZAIA to summarise complex papers you need to understand deeply

This approach can reduce initial research time by focusing your reading on the most relevant materials.

Semantic search, used in tools like ZAIA, finds results based on meaning rather than exact keywords. This helps find relevant papers even when they use different terminology. Traditional keyword search only finds exact matches, often missing important related research.

AI summarisation tools extract the main points from research papers, allowing you to review more papers in less time. This is especially helpful when deciding which papers to read in full.

Integrating AI Tools Into Your Research Process

AI research assistants work alongside traditional research methods, they don’t replace them. These tools help find and organise information, but students still need to read key papers and form their own understanding of the topic.

Many AI tools connect with citation managers like Zotero, EndNote, or Mendeley. This allows seamless transfer of references and citations between systems, keeping your bibliography organised.

For group projects, some tools support collaborative research. Students can share collections of papers, AI-generated summaries, and notes with team members. This helps maintain consistent understanding across the group.

A simple way to incorporate AI into your research:

1. Define your research question
2. Use an AI tool to find relevant papers
3. Summarise key papers using AI features
4. Export citations to your citation manager
5. Organise findings by themes or relevance

Empower Your Research Journey

AI research assistants help students complete academic work more efficiently. They summarise papers, find relevant sources, organise citations, and show connections between studies, reducing time spent on repetitive tasks.

These tools support but don’t replace critical thinking. Students still evaluate sources, check accuracy, and form arguments based on evidence. The AI handles information processing, while students focus on understanding and analysis.

The field of AI in academic research continues to develop. Future improvements may include better real-time collaboration, analysis of content in multiple languages, and more personalised recommendations based on your research interests.

Zendy offers a comprehensive research platform that combines AI tools with access to a large academic content library. Its features include summarisation, keyphrase highlighting, and citation organisation, all designed to make research more accessible and efficient.

FAQs About AI Research Assistants

Which AI research assistants work well for students with limited budgets?

Research Rabbit and Connected Papers are completely free. Perplexity AI offers a robust free version with its core features. Zendy provides affordable access to both free and subscription-based academic content through its platform.

How do these AI tools handle different academic subjects?

Coverage varies by tool. Elicit works well for science and medicine, while Connected Papers and Research Rabbit cover most academic fields. Some tools may be less effective for humanities or theoretical subjects where research is more conceptual.

Can AI research assistants access subscription-based academic journals?

Most free AI tools only search publicly available sources. Zendy provides access to subscription-based academic literature at a lower cost through partnerships with publishers, making paywalled content more accessible to students.

Are citations from AI research assistants always accurate?

No. Citations from AI tools should always be verified. Some tools may generate incorrect references or misinterpret sources. It’s important to check citations against original sources or academic databases before including them in your work.

Many students and researchers today use artificial intelligence (AI) to help improve their writing. These tools are not only for checking spelling or grammar, but they can help organise ideas, improve sentence structure, and manage citations.

Writers working on research papers often spend extra time editing and citing sources correctly. AI writing assistant tools are designed to support those specific tasks by using advanced language technology.

In this article, we explore how AI writing assistant tools like PaperPal, Jenny.AI, Aithor, Wisio.app, Trinka AI, and Grammarly work. Each tool offers a different approach to writing assistance, depending on what kind of research you are doing and what stage you are in.

What are AI Writing Assistant Tools

AI Writing Assistant Tools are software applications that utilise artificial intelligence to enhance writing. They analyse text using machine learning and natural language processing (NLP), which allows them to detect issues with grammar, tone, structure, and clarity.

Natural language processing is a type of AI that helps computers understand and generate human language. This technology allows writing assistants to do more than just catch spelling errors, they can suggest rewording, offer synonyms, and help improve sentence flow.

Early writing tools mainly checked for spelling and punctuation. Over time, they evolved into systems that assist with academic writing, including literature reviews, paper organisation, and citation formatting.

Main benefits of AI writing assistant tools:

• Time Efficiency: These tools speed up writing by suggesting edits and checking grammar in real time.
• Language Enhancement: They improve sentence structure and formal tone for academic audiences.
• Citation Management: Many tools generate citations and apply citation styles automatically.
• Research Workflow: Some AI writing assistant tools help structure research papers by suggesting outlines.

Comparing Key Research Writing Assistants

The table below compares six AI writing assistant tools used in academic research:

Tool Name	Best For	Key Features	Free Version
PaperPal	Journal submissions	Journal formatting, grammar checks	Yes
Jenny.AI	Drafting academic content	AI autocomplete, citation generator	Yes
Aithor	Structured drafting	Plagiarism detection, writing suggestions	Yes
Wisio.app	Peer-reviewed feedback	Human and AI editing, multilingual support	Limited
Trinka AI	ESL academic writing	Technical term support, citation formatting	Yes
Grammarly	General writing	Grammar checks, browser integration	Yes

Language Enhancement Capabilities

Each tool approaches grammar, tone, and style differently:

• PaperPal: focuses on academic publishing with discipline-specific language suggestions.
• Jenny.AI: offers real-time assistance through AI autocomplete for academic writing.
• Aithor: helps users draft content with tone guidance and structure prompts.
• Wisio.app: provides detailed editorial feedback tailored to scientific writing.
• Trinka AI: helps non-native English speakers with academic tone corrections.
• Grammarly: covers general grammar improvements but adapts to academic contexts.

Research Focused Features

These tools support research writing in different ways:

• PaperPal: supports journal-specific formatting and citation checks.
• Jenny.AI: generates in-text citations and formats reference lists.
• Aithor: detects unoriginal content and suggests better source integration.
• Wisio.app: allows collaborative editing with structured feedback.
• Trinka AI: identifies missing citations and formats according to style guides.
• Grammarly: includes basic citation suggestions and plagiarism detection.

PaperPal

PaperPal is an AI writing assistant tool that mostly focuses on helping researchers prepare academic manuscripts. It is designed to support you with the process of submitting papers to journals by ensuring that writing meets formatting and language requirements.

The tool includes journal-specific formatting options. This allows researchers and students to format their papers according to the guidelines of a selected journal, including structure, citations, and reference styles.

It also provides language support for technical writing by identifying discipline-specific terminology and suggesting corrections to align with academic tone and clarity.

Key features:

• Journal Compatibility: Matches manuscript formatting to journal guidelines, including citation style.
• Technical Language Support: Refines field-specific vocabulary and academic phrases.
• Integration Capabilities: Connects with research tools like Overleaf and Word.

Jenni AI

Jenni AI helps with research-based writing tasks. It drafts academic content, manages citations, and supports the structure of academic arguments.

