A general-purpose AI chatbot that can help generate ideas, refine your research question, and guide the structure of your thinking. It’s best used during the early planning stage, just make sure to check the accuracy and relevance of its responses.

Strengths

• Good for interactive brainstorming and breaking down complex topics into manageable parts
• Offers different perspectives on research questions
• Helps overcome writer’s block and build initial outlines

Weaknesses

• Doesn’t include real-time updates or source references
• Can give confident but incorrect answers
• Relying on it too much can limit critical thinking and memory retention

Best used for

• Shaping essay structures
• Exploring different angles on a topic
• Clarifying ideas before starting formal research

Try this

• Try asking it to brainstorm research questions for your topic or explain a difficult concept in simple terms

A conversational assistant that’s great for brainstorming, outlining ideas, and summarising longer documents. It handles extended text well and usually keeps a friendly, easy-to-read tone.
 

Strengths

• Excellent at summarising long documents and explaining complex material
• Keeps track of context in longer discussions
• Often flags uncertainty instead of making unsupported claims
• Strong at structuring complex ideas clearly

Weaknesses

• Free tier has limits that can interrupt longer research sessions
• Sometimes overly cautious in its answers
• Slower than some alternatives and not always accurate

Best used for

• Summarising research papers
• Explaining technical jargon or detailed material
• Supporting academic writing across different subjects

Try this

• Use it to outline a project plan or summarise a long article into key points in a conversational style

Google’s AI assistant can help build outlines, define key terms, and shape research plans. It works well with Google Workspace tools like Docs and Drive.
 

Strengths

• Can handle text, images, audio, and video thanks to multimodal capabilities
• Deeply integrated with Google Workspace
• A good fit for students already using Google’s tools

Weaknesses

• Most benefits come if you’re already working in the Google ecosystem
• Newer model, so it has a less proven track record in academic settings
• Some advanced features are behind a paywall

Best used for

• Students working in Google Docs and Drive who want AI support built in
• Creating multimedia research presentations
• Collaborating on group projects within Google Workspace

Try this

• Ask Gemini to generate a structured essay outline or create definitions for key terms related to your topic

An AI chatbot built into X (formerly Twitter). It’s useful for informal brainstorming and summarising conversations, but it’s less suited to academic work so use with caution.
 

Strengths

• Pulls live data from X, so it’s good for spotting real-time trends and news

Weaknesses

• Informal tone with little academic focus
• No source citations, limited depth, and restricted UK access

Best used for

• Exploring how your research topic appears in public discussions
• Seeing how academic ideas are being talked about in popular media
• Casual brainstorming when you want a less formal starting point

Try this

• Use it for informal discussions or quick idea exploration, like summarising recent news relevant to your subject

A research-focused chatbot that gives concise answers with linked sources. It’s useful for exploring a topic or checking quick facts early in the research process.
 

Strengths

• Includes citations and links with each response
• Built specifically for research questions
• Short, clear answers that don’t overwhelm
• Good for fact-checking and early-stage topic exploration

Weaknesses

• Daily search limits on the free version
• Relies on web sources, so lacks academic depth

Best used for

• Quick fact-checking
• Getting an overview of new topics
• Finding starting points for deeper research
• Verifying information before formal work begins

Try this

• Try asking a precise factual question and see the short answer with cited sources to get a quick overview

Visualises connections between academic papers, helping you see how studies relate and understand the shape of a research field.

Strengths

Creates clear visual maps of research links

Helps identify key, influential papers

Shows how research has developed over time

Weaknesses

Depends on citation data, so it might miss important uncited work

Less useful for very new research areas

Visual layout might not suit everyone’s learning style

Best used for

Tracing how research themes evolve

Finding connected or influential studies quickly

Seeing how your topic fits into wider academic discussions

Try this

• Start with a key paper for your assignment and visualise the citation network to find influential related work

Answers research questions by summarising published findings and highlighting where studies agree or where uncertainty remains.

Strengths

Searches millions of peer-reviewed papers to show key findings based on your questions

Points out conflicting claims in the literature

Helps you discover influential papers you might have missed

Weaknesses

Depends on citation networks, so it can miss relevant but uncited work

Coverage varies across disciplines

Can reinforce publication bias by focusing on well-represented findings

Best used for

Starting literature reviews

Understanding where research consensus exists

Spotting gaps in study coverage

Try this

• Ask a research question to see a summary of what published studies agree or disagree on

An AI assistant that searches Semantic Scholar for relevant papers. It summarises findings and presents them in clear tables, making it easier to compare studies and spot key claims.

Strengths

Systematically searches academic databases

Organises findings into easy-to-read tables

Good at pulling key claims from multiple papers

Saves time during initial literature reviews

Weaknesses

Free accounts have daily query limits

Summaries might miss subtle arguments

Works best for empirical research, less so for theoretical work

Best used for

Systematic literature reviews

Quickly summarising key research findings

Try this

• Enter a research question and review the table of relevant papers summarised by findings and methods.

An AI-powered research platform designed to help you find, read, and understand academic papers. It also supports literature reviews, citation management, and writing tasks.

Strengths

Combines search, reading, and writing tools in one place

Explains complex academic ideas clearly

Includes built-in citation management

Weaknesses

Some key features are behind a paywall

Can feel overwhelming for quick or simple searches

AI explanations might oversimplify complex theories

Best used for

Systematic literature reviews

Reading support with summaries

Managing citations and organising your writing process

Try this

• Use the platform to highlight and annotate PDFs while organising citations for your literature review

A free academic search engine that finds peer-reviewed research. It’s often used as the foundation for AI tools like Elicit.

