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Recently, the Strategic Research Institute (SRI) at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) organised a research clinic titled “Research Methods in the age of Gen-AI.”

Coordinated by Prof Dr Falahat Nejadmahani (Director, SRI at APU), the session was attended by 30 academics and early-career researchers who gathered to explore how Generative AI (Gen-AI) is reshaping scholarly research and academic publishing.

The session was delivered by Prof Dr Faizan Ali, an established Professor at the University of Galway, Ireland, who is ranked among the world’s top 2% highly cited researchers in business, management, and marketing by Elsevier.

With close to 200 publications in top-ranking journals and over 19,000 citations, Prof Faizan shared valuable insights drawn from his extensive research, editorial experience, and longstanding engagement with the global academic publishing landscape.

Ethical Foundations in AI-Assisted Research

The session opened with remarks by Prof Falahat, who emphasised the importance of maintaining strong ethical standards in the use of Gen-AI within academic research.

He highlighted that while artificial intelligence (AI) tools can significantly enhance efficiency across various stages of the research process, human intellectual judgement, critical analysis, and scholarly responsibility must remain at the core of knowledge creation.

He further stressed that AI should be used responsibly as a supportive tool to assist researchers, rather than replace independent thinking.

Participants were reminded that academic integrity, careful verification of information, and the researcher’s ownership of ideas remain essential principles in ensuring the credibility and rigour of scholarly work.

AI-Augmented Research workflows

Building on the foundation laid by Prof Falahat, Prof Faizan introduced participants to practical ways researchers can incorporate AI into their academic workflows.

He demonstrated how AI tools can assist with literature screening, data synthesis, and early manuscript evaluation, helping researchers manage time-intensive stages of the research process more efficiently.

Among the tools highlighted were advanced platforms designed to support literature discovery, article evaluation, and research organisation.

These technologies, he explained, can significantly accelerate the identification of relevant studies and streamline research preparation.

At the same time, drawing on his experience as an Editor-in-Chief, Prof Faizan cautioned participants against overreliance on AI-generated summaries, emphasising the importance of carefully verifying all AI outputs to ensure accuracy and prevent misinterpretations in academic writing.

Mastering Effective prompting through the CRAFT Framework

A key highlight of the session was the introduction of the CRAFT framework, a structured approach to communicating effectively with Gen-AI tools.

The framework guides researchers in producing more accurate and useful AI outputs through five key elements:

1. Context: Providing clear background and research scope.
2. Role: Defining the perspective or expertise the AI should adopt.
3. Action: Clearly stating the task required.
4. Format: Specifying the desired structure of the response.
5. Tone: Ensuring the output aligns with academic writing standards.
    

By applying this framework, researchers can use AI as a structured support tool, while maintaining full ownership of their analytical reasoning and scholarly narrative. 

Navigating Ethical Boundaries in Gen-AI use

Further enriching the session, an engaging Q&A discussion allowed participants the opportunity to raise questions and exchange perspectives on responsible use of Gen-AI in academic publishing.

The discussion addressed several practical concerns faced by researchers today, including disclosure requirements, authorship considerations, and the ethical boundaries between acceptable AI assistance and academic misconduct.

Prof Faizan advised participants to always adhere to the specific AI usage policies set by their target journals and maintain full transparency when AI tools are used for tasks such as language editing, formatting, or literature discovery.

He also emphasised that AI should never be listed as an author, reminding participants that intellectual ownership and accountability must always remain with the researcher.

In addition, he encouraged participants to keep clear records of prompts and AI-generated outputs as part of a responsible and transparent research workflow. 

Strengthening Responsible AI-Driven Scholarship

The research clinic concluded with a token of appreciation presented to Prof Faizan by Prof Falahat in recognition of his valuable contributions to the session. 

Overall, the session provided APU academics and researchers with meaningful insights into the evolving role of Gen-AI in research practice.

By combining ethical considerations with practical guidance, the session reinforced the importance of leveraging technological advancements responsibly, while preserving the rigour and originality that define high-quality scholarly research.

The session further reflects APU’s ongoing commitment to strengthening research capabilities and supporting its academic community in navigating emerging technologies within the global research landscape.