The platform generates text based on prompts or uploaded documents. It works with academic papers and uses AI to build sections of content that align with your topic.

Jenni AI also includes citation tools that format references in over 1,700 styles. You can save sources in a library and insert citations directly into your draft while writing.

Key features:

• AI-Powered Drafting: Generates academic content from prompts or uploaded research.
• Citation Integration: Supports in-text citations and reference management in multiple formats.
• Collaborative Features: Enables group access to shared libraries and drafts.

Aithor

Aithor supports the academic writing process while helping maintain originality and proper writing practices.

It checks for unoriginal content by comparing written text against existing sources. This helps users revise their work to reduce overlap and avoid academic misconduct.

The platform allows users to add scholarly sources into their documents with an interface for inserting citations and generating references using common academic styles.

Key features:

• Original Content Generation: enhances your writing without compromising your originality
• Academic Integrity Tools: Flags duplicated phrases and offers paraphrasing suggestions.
• Research Integration: Adds peer-reviewed sources and formats them according to guidelines.

Wisio App

Wisio supports academic collaboration by helping researchers work together on documents and improve their work through structured feedback.

The platform includes systems for reviewers to leave targeted comments on drafts. These comments are organised to help writers identify issues with clarity, logic, or formatting.

It also includes tools for managing research projects with task assignments, progress tracking, and draft organisation. Multiple users can edit documents at the same time, seeing changes in real time.

Key features:

• Feedback System: Enables structured peer feedback with in-line comments.
• Workflow Management: Supports task tracking and drafting stages for collaborative projects.
• Collaborative Editing: Allows multiple users to edit a document simultaneously.

Trinka AI

Trinka AI supports writers who speak English as a second language (ESL). Its tools identify grammar and usage issues common among non-native speakers.

The platform recognises technical language from various academic fields such as engineering, medicine, and social sciences. It suggests corrections based on the context of the discipline.

Trinka also supports researchers preparing manuscripts for publication by checking for consistency with international journal standards, including formatting and language clarity.

Key features:

• ESL Support: Offers grammar correction and formal language suggestions for non-native English writers.
• Technical Terminology: Refines field-specific vocabulary across multiple disciplines.
• Publication Standards: Evaluates manuscripts for compliance with journal requirements.

Grammarly

Grammarly helps users write with correct grammar, punctuation, and clarity. It works in academic, business, and casual writing by scanning text for errors and offering real-time suggestions.

For academic writing, Grammarly supports clarity and formal tone by identifying passive voice, informal phrasing, and awkward sentence structure. However, it does not provide research-specific features like citation formatting.

The tool works across emails, web browsers, word processors, and mobile apps. While helpful for basic academic editing, its focus is on general writing improvement rather than specialised research tasks.

Key features:

• Universal Applications: Functions in Word, Google Docs, emails, and browsers.
• Tone Adjustments: Offers suggestions to align writing with academic formality.
• Integration Ecosystem: Works with Chrome, Microsoft Office, and email clients.

How to Choose the Right AI Writing Assistant for Your Research

Selecting an AI writing assistant depends on your specific academic task. Different tools support different aspects of the writing process.

Evaluating Your Writing Goals

Consider what you’re writing before choosing a tool:

• For a thesis, look for long-form structuring and reference tracking.
• For journal articles, check for journal-specific formatting and academic tone adjustments.
• For grant proposals, find tools with outlining and collaborative editing features.

Some tools help generate initial drafts, while others focus on editing, formatting, and feedback.

Integrating AI With Existing Tools

AI writing assistant tools work best when they connect with other research tools. Check if the assistant works with reference managers like Zotero or EndNote to maintain accurate citations.

Many platforms integrate with word processors like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or Overleaf. Others allow importing and exporting in formats such as .docx, PDF, or LaTeX.

Ensuring Academic Integrity

Using AI writing assistant tools raises questions about originality. These tools don’t replace human thinking but assist with language and formatting.

To use AI ethically:

• Disclose AI use when required by your institution.
• Review all AI-generated content manually for accuracy.
• Revise AI-generated text before submission.

Empowering Research Writing and Next Steps

AI writing assistant tools have changed how academic writing is planned and processed. These tools help with grammar correction, citation formatting, and research workflow.

In the future, AI writing assistant tools will likely offer deeper integration with citation managers, research databases, and publishing platforms. Some may add voice input, multilingual support, and automatic journal formatting.

Access to reliable academic sources remains essential for these tools to function effectively. Platforms that provide full-text academic content allow AI writing assistant tools to generate accurate citations and summaries. Zendy offers one such environment by combining scholarly content with AI tools that support literature review and citation.

Discover how Zendy’s AI-powered research library can enhance your writing workflow at Zendy.io.

How do AI writing assistant tools maintain academic integrity?

AI writing assistant tools do not generate original research or ideas. They improve grammar, structure, and clarity, allowing the writer’s own thoughts and arguments to remain central.

Which AI writing assistant offers the best citation management?

PaperPal and Trinka AI include built-in tools for formatting citations in academic styles. Jenni AI supports over 1,700 citation formats and allows integration with reference managers.

Are free versions of these AI writing assistant tools sufficient for research?

Free versions include basic grammar checks but typically exclude advanced features like formatting, citation tools, or deep academic editing. Paid versions provide more comprehensive research support.

Can these tools help with discipline-specific terminology?

Trinka AI and PaperPal recognise subject-specific vocabulary in fields like medicine, engineering, and social sciences. They check for accuracy and consistency in technical language.

Many researchers work outside of universities or formal institutions. These independent researchers often rely on public access to scholarly research to study, write, or contribute to their fields.

However, access to scholarly research is not equal. Most academic journals are behind paywalls, which means users must pay to read them unless they are affiliated with an institution that pays for access.

In this blog, we’ll explore the structure of academic publishing and how it affects independent researchers. We’ll break down the current challenges, the systems in place, and recent developments designed to improve research accessibility.

Why Research Accessibility Matters

Research accessibility refers to how easily someone can read, use, and build upon academic studies. For independent researchers, access is often limited because they lack university or library credentials required to unlock paywalled content.

A large portion of scholarly research remains behind subscription paywalls. Many journal articles cost between $30 and $50 each, and full journal subscriptions can reach thousands of dollars per year.

These costs create a divide between researchers affiliated with institutions and those working independently. Independent researchers may be excluded from current findings, which restricts their ability to contribute to academic conversations.

Without equal access, knowledge development becomes uneven. Some communities and individuals are left out, creating a gap in who can participate in scientific and scholarly work.

Understanding Open Access Models

Open access (OA) refers to academic research that anyone can read online without paying. There are different types of open access, and each works in a specific way.

