
Research Methodology
Top 10 Best AI Research Assistants for PhD Students and Researchers.
1. Google Scholar.
Google Scholar is an AI-powered search engine that offers an efficient platform for comprehensive scholarly literature exploration.
2. PDFgear
PDF files have become an essential part of academic research, and PDFgear is a remarkable AI tool that simplifies working with them.
Price: Completely free website: https://www.pdfgear.com/
3. Mendeley
Organizing research papers and managing citations can be challenging, but Mendeley comes to the rescue. This free AI tool provides a user-friendly platform for students to collect, organize, annotate, cite, and share their research papers efficiently.
Price: Free Website: https://www.mendeley.com/
4. SciSpace
Navigating through complex research papers can often be daunting, but SciSpace is here to simplify the process. As the most powerful AI-powered tool for understanding research papers, SciSpace excels at explaining and elaborating academic texts in simple words.
Price: Offers free plan website: https://typeset.io/
5. Consensus
Consensus, the ingenious AI search engine, is a boon for researchers seeking relevant research papers. By harnessing the power of machine learning, it identifies papers pertinent to specific research questions, even if they lack matching keywords.
Price: Basic plan free website: https://consensus.app
6. Elicit AI Tool
Elicit, the AI Research Assistant, is a game-changer for students undertaking extensive research work. Powered by language models, Elicit automates research workflows, assisting with parts of literature review and other essential tasks.
Price: Free Website: https://elicit.org/
7. EvidenceHunt
EvidenceHunt is the perfect tool for students in search of clinical evidence. Easily find clinical trials, the latest evidence on specific diseases, or information about particular drugs.
Price: Free Website: https://evidencehunt.com/
free ai tools for academic research. This AI-powered research tool offers a unique way to visualize networks of research papers and co-authorships, providing new “jumping-off points” for deeper exploration. By analyzing users’ interests and collections, the software generates relevant and personalized recommendations.
Price: Free Website: https://lnkd.in/d8ihe_zK
9. ChatPDF
ChatPDF is your one-stop solution for accessing scientific papers, academic articles, and books essential for your research. No more flipping through pages, as ChatPDF conveniently provides answers with references directly from the original PDF documents.
Price: Free Website: https://www.chatpdf.com/
10. Zotero
Zotero is a powerful, open-source tool that simplifies your research journey. Seamlessly manage bibliographic data and research materials, including PDF files, with ease.
Price: Free Website: https://www.zotero.org/
Source: https://testfellow.com/
PhD Students - 8 tools to help you in your literature review.
Every PhD student needs to conduct a literature review. A solid literature review takes at least 2-3 months. Using tools, you can reduce this time by 50%.
𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬
1. Litmaps
- Helps you find relevant papers from just a single paper
- Helps you to categorize the papers
- Works with your reference managers (Zotero, etc.)
- Visualize the relationship between papers.
- Share papers via reference manager.
- Get alerts about new papers to add to your literature review.
Link: https://lnkd.in/gWuK2D9i
- Figure out the forward and backward links to a research paper.
- Quantitatively shows the relevance index of papers.
- Visualize the relations between the papers in your literature review.
Link: https://lnkd.in/g__Pmxkk
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
3. 𝐑 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲
- Notifies you as soon as a relevant paper is published.
- Audio stream paper for you to listen to instead of reading.
- Translate papers automatically to your native language.
- Offers automatic integration with Zotero and Mendeley.
Link: https://lnkd.in/g7jZ6hzg
4. scite
- Shows you the most relevant papers to a seed paper.
- Determines for you whether other papers agree/disagree to a paper.
- Helps you understand the holistic work done by a lab/organization.
- Notifies you about latest papers published in your research area.
Link: https://lnkd.in/gfAkDnQC
𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
5. Paperpal
- Specifically designed for assisting in scientific writing
- Rephrase confusing sentences
- Offers real-time suggestions for smooth writing
- Simple and very easy to use
Link: https://paperpal.com/
6. Grammarly
- Ensures your writing is polished
- Clean up tangled and hard-to-read sentences.
𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
𝟕. Zotero
- Offers automatic citation capture from web pages, PDFS, and other sources.
- Organize and categorize references effortlessly
𝟖. Mendeley
- Integrates very easily with MS word
- Enables you to collaborate and share references with research teams.



