Mo, 14. April 2025 → In the past, catalogs (e.g., web catalogs), databases (DBIS), and search engines (e.g., Google) were available for literature research. The AI tools that have appeared on the market can make literature research much easier and more efficient—if used correctly.
For example, to get a quick overview of a topic, it is advisable to search in Scopus AI, Elicit, or Consensus. No search terms are required; instead, you can search using the research question.
If a good paper already exists for a search query, e.g., a so-called “seed paper,” a large number of other papers can be found very quickly via Research Rabbit.
In comparison, bwGPT is particularly suitable for finding search terms for a research topic via prompts, which can then be used to search for literature in databases or Semantic Scholar.
In general, it can be said that AI tools are better at finding journal articles than books. For this reason, research using AI tools is not sufficient on its own; databases should still be used.
As always, the library is available to answer any questions you may have and wishes you every success with your research!