1. Gold Open Access to Scholarly Research

Gold open access means that the final version of a research article is freely available on the publisher’s website. The author or their funder usually pays a fee to make the article open.

Researchers can find gold open access content in fully open access journals listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). These journals allow anyone to read and download the scholarly research directly from the publisher.

• Reader benefit: Immediate access to the final, formatted version of articles
• Limitation: Authors often pay fees ranging from $500-$3000 to publish

2. Green Open Access

Green open access is when authors share a version of their article in a free online repository. This version may be a preprint (before peer review) or a postprint (after peer review but before journal formatting).

Repositories like arXiv.org specialise in many disciplines, and bioRxiv.org for biology, host these papers. These platforms do not require any affiliation to access the content.

• Reader benefit: Free access to research content, often before formal publication
• Limitation: The version available might not be the final published version

3. Diamond Open Access

Diamond open access journals make articles freely available to read and do not charge authors any fees to publish. Neither readers nor authors pay. One good example of diamond open access is KnE Publishing, an open access publishing service by Knowledge E, provides high-quality publishing services to support the development and advancement of diamond open access journals, with a particular focus on increasing the visibility and accessibility of scholarly research.

This model is often supported by academic institutions or non-profit organisations. The Free Journal Network lists many of these journals.

• Reader benefit: Completely free access with no barriers
• Author benefit: No publication fees to share research

Open Access Model	Who Pays	Where to Find	Version Available
Gold	Authors/funders	Publisher websites	Final published version
Green	No one (usually)	Repositories	Preprint or postprint
Diamond	Institutions/grants	Publisher websites	Final published version

Practical Tools For Independent Researchers

Independent researchers need affordable ways to find and use scholarly research. Several tools make this process easier.

AI Summarisers

AI summarisers extract the main points from academic papers. These AI tools help researchers quickly understand if a paper is relevant to their work without reading the entire document.

Zendy’s AI summarisation tool identifies key findings, methods, and conclusions from scholarly research papers. This saves time when reviewing large amounts of literature.

• Time-saving: Condenses hours of reading into minutes
• Comprehension aid: Helps readers understand complex academic language

Literature Discovery Tools

Discovery tools help researchers find academic papers and locate free versions when available.

Google Scholar indexes scholarly research and sometimes links to free versions.

Zendy uses AI to recommend relevant papers based on your interests.

Browser extensions like Unpaywall and Open Access Button automatically find legal, free versions of paywalled articles.

• Broader search: Searches across multiple journals and repositories at once
• Free alternatives: Identifies open access versions of paywalled content

Scholarly Research Reference Manager Tools

Reference manager tools help organise research papers and create citations. These tools are essential for independent researchers writing their own papers.

Zotero is a free, open-source reference manager that saves papers, creates citations, and integrates with word processors. Mendeley offers similar features with some social networking elements.

• Organisation: Keeps research papers in one searchable library
• Citation help: Automatically formats citations in different styles

Policy Shifts Empowering Independent Scholars

Recent policy changes are increasing the amount of research that is freely available to everyone. These changes help independent researchers access more content without institutional subscriptions.

Plan S requires that research funded by certain organisations be published with open access. This means more high-quality scholarly research is becoming freely available to read.

Many funding agencies now require researchers to share their findings openly. The National Institutes of Health in the US and UK Research and Innovation have policies requiring funded research to be publicly accessible.

Authors are also finding ways to keep their rights to share their work. Rights retention strategies allow researchers to post copies of their articles in public repositories even when publishing in traditional journals.

The trend toward open science continues to grow. More institutions are adopting policies that make research outputs—including data, software, and educational materials—freely available by default.

Ensuring Accessibility For All Researchers

Accessibility in scholarly research goes beyond open access. It also means making content usable for people with disabilities and those using different devices or internet connections.

Universal Design Principles

Universal design makes scholarly research usable by as many people as possible. This includes clear structure, readable text, and compatibility with assistive tools.

Well-designed articles use proper headings, include descriptions for images, and create documents that work with screen readers. These features help all users navigate and understand the content more easily.

Examples of accessible design in scholarly research:

• Structured headings that create a logical outline
• Alternative text for images and diagrams
• Tables with proper headers and simple layouts
• PDF files with proper tagging for screen readers

Assistive Technology Compatibility

Assistive technologies help people with disabilities access digital content. Researchers need to work well with these tools.

Screen readers convert text to speech for people who are blind or have low vision. Text enlargement tools and colour contrast adjusters help people with different visual needs.

When looking for accessible research content:

• PDF accessibility: Look for tagged PDFs that work with screen readers
• HTML versions: Often more accessible than PDFs for assistive technologies
• Plain text options: Simple format that works with most assistive tools

If you need a more accessible version of any scholarly research, you can contact the publisher directly. Many journals now provide alternative formats upon request.

New Innovations in Research Access

The landscape of scholarly access continues to evolve with new models and technologies making research more available to independent scholars.

AI-powered research assistants are changing how people interact with academic literature. These tools can summarise articles, extract key information, and help researchers find connections between papers.

Digital libraries like Zendy are creating alternatives to traditional subscription models. With AI assistants like ZAIA (Zendy’s AI assistant for researchers), these platforms not only partner with publishers to offer access to both open and paywalled content at affordable rates for individual researchers, but also enhance the research experience through AI support.

The future of scholarly research access looks increasingly open and innovative. New technologies and business models continue to break down barriers between knowledge and those who seek it.

FAQs about Accessing Scholarly Research

How can independent researchers find free academic articles legally?

Independent researchers can use open access repositories like PubMed Central and preprint servers like arXiv. Public libraries sometimes offer access to academic databases, and contacting authors directly often results in them sharing their papers.

What makes scholarly research accessible to people with disabilities?

Accessible scholarly research uses proper document structure with headings, provides alternative text for images, creates tables that screen readers can navigate, and offers formats compatible with assistive technologies. Articles in HTML format are typically more accessible than PDFs, and properly tagged PDFs are more accessible than untagged ones.

How do researchers evaluate the quality of open access journals?

Researchers can check if an open access journal is listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), look for clear peer review policies, verify the journal’s impact factor, and research the editorial board members. Quality open access journals maintain the same rigorous standards as traditional subscription journals.

What AI tool helps independent researchers conduct a literature review?

ZAIA, Zendy’s AI research assistant, helps independent researchers conduct efficient literature reviews by automatically summarising academic papers, extracting key findings, and identifying connections between related studies. Researchers can also use reference managers like Zotero or Mendeley to organise papers and create citations. Literature mapping tools like VOSviewer help visualise research networks and identify influential papers. For comprehensive literature reviews, ZAIA can recommend relevant papers based on your research interests, saving hours of manual searching across multiple databases.

