AI can accelerate research workflows from literature review to data analysis. This chapter covers prompting techniques for academic and professional research.

<Callout type="info" title="AI in Research">
AI can assist with synthesis, analysis, and writing—but cannot replace critical thinking, ethical judgment, or domain expertise. Always verify claims and cite original sources.
</Callout>

## Literature & Information Review

### Do's and Don'ts: Research Prompts

<Compare 
  before={{ label: "❌ Vague request", content: "Summarize this paper for me." }}
  after={{ label: "✓ Structured request", content: "Summarize this paper for my literature review on machine learning in healthcare.\n\nProvide:\n1. Main thesis (1-2 sentences)\n2. Methodology\n3. Key findings (bullets)\n4. Limitations\n5. Relevance to my research\n\nReading level: Graduate student" }}
/>

### Paper Summarization

<TryIt compact prompt={`Summarize this academic paper:

[paper abstract or full text]

Provide:
1. **Main thesis** - Central argument (1-2 sentences)
2. **Methodology** - How they approached it
3. **Key findings** - Most important results (bullet points)
4. **Contributions** - What's new/significant
5. **Limitations** - Acknowledged or apparent weaknesses
6. **Relevance to [my research topic]** - How it connects

Reading level: \${readingLevel:graduate}`} />

### Literature Synthesis

<TryIt compact prompt={`Synthesize these papers on \${topic:the effectiveness of remote work}:

Paper 1: \${paper1:Smith 2021 - found productivity increased 15%}
Paper 2: \${paper2:Jones 2022 - noted collaboration challenges}
Paper 3: \${paper3:Chen 2023 - hybrid model showed best outcomes}

Analyze:
1. **Common themes** - What do they agree on?
2. **Contradictions** - Where do they disagree?
3. **Gaps** - What's not addressed?
4. **Evolution** - How has thinking progressed?
5. **Synthesis** - Integrated understanding

Format as: Literature review paragraph suitable for \${outputType:thesis}`} />

### Research Question Development

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me develop research questions for \${topic:AI adoption in healthcare}.

Context:
- Field: \${field:health informatics}
- Current knowledge: \${currentKnowledge:AI tools exist but adoption is slow}
- Gap identified: \${gap:limited understanding of physician resistance factors}
- My interest: \${interest:organizational change management}

Generate:
1. **Primary RQ** - Main question to answer
2. **Sub-questions** - Supporting inquiries (3-4)
3. **Hypotheses** - Testable predictions (if applicable)

Criteria: Questions should be:
- Answerable with available methods
- Significant to the field
- Appropriately scoped`} />

## Data Analysis

<Callout type="warning" title="AI Cannot Analyze Your Actual Data">
AI can guide methodology and help interpret results, but it cannot access or process your actual datasets. Never paste sensitive research data into prompts. Use AI for **guidance**, not computation.
</Callout>

### Statistical Analysis Guidance

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me analyze this data:

Data description:
- Variables: \${variables:age (continuous), treatment group (categorical: A/B/C), outcome score (continuous)}
- Sample size: \${sampleSize:n=150 (50 per group)}
- Research question: \${researchQuestion:Does treatment type affect outcome scores?}
- Data characteristics: \${characteristics:normally distributed, no missing values}

Advise on:
1. **Appropriate tests** - Which statistical tests to use
2. **Assumptions to check** - Prerequisites
3. **How to interpret results** - What different outcomes mean
4. **Effect size** - Practical significance
5. **Reporting** - How to present findings

Note: Guide my analysis, don't fabricate results.`} />

### Qualitative Analysis

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me analyze these qualitative responses:

Responses:
\${responses:paste interview excerpts or survey responses here}

Using \${method:thematic analysis}:

1. **Initial codes** - Identify recurring concepts
2. **Categories** - Group related codes
3. **Themes** - Overarching patterns
4. **Relationships** - How themes connect
5. **Representative quotes** - Evidence for each theme

Maintain: Participant voice and context`} />

### Data Interpretation

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me interpret these findings:

Results:
\${results:paste statistical output or data summary here}

Context:
- Research question: \${researchQuestion:Does X predict Y?}
- Hypothesis: \${hypothesis:X positively predicts Y}
- Expected results: \${expectedResults:significant positive correlation}

Provide:
1. **Plain language interpretation** - What does this mean?
2. **Statistical significance** - What the p-values tell us
3. **Practical significance** - Real-world meaning
4. **Comparison to literature** - How does this fit?
5. **Alternative explanations** - Other interpretations
6. **Limitations of interpretation**`} />

## Structured Analysis Frameworks

### PESTLE Analysis

<TryIt compact prompt={`Conduct a PESTLE analysis for \${subject:electric vehicle industry in Europe}.

**Political** factors:
- Government policies, regulations, political stability

**Economic** factors:
- Economic growth, inflation, exchange rates, unemployment

**Social** factors:
- Demographics, cultural trends, lifestyle changes

**Technological** factors:
- Innovation, R&D, automation, technology changes

**Legal** factors:
- Legislation, regulatory bodies, employment law

**Environmental** factors:
- Climate, sustainability, environmental regulations

For each: Current state + trends + implications`} />

### Root Cause Analysis

<TryIt compact prompt={`Perform root cause analysis for \${problem:customer churn increased 20% last quarter}.