Strengths

Shows citation counts and highlights influential papers

Includes abstracts and full-text access where available through the library

Weaknesses

Coverage is stronger in STEM fields than in others

Search interface is simpler than specialised library databases

Best used for

Foundational searches for academic research

Discovering primary literature before turning to AI tools

A first step before using subject-specific databases

Try this

• Search for peer-reviewed articles on your topic and filter by date or relevance to find the most useful sources

Upload research papers you already have, and Research Rabbit builds a visual network of related papers and authors. It’s ideal for spotting key researchers and tracking developments in a topic area.

Strengths

Visualises research networks and citation links

Helps you build curated collections of related work

Flags influential or emerging studies you might have missed

Weaknesses

Coverage varies by discipline

Can miss very recent publications

Depends on citation data, so it may overlook uncited but relevant work

Best used for

Discovering seminal or influential papers

Mapping the research landscape in a field

Keeping track of new publications in your area of interest

Try this

• Upload one of your course readings and explore the visual map of related papers and authors

Upload a PDF (like a journal article) and ChatPDF creates a chat-style interface so you can ask questions about the content. It’s especially useful for unpacking dense or technical texts.

Strengths

Lets you interact with a PDF by asking questions

Good for breaking down complex articles into more manageable parts

Weaknesses

Free version limits uploads and the number of questions

May struggle with tables or unusual formatting

Can oversimplify or misinterpret technical content

Best for
Making sense of difficult journal articles
Extracting key arguments, methods, or findings

Try this
Upload a challenging article from one of your modules and ask,
“What’s the main argument in this paper?” or
“Can you summarise the methodology section?”

Built into Microsoft 365 apps like Word and PowerPoint, Copilot supports outlining, summarising, rephrasing, and editing. It’s useful when drafting or reviewing writing — but it doesn’t understand academic standards, so use your own judgement.

Strengths

Helps organise and structure your ideas

Can search and extract key info from large texts

Explains complex points in more accessible terms

Works smoothly within Microsoft tools you already use

Weaknesses

Needs clear, specific prompts to be effective

May sound confident even when the answer’s wrong

Best for
Shaping early drafts
Improving clarity and flow
Getting guidance through sequenced questions without giving direct answers

Try this

• Ask Copilot to draft an outline for your essay or suggest rephrasing for clearer academic writing

A real-time writing assistant that checks grammar, spelling, clarity, and tone. It’s especially useful for editing final drafts or supporting students writing in a second language. It won’t evaluate your academic content, so critical thinking is still essential.

Strengths

Offers grammar, punctuation, and style suggestions as you write

Improves tone, clarity, and consistency

Supports non-native English speakers and students needing extra writing help

Works with Word, Google Docs, and browser extensions

Weaknesses

Free version has fewer features

Sometimes recommends overly formal or stiff phrasing

Doesn’t always align with academic norms — use your own judgement

Focuses on style, not content or argument

Best for
Polishing final drafts
Spotting repetitive structures or inconsistent tone
Supporting writing confidence for EAL and dyslexic students

Try this
Paste the introduction to one of your essays and switch to “Academic” tone. Look through the suggestions — accept the ones that improve clarity without losing your voice.

• Paste a section of your essay draft into Grammarly to spot grammar mistakes and get suggestions for improving clarity and style. Try accepting some edits and see how your writing becomes more polished

Built into Word, OneNote, and other Microsoft apps, Immersive Reader supports reading focus and accessibility. It reads text aloud, adjusts formatting, and highlights grammar features to improve comprehension.

Strengths

Makes dense text easier to process

Reduces visual and cognitive load

Includes read-aloud, translation, and grammar tools

Weaknesses

Not available in all file formats or platforms

Best for
Reading support and accessibility
Multilingual users, dyslexic readers, or those tackling long texts
Anyone needing a break from screen fatigue

Try this
Open a long article in Word or OneNote. Activate Immersive Reader, turn on read-aloud, and try features like syllable breaks or part-of-speech highlighting to boost focus.

Upload documents, and this tool turns them into FAQs, study guides, or podcasts. Useful for revision and digesting readings in a more interactive way.

Strengths: 
Converts documents into FAQs, study guides, and podcasts.
Great for revision and digesting readings.
Creates diverse study materials from your uploaded documents

Weaknesses: 
Still in development with potential access limitations; 
AI-generated content may miss nuanced interpretations
 requires careful fact-checking
Best for: Revision, summarising lecture notes, and interactive study sessions.

 

Try this

• Upload a lecture transcript or seminar notes and ask it to generate a list of FAQs or key takeaways from the session.

Paraphrasing and summarising tool that helps you rework your writing. It’s handy for improving clarity, varying sentence structure, and avoiding repetition — especially useful when redrafting. Use with care to avoid unintentionally changing your meaning or misrepresenting ideas.

Strengths

Rephrases text in different tones (e.g. formal, simple, fluent)

Builds vocabulary and writing fluency

Supports paraphrasing to avoid self-plagiarism

Helpful for students with dyslexia or language barriers

Weaknesses

Can alter meaning if overused or unchecked

Occasionally produces awkward or overly generic phrasing

Best for
Refining draft paragraphs
Improving sentence variety and flow
Reworking repeated phrases or formalising your tone

Try this

• Paste a paragraph from your draft and try different rewriting styles to improve clarity or tone

summarises academic papers and highlight key details like findings, methods, and limitations. They’re designed to make long or complex texts easier to scan and understand.

Strengths

Pull out key facts, methods, and conclusions

Help build searchable research libraries

Can adjust summaries for different reading levels

Weaknesses

Risk of surface-level understanding

May miss nuanced arguments or important caveats

Sometimes struggle with technical or specialised content

Best for
Reducing information overload
Scanning papers during early-stage research
Organising and reviewing your reading

Try this
Upload a journal article and use the summary panel to check your grasp of the findings and limitations before reading the full text.