Writing & Reporting

Apart from the precedent processes of research, Generative AI tools also offer support from drafting and editing to peer review and public engagement.

AI can help you:

  • AI can assist in drafting and refining reports, summarising findings, and generating citations.
  • It can serve as pre-submission reviewer and give you suggestions for edits before you submit your work to publishers.
  • AI can help to effectively communicate your research by creating simple visuals and podcasts.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list; we are continually compiling additional resources to support your research communication efforts.

Writing & reporting

GenAI tools, powered by large language models, offer valuable assistance throughout the writing process. These tools can enhance your research reporting by: 1) proposing structured outlines to organise your findings logically, 2) refining your writing for clarity and coherence while preserving your scholarly voice, and 3) formatting citations according to required academic standards.

When confronted with writer’s block—a common challenge in academic writing—these AI assistants can provide useful prompts and alternative perspectives that stimulate your thinking and help you get started in your write-up journey.

LSE has provided a use case example with prompts and AI-generated outcomes for drafting and rewriting.


Common AI tools used for assisting academic writing:

  • ChatGPT (OpenAI)
  • Gemini (Google)
  • Claude (Anthropic)
  • Microsoft Copilot
  • Perplexity AI
  • Grammarly

For citation generation & formatting:

Watch this video for explaining how different AI tools are used in a streamlined process for academic writing, from structuring content, generating initial text, to finding references, all while underscoring the essential role of human review and verification to ensure credibility and accuracy.

Caution

Be aware that GenAI may overuse certain words or constructions and might not always align with the nuances of academic writing. Always review and refine the suggestions to maintain your own voice and adhere to academic conventions.

Always verify the accuracy of AI-generated citations, as these tools can sometimes produce inaccurate or fabricated information ("hallucinations").

Publication

There already exist a few AI tools to help boost your chance in publication by going through a pre-submission “peer” review. A recent Nature article titled "AI is transforming peer review — and many scientists are worried" discussed several such AI tools. Most notably, Paper-Wizard generates comprehensive multi-page reviews that examine methodological designs and statistical rigor when authors upload their work. Similarly, Veracity (currently in private beta) offers pre-submission fact-checking by verifying whether cited papers exist and whether they truly support the authors' claims. While debate continues about AI's appropriate role in formal peer review, these pre-submission tools represent a potentially less controversial application that could benefit both authors and reviewers.

Links to existing tools: 


Presentation & outreach

Explore innovative AI tools like NotebookLM, Gamma AI, and Nakpin AI to transform your research dissemination. These platforms enable you to convert complex findings into engaging podcasts, visually compelling presentations, and intuitive graphics, enhancing accessibility and impact across diverse audiences.

A cartoon with the text 'which AI tool should I use to enhance my research communication?
Created with Napkin AI

NotebookLM’s (free) podcast creation function offers a novel way to disseminate your research. Simply upload your protocols or written reports, and a 15-minute podcast between two AI characters will be generated. You can even jump in during the “broadcast” to ask the AI questions. Rather than reading a paper, listeners can now grasp the essence of your research through engaging audio conversations. For your inspiration, check out this AI-assisted podcast Artificial Thought discussing papers on AI use from a behavioural science perspective.

Gamma AI (free & paid) is particularly useful for generating slides. It excels at transforming text-based inputs—such as prompts, outlines, or existing documents—into polished, visually engaging presentations. This makes it an effective tool for researchers aiming to create presentations for conferences, lectures, or public engagement. For a practical demonstration of Gamma AI's capabilities, you might find this video helpful.

Nakpin AI (free) is a visualisation platform that transforms your writing into graphs. If you’re preparing visuals for a presentation slide deck, Nakpin AI can suggest effective and engaging ways to organize your ideas graphically—helping you move away from text-heavy slides and offering a clearer companion to your talk. Similarly, it can assist in designing research posters that communicate your message more effectively, especially your research process.

As an illustration, the figure above is generated using Napkin AI based on the paragraphs of this subsection. 

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