Five years ago, many believed Web 3.0 and a decentralised internet would reshape how we interact online. Instead, the real change came from artificial intelligence (AI). Quietly, it started showing up everywhere, from how we search to how we write and learn. In research, the impact of change is particularly evident. AI research tools have evolved beyond simple assistance. It’s now critical to how we study, gather information, and break down complex ideas.

In our recent 2025 AI survey by Zendy shows just how common AI tools for research have become: 73.6% of students and researchers say they use AI tools, with over half of them using AI tools for literature reviews and nearly as many using them for writing and editing. 

Table of contents:

• AI Research Assistants for Students:
  ZAIA, Elicit, Perplexity AI, Research Rabbit, Scite, ChatGPT, Connected Papers
• AI-driven Literature Review Tools:
  Zendy, Litmaps, ResearchPal, Sourcely, Consensus, R Discovery, Scinapse.io
• AI-powered Writing Assistants:
  PaperPal, Jenny.AI, Aithor, Wisio.app, Trinka AI, Grammarly
• AI Tools for Data Analysis in Research:
  Julius AI, Vizly, ChatGPT-4o, Polymer, Qlik
• AI Paraphrasing Tools for Students:
  Ref-n-write, SciSpace, MyEssayWriter.ai, Scribbr, Rewrite Guru
• AI Productivity Tools for Researchers
  Otter AI, Bit.ai, Todoist, Notion
• AI Tools for Thesis Writing:
  TheseAI, Gatsbi, Writefull, Thesify
• AI Citation Management Tools:
  Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley, RefWorks
• AI Tools for Creating Research Presentations
  Gamma, Presentations.AI, PopAI, AiPPT

AI Research Assistants for Students

Here are some of the favourite AI research assistants for students

• ZAIA: Zendy’s AI-powered research assistant, delivering precise, reference-backed academic insights and PDF analysis, saving time and enhancing focus
• Elicit: An AI research assistant that helps with literature reviews by summarising academic papers and refining research questions, but it’s limited to open-access sources and lacks full PDF upload support
• Perplexity AI: Search-based chatbot offering sourced answers from web and academic content, however, it’s good to keep in mind that perplexity was not designed for research support.
• Research Rabbit: Visual literature mapping tool for exploring academic papers and citation networks (limited by outdated MAG database).
• Scite: Citation analysis tool showing how papers reference each other, useful for evaluating credibility (paid, no full-paper summaries).
• ChatGPT (with research plugins): Versatile AI assistant for summarising, brainstorming, and drafting academic content (requires fact-checking).
• Connected Papers: Visual graph tool for discovering related research papers (limited journal coverage, no deep analysis).

AI-driven Literature Review Tools

Now you can save weeks, if not months, just by using one of these AI-driven literature review tools below:

• Zendy: AI-powered research platform offering access to millions of peer-reviewed papers with summarisation and citation tools (some features require payment).
• Litmaps: Visual citation mapping tool for tracing research connections and trends (no content analysis).
• ResearchPal: AI assistant for literature reviews and reference management, integrates with Zotero/Mendeley (paid plans for full features).
• Sourcely: Source-finding tool that suggests and cites relevant papers from 200M+ database (limited paywall access).
• Consensus: Search engine highlighting scientific consensus on topics using peer-reviewed sources (limited free version).
• R Discovery: Mobile app for personalised research paper discovery with audio/translation features (no deep analysis).
• Scinapse.io: Free citation-based academic search tool with AI-generated mini-reviews (limited full-text access).

AI-powered Writing Assistants

A good research article or study is recognised by how it’s written. Below, you’ll find top AI tools for research to improve your academic writing skills.

•  PaperPal: AI writing assistant for academic papers with grammar/clarity checks and citation help (limited to formal writing).
• Jenny.AI: Fast draft generator for academic content (requires heavy editing, better for writing than research).
• Aithor: AI-assisted academic writing tool with multilingual support (mixed reviews on output quality).
• Wisio.app: Writing coach for academic drafts with AI/human feedback (focused on refinement, not speed).
• Trinka AI: Specialised grammar/citation checker for technical writing (English-focused).
• Grammarly: Real-time grammar/spelling checker for academic writing (lacks research-specific features).

AI Tools for Data Analysis in Research

Some tools focus on cleaning and organising your data, while others assist with analysis or even visualising results.

• Julius AI: Conversational data analysis tool for quick stats and forecasting (free tier has dataset limits).
• Vizly: AI-powered spreadsheet visualiser for charts and trends (10 free AI interactions/month).
• ChatGPT-4o: Flexible AI for dataset Q&A and brainstorming (can’t process raw files directly).
• Polymer: No-code dashboard generator for interactive data visuals (limited customisation options).
• Qlik: Advanced data integration and visualisation platform (steeper learning curve).

AI Paraphrasing Tools for Students 

But keep in mind that paraphrasing doesn’t avoid plagiarism, and you still need to cite sources. Here are some of the best AI tools for research that focus on paraphrasing:

• Ref-n-write: Academic writing assistant with paraphrasing tools and phrasebank (Word/Google Docs plugin).
• SciSpace: PDF-based AI tool for simplifying and rewriting academic texts (no full-document processing).
• MyEssayWriter.ai: Quick essay generator/paraphraser for early drafts (multilingual but generic output).
• Scribbr: Plagiarism checker and proofreading tool with synonym suggestions (125-word input limit).
• Rewrite Guru: Customisable rephrasing tool with grammar/plagiarism checks (less academic-focused).

AI Productivity Tools for Researchers

True accessibility means being able to access, use, and benefit from a tool with ease. In research, that also means saving time. 

• Otter AI: Lecture transcription tool for real-time note-taking (accuracy depends on audio quality).
• Bit.ai: Collaborative workspace for organising research with academic templates (AI features require payment).
• Todoist: Task manager for breaking down academic projects (may be excessive for simple needs).
• Notion: All-in-one workspace for notes, databases, and research organising (limited offline use).

AI Tools for Thesis Writing

These tools won’t write your thesis for you, but they can help you stay organised, improve your writing, and work more efficiently.

• ThesisAI: AI thesis generator with citations and multi-format export (pay-per-document model).
• Gatsby: AI co-scientist for technical documents with equations/citations (paid subscription required).
• Writefull: Academic writing assistant for grammar, abstracts, and LaTeX (may struggle with technical terms).
• Thesify: Critical thinking partner for thesis feedback (no grammar checks, focuses on structure/flow).