PhD Students - How To Write A Research Proposal For A Dissertation Or Thesis
PhD Students - How To Write A Research Proposal For A Dissertation Or Thesis.
Here is how you can write a rock solid research proposal.
𝟏. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞: Start with a captivating introduction. Clearly define the problem or question your research aims to address. Highlight the significance and relevance of your study within the broader academic context.
2. 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧: Dive into existing research and theories related to your topic. Demonstrate your understanding of the current state of knowledge and identify gaps that your research will fill. This showcases the importance of your contribution.
𝟑. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 - 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 : Clearly state the objectives of your study. What do you intend to achieve? Make them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) to provide a clear roadmap for your research.
𝟒. 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 - 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: Detail the methods you'll employ to conduct your research. Explain why these methods are suitable and how they align with your objectives. Consider ethical considerations and address potential challenges.
𝟓. 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 - 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: Elaborate on the potential impact of your research. How will it contribute to existing knowledge or address practical issues? Clearly articulate the significance of your work in both academic and real-world contexts.
𝟔. 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 - 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞: Provide a realistic timeline for the completion of different phases of your research. This not only helps you stay on track but also demonstrates your understanding of the time commitment involved.
𝟕. 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 - 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲: If applicable, outline the financial resources required for your research. Justify each expense and demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of your plan. This adds credibility to your proposal.
𝟖. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 - 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬: Discuss the expected outcomes of your research. What do you hope to discover, and how will it contribute to the field? Address potential challenges and discuss how you plan to mitigate them.
𝟗. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐝𝐞: Summarize the key points of your proposal and reiterate its importance. Conclude with a persuasive statement that leaves a lasting impression on your readers.
10 very useful tools for PhD students / Researchers.
𝟏. Scholarcy
Extract and summarizes key information from a research paper.
Link: https://www.scholarcy.com/
𝟐. Otter.ai
You can just speak and record your research idea. Otter will save and transcribe it for you.
Link: https://otter.ai/
𝟑. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭𝟐𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬
Upload your data in csv format, instruct chatgpt to analyze and visualize.
Link: https://2stats.chat/
𝟒. Formula Bot You can automate formula generation and data analysis in MS Excel with Formula Bot.
Link: https://formulabot.com/
𝟓. Gamma You can use it for making research presentations.
Link: https://gamma.app/
𝟔. Text Blaze It will help you in writing, eliminating repetitive tasks, and mistakes.
Link: https://lnkd.in/gQHCazgf
𝟕. Miro Miro will help you in idea brainstorming, organizing research ideas, and creating interactive presentations.
Link: https://miro.com/
𝟖. Decktopus AI It offers templates, visual elements, and customization options to help researchers create impactful presentations effortlessly.
𝟗. Numerous.ai It can help you to write formulas in Excel and clean data.
Link: https://numerous.ai/
𝟏𝟎. 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡
It's an AI tool designed to supercharge your digital experience.




PhD Students / Researchers - Before you submit a paper to a journal/conference, check this.
1. Your manuscript is free from all kinds of plagiarism.
2. Your manuscript is free from formatting and typo errors.
3. Your article is a good fit for the selected journal/conference.
4. You are adhering to the guidelines of your ethics application if any.
5. You have disclosed all conflicts of interests.
6. You must have read the journal's instructions for authors.
7. Your manuscript adheres to the journal's formatting requirements.
8. You have got consent from all authors for submission.
9. Check the review method - single/double-blind and follow accordingly.
10. Each reference has dated (sometimes they get missed).
11. Abstract is within the allocated words limit.
12. Authors' names, affiliations, and emails are included for journals.
13. Each figure and table are correctly numbered and cited in text.
14. The related work section is up to date and complete.
15. Your work is clearly positioned with respect to the related works.
16. You have included ethics statement (if applicable).
17. You have acknowledged the funding bodies (if applicable).
18. You have included the keywords.





𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
1. Litmaps
2. R Discovery
3. scite
4. Connected Papers
5. ResearchRabbit
6. Journal Finder
𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
1. Paperpal
2. Trinka.ai
3. Grammarly
4. Latex
5. Overleaf
6. Google Doc
𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
1. Scholarcy
2. Petal
3. Outread
4. Enago Read (previously Raxter.io)
5. Scribe AI
𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
1. Gamma
2. 10Web.io
3. Canva
4. Designs.ai
5. Beautiful.ai
6. Mind the Graph
𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
1. Otter.ai
2. Pocket
3. Google Keep
4. Notion
5. Audio Pen
6. Scrivener
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬
2. Tableau
3. PowerBI
4. MS Excel
5. Minitab
6. Nvivo
35 most useful tools for PhD students and researchers.
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𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
1.Zotero
2.Mendeley
3.EndNote
4.RefWorks
5.Sciwheel
6.PubMed
7.Google Scholar
8.Scopus
9.Web of Science
10.ResearchGate
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬
11.Qualtrics
12.SurveyMonkey
13.Google Forms
14.REDCap
15.Typeform
16.Jotform
17.Amazon Mechanical Turk
18.LabArchives
19.Open Data Kit (ODK)
20.Sona Systems
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬
22.R and RStudio
24.MATLAB
25.Python (with libraries like pandas, NumPy, SciPy)
26.Stata
27.GraphPad Prism
28.Tableau
29.Microsoft Excel (with advanced analytics add-ons)
30.OriginPro
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬
31.NVivo
32.MAXQDA
33.Atlas.ti
34.Dedoose
35.Quirkos - Simple Qualitative Data Analysis Software
36.Transana
37.HyperRESEARCH
𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
38.Slack
39.Trello
40.Asana
41.Microsoft Teams
42.Basecamp
43.GitHub
44.GitLab
45.Miro (for brainstorming and mind mapping)
46.Notion
47.Evernote
𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
48.Microsoft Word
49.LaTeX (Overleaf, TeXstudio)
50.Google Docs
51.Scrivener
52.Grammarly
53.Turnitin
54.Typeset
55.Authorea
56.Hemingway Editor
57.Manuscripts
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
58.Microsoft PowerPoint
59.Prezi
60.Canva
61.Adobe Illustrator
62.Venngage
63.Plotly
64.Gephi (for network visualization)
65.Tableau Public
66.D3.js
67.Infogram
𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
68.LinkedIn
69.ORCID
71.Loop (by Frontiers)
72.Impactstory
73.Google Scholar Profiles
74.ResearcherID
75.Publons
𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
77.Pivot
78.Research Professional
79.SPIN (Sponsored Programs Information Network)
80.FundRef
𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬
81.Figshare
82.Zenodo
83.Dryad
84.Open Science Framework (OSF)
85.Dataverse
86.Kaggle
87.Code Ocean
88.GitHub
89.GitLab
90.Docker (for containerization and reproducibility)
𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬
91.TensorFlow Certificate Program
92.PyTorch
93.scikit-learn
94.Keras
96.Google AI Platform
97.IBM Watson
98.Microsoft Azure Machine Learning
99.Amazon SageMaker
100.OpenAI GPT (for text analysis and generation)