using chatgpt to conduct a literature review

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Using ChatGPT to conduct a literature review

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1 Department of Humanities, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Prague, Czech Republic.
PMID: 36879536
DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2023.2185514

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How To Use ChatGPT To Write A Literature Review: Prompts & References

In the rapidly evolving world of academic research, the integration of AI tools like ChatGPT has transformed the traditional approach to literature reviews . As a researcher, you should also leverage on this tool to make your research work easier.

In this post, explore how ChatGPT can enhance the literature review process. We’ll explore how specific prompts can effectively guide this advanced AI model to generate insightful content, while ensuring accuracy, relevance, and academic integrity in their scholarly work.

How to Use ChatGPT for Writing a Literature Review


Understand ChatGPT’s Limitations	– Relies on existing datasets, may miss latest research. – May lack depth. – Risk of generating plagiarized content
Define Research Objective	– Define research questions or hypotheses. – Summarizes current research and identifies literature. – Assists in keyword identification and context understanding.
Identify Keywords and Search Terms	– Generates relevant keywords from extensive dataset. – Requires clear, concise prompts.
Create Initial Literature Review Outline	– Aids in drafting preliminary literature review structure. – Emphasizes refining outline with detailed research.
Use The Right Prompts	– Craft precise prompts for relevant content – Start with broad understanding, then focus on specifics.
Review ChatGPT’s Responses	– Cross-reference with actual research for accuracy. – Evaluate AI-generated text for coherence and depth. – Ensure originality to avoid plagiarism.
Ensure Coherence and Flow	– Use ChatGPT as a starting point; refine output. – Review and edit for narrative flow and academic standards.
Edit and Proofread	-Improve text coherence and logical progression. – Check for plagiarism; ensure correct citations. – Focus on grammar, spelling, and academic language.

Understanding ChatGPT’s Limitations

While it can efficiently generate content, streamline the research process, and provide a comprehensive understanding of relevant literature, its capabilities are not without constraints. Here are some for you to consider:

Dependence On Pre-Existing Datasets

Since ChatGPT is a language model trained on available data, it may not include the most recent research papers or cutting-edge findings in a specific field. This gap can lead to a lack of current state-of-research insights, particularly crucial in fields like technology and science where advancements happen rapidly.

May Lack Depth And Context

ChatGPT, while able to produce summaries and synthesize information, might not fully grasp the nuanced arguments or complex theories specific to a research topic. This limitation necessitates that researchers critically evaluate and supplement AI-generated text with thorough analysis and insights from recent systematic reviews and primary sources.

Risk Of Plagiarism

Although ChatGPT can generate human-like text, it’s vital to ensure that the content for your literature review is original and properly cited. Relying solely on ChatGPT to write a literature review defeats the purpose of engaging deeply with the material and developing a personal understanding of the literature.

Not A Total Replacement of A Researcher

While ChatGPT can assist non-native English speakers in crafting clear and concise academic writing, it’s not a replacement for the human ability to contextualize and interpret research findings. Researchers must guide the AI model with specific prompts and leverage it as a tool rather than a substitute for comprehensive analysis.

By keeping these limitations in mind, ChatGPT can be a valuable aid in the literature review process, but it should be used judiciously and in conjunction with traditional research methods.

Defining Research Objective

When starting on writing a literature review, the initial step involves using ChatGPT to define your research question or hypothesis.

The AI model’s ability to respond with a summary of the current state of research in your field can provide a comprehensive understanding, especially for systematic reviews or research papers.

For example, by inputting a prompt related to your research topic, ChatGPT can generate human-like text, summarizing prior research and highlighting relevant literature.

One insider tip for effectively using ChatGPT in the literature review process is to leverage its natural language processing capabilities to identify relevant keywords.

These keywords are crucial for non-native English speakers or those new to a research field, as they streamline the search for pertinent academic writing. Additionally, ChatGPT can guide you in understanding the context of your research topic, offering insights that are often challenging to find.

Using AI language models like ChatGPT for generating content for your literature review is efficient and effective, saving valuable time. However, it’s vital to critically evaluate the generated text to ensure it aligns with your research objectives and to avoid plagiarism.

using chatgpt to conduct a literature review

ChatGPT’s ability to synthesize large amounts of information can aid in developing a clear and concise outline, but remember, it’s a guide, not a replacement for human analysis.

Despite these limitations, ChatGPT provides a unique advantage in conducting literature reviews. It can automate mundane tasks, allowing researchers to focus on analysis and critical thinking.

Identifying Keywords and Search Terms

Using ChatGPT to identify relevant keywords related to your research topic can significantly streamline your workflow.

For instance, when you input a summary of your research question into ChatGPT, the AI model can generate a list of pertinent keywords.

These keywords are not just randomly selected; they are based on the vast amounts of information in ChatGPT’s dataset, making them highly relevant and often inclusive of terms that are current in your research field.