AI Citation Management Tools

Here are the top citation management and referencing tools in 2025 for researchers and students. 

• Zotero: Free, open-source reference manager with citation tools and PDF annotation (limited free storage).
• EndNote: Premium reference manager for large projects with Word integration (steep learning curve).
• Mendeley: Free reference manager with academic social network (occasionally clunky interface).
• RefWorks: Institution-focused cloud reference manager (requires university subscription).

AI Tools for Creating Research Presentations 

Presenting your research effectively is just as important as conducting it. Here are top AI tools for research presentations that can save you time while helping deliver your findings in a polished, professional format.

• Gamma: AI-powered tool for fast academic slide creation from text (may need manual tweaks).
• Presentations.AI: Simple research-to-slides converter with real-time collaboration (limited design flexibility).
• PopAI: Interactive presentation maker with quizzes/media (steep learning curve for full feature use).
• AiPPT: One-click document-to-slide converter with smart formatting (advanced customisation requires effort).

Conclusion

AI is no longer just a tool in the research process, it’s a collaborator. However, these tools aren’t perfect; they often vary in accuracy, depth, and usability. For this reason, not every tool will be a good fit for every stage of research. As a result, it’s important to explore, test, and use a multitude of tools that fit your needs. As these technologies continue to evolve, staying curious and adaptable is the best way to keep your research sharp, stay competitive, and be ready for the future.

Most importantly, always fact-check your sources, verify references, and critically review AI-generated content for clarity, accuracy, and originality. When using AI for writing or paraphrasing, ensure the final output reflects your own understanding, voice, and academic intent.
Don’t forget that ethical publication practices should always come first. Follow your institution’s policies on AI use, cite AI-generated assistance where necessary, and avoid relying on tools in ways that could be considered plagiarism or lead to misrepresentation.

In a previous blog, we highlighted top 5 best AI tools for literature review that offer a large collection of research materials to support your research. Now, in this blog, we will go through the process and the 3 pillars of writing lit review while providing a real-life literature review example to help you grasp the concept with ease.

What’s a Literature Review?

A literature review is a summary of what other researchers have already discovered about your topic. It helps you figure out what’s already known, what questions still need answers, and how your own research fits into the bigger picture.

What Are the 3 Pillars of Literature Review?

Introduction

The introduction of a literature review should:

• Provide context for the topic
• Define the scope and purpose of the review
• Outline the organisational framework
• Present a clear thesis statement

Body

The body of the literature review is where you analyse and synthesise existing research. Consider organising your review by:

• Themes or concepts
• Chronological order
• Methodological approaches

Conclusion

A strong conclusion should:

• Summarise key findings
• Highlight contributions to the field
• Discuss implications and applications
• Suggest directions for future research

Tips on How to Write a Great Literature Review

• Read widely to get a full picture of your topic.
• Don’t just summarise – analyse and compare different studies.
• Look for patterns and gaps in the research.
• Keep your writing clear and logical.
• Use transition words to help your ideas flow smoothly.

How Zendy Can Help with Your Literature Review

In order to write a strong literature review you need to find the right sources, and of course a tools to help accelerate the process.

Zendy.io isn’t just a digital library that offers access to relevant studies across disciplines, but it also helps you write a solid literature review, Zendy AI tools include features designed to help you with literature reviews. You can:

• Summarise lengthy research articles instantly
• Highlight key phrases and findings
• Ask ZAIA, your personal AI research assistant, to explain complex papers
• Compare multiple sources to find common themes or gaps

It’s a simple way to stay focused, save time, and actually enjoy the process.

Real-Life Literature Review Example

This is my favourite example of a literature review! Assume you’re reviewing literature on climate change and agriculture:

“Researchers have been studying how climate change affects farming for decades. Early studies in the 1990s focused mainly on crop yields (Stephen, 1992; Iana, 1995). As time went on, scientists started looking at more complex issues. For example, Sleman (2005) examined how changing rainfall patterns affect soil quality, while Monica (2010) investigated the spread of new crop diseases in warmer temperatures.

Recent research has taken a broader view. Emad (2018) looked at how climate change impacts entire food systems, from farm to table. Meanwhile, Rodrigo (2020) explored how small-scale farmers in developing countries are adapting to new weather patterns.

Despite all this research, we still don’t know enough about how climate change will affect food security in specific regions. Future studies could focus on creating detailed, local predictions to help farmers prepare for what’s ahead.”

See how this example of literature review flows naturally from one idea to the next? It gives you a clear picture of how research in this area has evolved over time. 

Other Examples of Literature Review

• Chronological literature review example: Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review 
• Methodological literature review example: Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines
• Theoretical literature review example: Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature
• Thematic literature review example: The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review 
• Other literature review example:
  • The Economics of Global Climate Change: A Historical Literature Review
  •  University of West Florida: Literature Review: Conducting & Writing

By following these tips and studying literature review examples, you’ll be ready to start writing a solid literature review.

Remember, the key is to organise your sources, explain how they connect, and point out what still needs to be studied. Happy researching!

A top peer-reviewed journal since 1974 published by Elsevier, founded by Michael C. Jensen, Eugene Fama, and Robert C. Merton. The Journal of Financial Economics (JEF) serves as a dedicated platform for publishing high-quality studies on financial markets, corporate finance, financial intermediation, entrepreneurial finance, corporate governance, organisational economics, macro-finance, behavioural finance, and household finance. 

Focused on both theoretical and empirical research in financial economics. The Journal of Financial Economics prioritises rigorous empirical, theoretical, and experimental contributions, particularly those related to the theory of the firm and financial economics.

Journal of Financial Economics Impact Factor and Rankings

According to the latest updates from VU Journal Publishing Guide, The Journal of Financial Economics has made a big impact, with an impressive 10.4 impact factor as of 2024. That puts it among the top economics and finance journals globally. It ranks 5th out of 600 in the Economics category and takes the top spot—1st out of 233—in Business, Finance. These rankings highlight just how influential the journal is in its field.

Abbreviation	J. FINANC. ECON
ISSN	0304-405X (1879-2774)
eISSN:	N/A
Category	Accounting (Q1); Economics and Econometrics (Q1); Finance (Q1); Strategy and Management (Q1)
WoS Core Citation Indexes	SSCI – Social Sciences Citation Index
Journal Impact Factor (JIF)	10.4
5-year Impact Factor	11.4
Best ranking:	ECONOMICS (Q1) Percentage rank: 99.2%
Country	SWITZERLAND
Publisher	Elsevier

Source: WoS

Journal of Financial Economics Scopus Metrics

According to Scopus data for 2023, the journal’s metrics are equally impressive:

• SCImago Journal Rank (SJR): 13.655
• Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP): 5.048
• CiteScore: 15.8
  

These metrics reinforce the journal’s reputation as a leader in its field, with high rankings in many categories including Accounting, Finance, Economics and Econometrics, and Strategy and Management.