Problem statement:
\${problemStatement:Monthly churn rate rose from 3% to 3.6% between Q3 and Q4}

Using 5 Whys:
1. Why? First level cause
   2. Why? Deeper cause
      3. Why? Deeper still
         4. Why? Approaching root
            5. Why? Root cause

Alternative: Fishbone diagram categories
- People
- Process
- Equipment
- Materials
- Environment
- Management

Provide: Root cause(s) + recommended actions`} />

### Gap Analysis

<TryIt compact prompt={`Conduct a gap analysis for \${subject:our customer support operations}.

**Current State:**
- \${currentState:Average response time 24 hours, CSAT 3.2/5}

**Desired State:**
- \${desiredState:Response time under 4 hours, CSAT 4.5/5}

**Gap Identification:**
| Area | Current | Desired | Gap | Priority |
|------|---------|---------|-----|----------|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | H/M/L |

**Action Plan:**
For each high-priority gap:
- Specific actions
- Resources needed
- Timeline
- Success metrics`} />

## Academic Writing Support

### Argument Structure

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me structure an argument for \${topic:why remote work should become permanent policy}.

Main claim: \${thesis:Organizations should adopt permanent remote/hybrid policies for knowledge workers}

Required:
1. **Premises** - Supporting claims that lead to conclusion
2. **Evidence** - Data/sources for each premise
3. **Counterarguments** - Opposing views
4. **Rebuttals** - Responses to counterarguments
5. **Logical flow** - How it all connects

Check for:
- Logical fallacies
- Unsupported claims
- Gaps in reasoning`} />

### Methods Section

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me write a methods section for:

Study type: \${studyType:survey}
Participants: \${participants:200 undergraduate students, convenience sampling}
Materials: \${materials:online questionnaire with Likert scales}
Procedure: \${procedure:participants completed 20-minute survey online}
Analysis: \${analysis:descriptive statistics and regression analysis}

Standards: Follow \${standards:APA 7th edition} guidelines
Include: Enough detail for replication
Tone: Passive voice, past tense`} />

### Discussion Section

<TryIt compact prompt={`Help me write a discussion section.

Key findings:
\${findings:1. Significant positive correlation (r=0.45) between X and Y\n2. No significant difference between groups on secondary measure}

Structure:
1. **Summary** - Brief restatement of main findings
2. **Interpretation** - What the findings mean
3. **Context** - How findings relate to existing literature
4. **Implications** - Theoretical and practical significance
5. **Limitations** - Study weaknesses
6. **Future directions** - What research should follow
7. **Conclusion** - Take-home message

Avoid: Overstating findings or introducing new results`} />

## Critical Analysis

### Source Evaluation

<TryIt compact prompt={`Evaluate this source for academic use:

Source: \${source:paste citation or link here}
Content summary: \${summary:brief description of what the source claims}

Assess using CRAAP criteria:
- **Currency**: When published? Updated? Current enough?
- **Relevance**: Relates to my topic? Appropriate level?
- **Authority**: Author credentials? Publisher reputation?
- **Accuracy**: Supported by evidence? Peer-reviewed?
- **Purpose**: Why was it written? Bias evident?

Verdict: Highly credible / Use with caution / Avoid
How to use: Recommendations for incorporation`} />

### Argument Analysis

<TryIt compact prompt={`Analyze the argument in this text:

\${text:paste the text you want to analyze}

Identify:
1. **Main claim** - What's being argued
2. **Supporting evidence** - What backs it up
3. **Assumptions** - Unstated premises
4. **Logical structure** - How conclusion follows
5. **Strengths** - What's compelling
6. **Weaknesses** - Logical gaps or fallacies
7. **Alternative interpretations**

Provide: Fair, balanced assessment`} />

## Prompt Templates from prompts.chat

### Act as a Research Assistant

<TryIt compact prompt={`I want you to act as a research assistant. Help me explore topics, find information, synthesize sources, and develop arguments. Ask clarifying questions, suggest relevant areas to investigate, and help me think critically about evidence. Be thorough but acknowledge the limits of your knowledge.`} />

### Act as a Data Analyst

<TryIt compact prompt={`I want you to act as a data analyst. I will describe datasets and research questions, and you will suggest analysis approaches, help interpret results, and identify potential issues. Focus on sound methodology and clear communication of findings.`} />

### Act as a Peer Reviewer

<TryIt compact prompt={`I want you to act as an academic peer reviewer. I will share manuscripts or sections, and you will provide constructive feedback on methodology, argument, writing, and contribution to the field. Be rigorous but supportive, noting both strengths and areas for improvement.`} />

## Summary

<Callout type="tip" title="Key Techniques">
Clearly state research context and goals, specify the analytical framework to use, request acknowledgment of limitations, ask for evidence-based reasoning, and maintain academic rigor and honesty.
</Callout>

<Quiz 
  question="What's the most important thing to remember when using AI for research?"
  options={[
    "AI can replace the need for primary sources",
    "AI analysis is always accurate and up-to-date",
    "Always verify AI claims independently and cite original sources",
    "AI can access and analyze your actual datasets"
  ]}
  correctIndex={2}
  explanation="AI can assist with synthesis and structure, but it can hallucinate citations, have outdated information, and cannot access your actual data. Always verify claims against primary sources and maintain academic integrity."
/>

Remember: AI can assist research but cannot replace critical thinking, ethical judgment, or domain expertise. Always verify claims independently.
