Streamlining Academic Writing with AI: A Journey from Tedious PDF Hunting to Efficient Workflows
In the realm of academia, the pursuit of knowledge is often accompanied by the daunting task of managing vast amounts of literature. For Candice Chu, who embarked on her PhD journey in veterinary pathobiology in 2014, this task was no different. The traditional method of searching for, downloading, and organizing PDF files proved to be a cumbersome and inefficient process. However, with the advent of digital and artificial intelligence (AI) tools, Chu has developed a streamlined approach to academic writing, which she refers to as the ACCU workflow: Acquisition, Collection, Crystallization, and Utilization.
Acquisition: Discovering Relevant Papers
The first step in Chu’s workflow is the acquisition of relevant academic papers. For quick keyword searches, she relies on Google Scholar. By adjusting the settings to export results in the RefMan format, Chu ensures compatibility with her citation manager. Additionally, she links her university library to Google Scholar, allowing her to access full-text articles when available.
For more systematic searches, Chu turns to the PubMed database’s advanced search function. She enhances this process with the EasyPubMedicine Chrome browser extension, which displays journal rankings, impact factors, and citation counts for each search result. By creating an RSS feed from the PubMed search results, Chu can stay updated on new publications in her field through an RSS reader like Feedly, accessible even on her phone.
To further enrich her research, Chu utilizes AI-powered academic search engines such as Perplexity and Consensus. These tools answer well-defined, natural-language questions and provide hyperlinks to original sources for verification. Additionally, ResearchRabbit, an AI-based tool, allows Chu to use existing papers in her collection as seeds to discover related publications, which she can easily add to her reference manager.
Collection: Efficiently Storing Papers
For storing her papers, Chu uses Zotero, a free and open-source reference manager. Zotero’s compatibility with various digital tools and its user-friendly interface make it an ideal choice. The Zotero Connectors Chrome browser extension enables Chu to import papers from Google Scholar searches in batches, and a simple right-click saves academic articles to her Zotero library in a ready-to-cite format.
Chu’s university library provides an OpenURL link resolver, which she configures in Zotero to automatically download full-text articles. This feature, combined with Zotero’s ability to highlight and annotate PDFs, significantly enhances her workflow.
For advanced users, Zotero offers plugins to expand its functionality. Chu, for instance, uses Notero to import articles from the journal Veterinary Clinical Pathology into Notion, a productivity and note-taking app. This creates a searchable database for veterinary clinical pathologists and trainees.
Crystallization and Utilization: Synthesizing and Applying Knowledge
Once papers are acquired and stored, the next steps in Chu’s workflow involve crystallizing and utilizing the information. This process includes synthesizing insights from the literature and incorporating them into manuscripts. By leveraging AI tools and digital resources, Chu can efficiently manage her notes and references, bridging the gap between her research and writing.
Chu emphasizes the importance of AI literacy in today’s academic landscape. As digital tools continue to evolve, the ability to effectively utilize AI in research and writing becomes an essential skill for scholars.
Conclusion: Embracing AI for Academic Success
Candice Chu’s journey from traditional PDF hunting to a streamlined ACCU workflow highlights the transformative potential of AI and digital tools in academia. By embracing these technologies, researchers can enhance their productivity, stay updated on the latest publications, and efficiently manage their literature. As AI continues to advance, its role in academic writing and research will undoubtedly grow, offering new opportunities for scholars to excel in their fields.
Originally Written by: Candice P. Chu