Journal of Financial Economics H-index and Citations

The Journal of Financial Economics has an exceptional h-index of 311, indicating that at least 311 articles published in the journal have been cited at least 311 times each. This high h-index reflects the journal’s strong impact and the enduring relevance of its published research.

What is The Scope of The Journal of Financial Economics?

The journal covers a wide range of topics within finance and economics, including:

• Accounting
• Economics and Econometrics
• Finance
• Strategy and Management

It’s particularly known for its applied papers and case studies section, which provides a platform for scholarly studies of actual cases, events, or practices in the financial world.

Conclusion

The Journal of Financial Economics stands out as a top-tier publication in its field, consistently ranking highly across various metrics. Its high impact factor, impressive SJR, and strong h-index all point to its significant influence in the world of financial economics. For researchers and professionals in finance and economics, publishing or referencing articles from this journal can lend considerable weight to their work.

If you’re doing research, you’ll want to use reliable sources. Peer-reviewed articles are among the best because experts review them before they’re published, ensuring quality and credibility. The benefits of expert peer review in research are significant—it helps maintain high standards, validates findings, and improves the overall reliability of academic work. But how do you find these peer-reviewed journal articles, and how can you tell if a journal is peer-reviewed? Let’s break it down.

What Are Peer-Reviewed Articles?

A peer-reviewed article is one that has been checked by other experts in the field before publication. This process helps make sure the research is solid and trustworthy.

Where Can You Find Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles?

You can find peer-reviewed articles in a few different places:

• University Libraries – If you’re a student or faculty member, your university library probably gives you access to research databases.
• Academic Databases – Websites like PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science have collections of scholarly peer-reviewed articles.
• Zendy – Affordable and accessible peer-reviewed scholarly content, in partnerships with leading publishers e.g., IntechOpen, IEEE, IT Governance Publishing, and IGI Global, powered by AI. 
• Google Scholar – Some journal articles here are peer-reviewed, but not all. You’ll need to check the source.

See The Growth of Digital Libraries: Benefits, Challenges & Trajectory

How to Recognise Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

There are 4 ways to check if a journal is peer-reviewed or not:

• Visit the Journal’s Website – Look for a section about their review process.
• Use Library Databases – Many academic databases label peer-reviewed journals.
• Check the Editorial Board – A peer-reviewed journal usually lists experts who review submissions.
• Look It Up on Ulrichsweb – This directory can tell you if a journal is peer-reviewed.

Are Google Scholar Articles Peer-Reviewed?

Not necessarily. Google Scholar collects all sorts of academic work, including conference papers and preprints, which may not have gone through peer review. To check, see if the article was published in a reputable journal.

What Is a Peer Review Example?

Let’s say a scientist submits a research paper to a journal. The editor sends it to other experts, who review it for accuracy and clarity. And then they might suggest changes or reject the paper if it doesn’t meet the journal’s standards. So if the paper gets approved, it’s published as a peer-reviewed article.

What’s the Difference Between Peer Review and an Original Article?

• Peer Review – A process where experts evaluate a research paper before it’s published.
• Original Article – A research paper that presents new findings. Some original articles are peer-reviewed, while others aren’t.

How To Select Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles?

When looking for peer-reviewed articles:

• Check the Journal – Make sure it’s known for publishing peer-reviewed articles.
• Look at the Author’s Background – Are they an expert in the field?
• Review the References – Good research builds on other credible studies.
• Use Trusted Databases – Databases like Zendy, PubMed, and Scopus focus on peer-reviewed work.

How Do You Know If a Peer-Reviewed Article Is Credible?

Even among scholarly peer-reviewed journals, some are more reliable than others. Here’s what to look for:

• Reputation of the Journal – Some journals have stricter standards than others.
• Possible Bias – If a study is funded by a company with an interest in the results, for example, a pharmaceutical company funding a study on its own medication might have an interest in positive findings, be cautious. 
• Strong Research Methods – A reliable, peer-reviewed article clearly explains how the research was conducted and how conclusions were reached.
• Retraction History – Some papers are later retracted due to mistakes or misconduct. Check if the article has been retracted.

Final Thoughts

It’s not hard to find peer-reviewed journal articles; it just takes a trusted source and a clear understanding of what you’re looking for. Digital libraries like Zendy give you access to everything you need in one place, including both free and paywalled peer-reviewed articles, with over 40 million articles across disciplines like engineering, medicine, economics, and more.

The impact factor of journals is a crucial academic publishing metric, serving as a measure of a journal’s influence and importance within its field. For you, as a researcher, and institutions alike, understanding this journal classification is essential for making informed decisions about where to publish and which journals to follow.

What is Impact Factor?

The Impact Factor was created by Eugene Garfield, the founder of the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). Garfield first mentioned the idea of an impact factor in Science magazine in 1955.

In the early 1960s, Eugene Garfield with the help of Irving H. Sher created the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) to help select journals for the Science Citation Index (SCI). They developed this metric by re-sorting the researcher citation index into a journal citation index.

Initially, the Impact Factor was used internally by ISI to compile the Science Citation Index. In 1975, ISI began publishing the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which included the Impact Factor calculations for journals.

How is the Impact Factor of Journals Calculated?

By calculating the average number of citations received by articles published in those journals over a set period of time, typically two years.

For example, the 2022 impact factor of journals is calculated as follows:

Journal Impact Factor (JIF) = A / B

Where:

• A = Total number of citations in a given year (e.g., 2023) to articles published in the previous two years (e.g., 2021 and 2022).
• B = Total number of citable items (articles, reviews, etc.) published in those same two years (2021 and 2022).

What Does the Impact Factor of Journals Tell a Researcher?

The impact factor of journals provides you with valuable insights into a journal’s influence and importance within its field. Here’s what the impact factor tells you:

1. Journal Quality: A higher impact factor generally indicates a more prestigious and influential journal in its discipline. This can help you identify high-quality publications for your work.

2. Citation Frequency: The impact factor reflects the average number of citations received by articles published in the journal over a specific period. This indicates how frequently the journal’s content is cited by other researchers.

3. Visibility and Reach: Journals with higher impact factors tend to have broader readership and greater visibility in the academic community. Publishing in these journals can increase the exposure of your research.

4. Research Influence: The impact factor of journals can serve as a proxy for the potential influence of research published in a particular journal. It suggests how impactful the average article in that journal might be.

