(28 Oct 2024) ProQuest™ has introduced the ProQuest Research Assistant, a pioneering AI tool within the ProQuest One suite aimed at helping students navigate AI responsibly in their academic research. This initiative addresses the growing uncertainty among college students about how and when to use AI effectively in their studies. Recent findings indicate that over 30% of undergraduate students are unsure about the appropriate application of generative AI for coursework, often turning to faculty members for guidance, adding to their already significant responsibilities.
ProQuest Research Assistant, launched in beta last month, integrates seamlessly into the ProQuest One Academic platform. Designed with input from librarians and end users, this tool assists students by offering strategic support rather than direct answers, upholding rigorous scholarly standards. By embedding AI into users’ research processes, ProQuest enables a structured approach to challenges like document analysis and effective query creation.
The ProQuest Research Assistant offers several innovative features:
• Key Takeaways: AI-generated summaries allow users to quickly assess document relevance, setting a foundation for deeper exploration.
• Concept Explanations: Important terms are explained within context, with one-click search options for further investigation, helping students understand complex ideas.
• Guided Search Assistance: Utilizing the Web of Science topic model, the Research Assistant aids in creating Boolean search queries that deliver precise and targeted results, eliminating irrelevant information and improving search efficiency.
The announcement in full can be found here.