5. Career Advancement: Publishing in high impact factor journals can be crucial for academic and professional advancement, often considered in tenure decisions, grant applications, and professional evaluations.

6. Comparative Tool: Researchers can use the impact factor to compare journals within the same field, helping them make informed decisions about where to submit their work.

However, it’s important to note that the impact factor has limitations. It doesn’t measure the quality of individual articles, and it can be influenced by factors such as the number of review articles a journal publishes. You should consider the impact factor alongside other metrics (e.g., SJR scores), and qualitative assessments when evaluating journals for your research.

What is a good impact factor?

The impact factor (IF) is a metric used to evaluate the influence and quality of academic journals by measuring the frequency with which their articles are cited. Generally, a higher impact factor indicates a more influential journal within its field. However, “good” impact factors vary significantly across different disciplines. For instance, in biochemistry, impact factors are often categorized as follows:

• Good: 2–4
• Great: 5–8
• Awesome: 9–14
• Excellent: Above 14

It’s important to note that these ranges are approximate and can vary based on specific research areas. Additionally, while impact factors provide insight into a journal’s citation frequency, they do not necessarily reflect the methodological quality or societal impact of individual articles. Therefore, when assessing research quality, it’s advisable to consider multiple metrics alongside the impact factor.

What are the Highest Impact Factor Journals

Some of the top impact factor journals include:

• Medical and Life Sciences
  – CA-A Cancer Journal for Clinicians (254.7)
  – The New England Journal of Medicine (91.245)
  – The Lancet (79.321)
  – Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (94.444)

• Multidisciplinary Sciences
  – Nature (50.5)
  – Science (47.728)

• Physical Sciences
  – Chemical Reviews (60.622)
  – Nature Materials (43.841)
  – Nature Nanotechnology (39.213)

• Environmental Sciences
  – Energy & Environmental Science (38.532)
  – Nature Geoscience (16.908)
• Computer Science and Engineering
  – IEEE Transactions: Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (13.451)

These top-tier journals represent the pinnacle of academic publishing, often featuring groundbreaking research and influential studies.

Academic Journal Impact: Beyond the Numbers

While the impact factor of journals is a valuable journal ranking, it’s important to consider other factors when evaluating academic influence:

• Field-specific considerations: Impact factors can vary significantly between different academic disciplines
• Citation patterns: Some fields have faster citation cycles than others, affecting impact factor calculations.
• Journal scope: Specialised journals may have lower impact factors but still be highly influential in their niche.

Conclusion

Understanding the impact factor of journals is crucial for researchers navigating the academic publishing landscape. While it’s a valuable metric, it should be considered alongside other factors when evaluating journal quality and influence. By staying informed about impact factors and their implications, researchers can make more strategic decisions about where to publish their work and maximise the visibility and impact of their research.

Conducting and writing a literature review has always been the most time-consuming task of any academic research. Weeks of reading countless scientific papers (if not months), summarising key points, and identifying gaps in existing research. Fortunately, AI is making this process a lot easier, faster and more efficient. In this blog, we’ll go through the best AI literature review tools in 2025.

Why Use AI Literature Review Tools?

Before we dig into the list of the best AI literature review tools, let’s ask ourselves, why use AI in the first place? The answer is very simple:

• Saving Time: AI literature review tools can quickly scan thousands of research papers and extract relevant information in seconds.
• Improving Accuracy: AI tools in research can help you identify key themes, citations, and trends, reducing the chances of missing important studies.
• Enhancing Organisation: Many AI tools for literature review offer smart categorisation, tagging, and citation management, ensuring a well-structured literature review.

Best 5 AI Tools for Literature Review in 2025

Here are the top AI tools that can help you conduct a literature review:

1. ZAIA by Zendy

ZAIA is not just the best AI literature review tools, it’s also one of the best personal AI research Q&A assistants that will help you effectively explore a large amount of academic research. Keyphrase highlighting, summarisation, PDF analysis, and AI insights make it a great AI tool for the literature review process. 

2. Elicit

Elicit uses AI to automate the research process, allowing you to generate structured summaries, find relevant papers, and extract key insights without manual searching.

3. Research Rabbit

This tool is known for its unique visualisation of research connections. It helps users discover related papers and track the evolution of ideas across different studies.

4. Scite

Scite provides citation analysis with AI-powered insights, allowing researchers to evaluate how a study has been cited in different contexts, supportive, contrasting, or neutral.

5. Semantic Scholar

Powered by AI, Semantic Scholar enhances literature discovery by providing smart recommendations, citation tracking, and insights into academic papers.

How to Write a Literature Review Using AI

It can be quite difficult to write a literature review, but AI can help in several ways:

1. Summarise Key Points: Summarisation by AI condenses long written materials to easily readable insights.
2. Rewrite and Paraphrase: AI is also useful in manuscript improvements to guarantee clarity and consistency while maintaining professionalism in academia.
3. Ensure Proper Citations: AI citation tools help with reference management and formatting.
4. Refine and Edit: Make your literature review more polished and professional by using writing tools to improve readability and flow.

What Is the Difference Between an Annotated Bibliography and a Literature Review?

	Annotated Bibliography	Literature Review
Purpose	Summarises and evaluates each source individually	Synthesises and analyses sources collectively
Structure	Organised as a list of citations with annotations	Organised thematically or methodologically
Depth of Analysis	Focuses on each source’s contribution	Identifies patterns, gaps, and trends in research
Use in Research	Often used as a preparatory step for literature reviews	Used as a foundation for research projects or theses
Writing Style	Concise, source-focused	Integrative, argument-driven

Is It Ethical to Use AI Literature Review Tools?

When using AI-powered literature review tools, keep these principles in mind in order to not compromise your research integrity:

• Use AI responsibly and ethically to avoid plagiarism or creation of misleading content
• Remember that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human expertise
• Critically evaluate the information provided by AI tools
• Exercise judgment when incorporating AI-generated insights into your research

By following these guidelines and leveraging AI tools effectively, you can conduct a more efficient and insightful literature review while maintaining the integrity of your research process.

Disclaimer: AI-generated content should always be reviewed and verified by researchers to ensure accuracy and ethical compliance in academic work.

Conclusion

Literature review tools are making lit reviews easier, faster, and more organised. Whether you’re a student or a researcher, the right tool can help you sort through academic papers, find key insights, and manage citations without getting overwhelmed.

Each tool on this list has something useful to offer. ZAIA is a great choice if you’re willing to use AI literature review tools that highlights key points, summarises research, and helps you navigate academic papers more efficiently. Elicit and Research Rabbit are helpful for finding related studies, while Scite and Semantic Scholar can guide you through citations and academic trends.

AI won’t do all the work for you, but it can take some of the pressure off. If you haven’t tried using AI for your literature review yet, now might be a good time to start.

With millions of scholarly content published every year, in addition to the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI)  into various fields in the past few years, including the educational sector, AI in education has had, and still, a major impact on simplifying research projects, accelerating discoveries, and optimising learning experiences. Giving students and researchers the chance to work efficiently and effectively more than ever. So, how much time do researchers spend on repetitive tasks that AI can simplify?

On the other side of the story, The global market for AI in education was estimated to be worth $2.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to more than double by 2025, according to the most recent data from AIPRM. However, how exactly are researchers using AI, and what are the challenges they face?

This means that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing every aspect of modern life, including education and research. It’s reshaping how students learn, how researchers solve problems, and how educators teach. According to our latest survey, 73.6% use AI in education, 51% use it for literature review and 46.3% of students and researchers are using AI in education for writing and editing, showing just how quickly these tools are being adopted.

AI in education helps by sorting through the tremendous amount of scientific information, analysing large datasets of structured or unstructured data, and spotting connections that might take months to find manually. It also takes care of time-consuming tasks like summarising studies and formatting citations, so researchers can focus on bigger questions. With so much information and so little time, AI isn’t just helpful, it’s becoming a necessity.

Zendy surveyed more than 1,500 students and researchers to understand how they use AI tools. The study shows how people incorporate AI into their academic work, the benefits they find most useful, and the challenges they face. The findings give a clearer picture of AI’s role in academic work and its impact on productivity.

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Demographics of AI Users in Research

Zendy’s study provides insights into who is using AI in education. Most respondents are young learners, early in their academic journey, which gives us a sense of tools and support they’re looking for.

• 60.1% of respondents are female, 36% are male while the rest prefer not to disclose.
• 67.6% are between 18-24 years old, reflecting early-career researchers and students.
• 45% are undergraduate students, 37.2% are high school students, exploring AI tools for learning and research

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Habits and AI in Education Adoption

Students and researchers are highly engaged in academic literature and are shifting toward AI-driven tools for efficiency. Zendy’s survey reveals how dedicated students and researchers are to expanding their knowledge and staying current in their fields. Regularly engaging with academic literature is a key part of their studies and professional growth, reflecting the effort they invest in learning.

The survey also shows a clear preference for online databases, highlighting a growing reliance on digital tools for easy access to research materials. This shift points to a broader move toward more convenient and centralised platforms, supported by the use of responsible AI and other technologies in academic work. These findings underline the importance of user-friendly, well-resourced tools that meet the changing needs of today’s learners and professionals.

• 71.5% read research papers daily or several times a week, indicating high engagement
• 49.3%  of respondents spend an average of 4.5 hours each day engaging with research papers
• 50% prefer online databases for accessing research articles, reflecting the growing digitisation of academic research.

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How is AI Being Used in Research?

The study highlights how AI in education is transforming scholarly content practices, with more researchers using it in their daily routines. One of the most common uses is for literature reviews, traditionally a time-consuming task that AI is helping to make faster and more manageable. The findings show a willingness to embrace AI and point to key areas where it can have an even greater impact, especially in literature reviews, writing, and editing.

• 73.6% have used or are exploring AI tools for research.
• 51% use AI for literature reviews.
• 46.3% for writing and editing, highlighting key areas for AI development

These findings indicate a widespread acceptance of AI in education and a growing demand for AI-powered tools.

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Accessibility and Device Preferences

With research becoming increasingly digital, the choice of devices used for academic work is evolving, most users still rely on desktops for research, and more researchers are turning to mobile devices. This shift highlights the need to focus on making mobile access smoother and more user-friendly, all while ensuring that the desktop experience remains just as reliable and effective.  

• 57.9% prefer desktops valuing stability and a larger screen.
• 34.8% prefer mobile devices for reading research, emphasising convenience and portability.
• 7.3% prefer tablets.

This trend highlights the need for mobile-friendly AI-powered research platforms while maintaining robust desktop experiences.

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Impact of AI in Education

Finally, researchers were asked about their perception of AI’s effectiveness in academic work. Over half of the respondents shared they consider AI tools to be highly effective, particularly for simplifying complex tasks. Many highlighted how impactful these tools are in saving hours and making the research journey more efficient, showing just how valuable AI has become in the academic sector.

• 39.6% find it very effective
• 33.4% find it effective
• 21.8% are neutral
• 3.7% think it’s ineffective
• 1.5% think it’s very ineffective 

The overwhelming majority see AI as a valuable tool, streamlining research and saving time.

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Ethical Concerns & AI Limitations

AI offers many benefits, but there are still some ethical issues to work through:

• Bias and Accuracy – AI in education can reflect biases in the data it’s trained on, which can lead to misleading results.
• Ethical Concerns – Researchers need to make sure AI-generated content meets academic integrity standards.
• Cost and Access – Some AI tools are expensive, making them harder to access for students and researchers with limited resources.

To address these AI ethical issues, educators, researchers, and technology providers need to work together to ensure AI is used responsibly in academia.

The Future of AI in Education

AI in education is evolving rapidly, and the trends from Zendy’s survey suggest where it’s headed next.

With 73.6% of respondents already using AI in education, its role will only expand. One of the biggest areas of growth is predictive analysis, where AI is expected to help researchers spot patterns in massive datasets—an extension of how AI is already streamlining literature reviews and data organisation today.

Collaboration is another key area. As AI in education tools become more sophisticated, they will help researchers across different disciplines and countries work together more efficiently, reducing language barriers and improving access to global knowledge.

As AI technology advances, its impact on academic research will deepen, offering both opportunities and challenges. The focus now is on ensuring these tools remain accessible, ethical, and aligned with researchers’ real needs.

Finally, AI in education is set to transform experimentation and simulations. Innovations in AI-driven modelling, combined with augmented and virtual reality, could make complex experiments more interactive, accurate, and scalable.

Conclusion

The survey offers a closer look at how AI is undeniably shaping the future of education, specially scientific research, helping students and researchers work more efficiently. From automating literature reviews to improving writing and editing, it’s clear that AI in education is becoming an indispensable part of academic workflows. However, challenges like affordability and accessibility remain key areas to address, ensuring that AI-powered research tools remain accessible and fair for everyone. 

At Zendy, we are committed to developing AI-driven tools that cater to the real needs of students, researchers, and professionals.

Download the full report to learn about the methodology behind our findings, explore deeper insights into AI in education, and discover how it’s shaping the academic world.

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