An insider tip for leveraging ChatGPT effectively is to guide the AI with clear and concise prompts.

For example, asking ChatGPT to: “summarize key themes in [specific field] research papers from the last five years” can yield a list of keywords and phrases that are not only relevant but also reflective of the current state of research.

This approach is particularly beneficial for conducting systematic reviews or for non-native English speakers who might be unfamiliar with specific academic jargon.

While ChatGPT can provide a comprehensive understanding of relevant literature and help automate the identification of keywords, it’s important to critically evaluate the generated content.

Researchers should use ChatGPT as a tool to augment their research process, not as a replacement for human insight.

It’s crucial to mind the limitations of the AI model and ensure that the keywords identified align with the research topic and objectives.

Creating an Initial Literature Review Outline

The key to using ChatGPT effectively in crafting an initial outline lies in its ability to generate content based on specific prompts.

For instance, a researcher working on organic photovoltaic devices can input a prompt into ChatGPT, such as “Help me create a structure for a literature review on organic photovoltaic devices.”

The AI model, using its comprehensive understanding of the research topic, can then produce a preliminary structure, including sections like:

Introduction
Advances in materials and technology, performance, and efficiency.

This generated outline serves as a valuable starting point. It helps in organizing thoughts and determining the key areas that the literature review should cover. I

mportantly, researchers can refine and expand this initial outline as they delve deeper into their topic, ensuring it aligns with their specific research question and the current state of research.

However, while ChatGPT can streamline the review process and save valuable time in creating an initial outline, researchers should not solely rely on it.

The content generated by ChatGPT must be critically evaluated and supplemented with in-depth research. This involves:

Reading systematic reviews
Reading research papers, and
Summarizing relevant literature to ensure the review is comprehensive and up-to-date.

Get ChatGPT To Help You During Research, Using The Right Prompts

The key to effectively using ChatGPT in this process lies in crafting the right prompts, guiding the AI to generate relevant and useful content.

When initiating a literature review, the prompt should aim for a broad understanding of the research topic. For instance, asking ChatGPT to:

“Give a brief overview of research done on [topic]”
“What are some of the recent findings on the [topic] in research?” or
“Summarize the historical development of [topic] in academia”

Helps in capturing the general landscape of the field. These prompts assist in identifying key theories, methodologies, and authors within the research area. As the review progresses, more specific prompts are necessary to delve deeper into individual studies. Queries like:

“Summarize the main arguments and findings of [specific paper]” or
“What are the strengths and weaknesses of [specific paper]?”

enable ChatGPT to provide detailed insights into particular research papers, aiding in understanding their contribution to the broader field. Comparative prompts are also crucial in synthesizing information across multiple works. Asking ChatGPT to:

“Compare and contrast the methodologies of [paper 1] and [paper 2]” or
“How do the findings of [paper 1] and [paper 2] agree or disagree?”

helps in discerning the nuances and disparities in the literature. In the final stages of the literature review, prompts should focus on summarizing findings and identifying emerging trends or gaps. For example:

“What trends or patterns have emerged from the literature on [topic]?” or
“What future research directions are suggested by the literature on [topic]?”

We will share more on these ChatGPT prompts in the later part of this post, read on.

Reviewing ChatGPT’s Responses

When using ChatGPT to write a literature review, it’s crucial to critically evaluate its responses.

Firstly, researchers should cross-reference the information provided by ChatGPT with actual research papers.

This step ensures the accuracy of the data and helps in identifying any discrepancies or outdated information, given that ChatGPT’s dataset may not include the most recent studies.

Another essential aspect is assessing the coherence and depth of the AI-generated text. ChatGPT can summarize and synthesize information efficiently, but it might not capture the nuances of complex theories or research arguments.

Researchers should ensure that the content aligns with their research question and systematically reviews the topic comprehensively. This is where a researcher’s value comes in.

Additionally, verifying the originality of the content is vital to avoid plagiarism. While ChatGPT can generate human-like text, researchers must ensure that the AI-generated content is used as a guide rather than a verbatim source.

Proper citations and references are essential to maintain the integrity of the literature review. Avoid torpedoing your own research by committing plagiarism.

Ensuring Coherence and Flow

One of the challenges when using such advanced AI language models is ensuring the coherence and flow of the final document. This aspect is crucial as it determines the readability and academic rigor of the literature review.

ChatGPT can generate vast amounts of content on a wide range of topics, responding efficiently to prompts and synthesizing information from its extensive dataset.

However, the content generated by ChatGPT, while informative, might not always align seamlessly with the specific research question or maintain a consistent narrative flow.

To tackle this, researchers need to take an active role in guiding ChatGPT and subsequently refining its output.

A practical approach is to use ChatGPT as a starting point, leveraging its ability to quickly provide summaries, synthesize relevant literature, and identify key references and keywords related to the research topic. For example, prompts like:

“Summarize the current research on [topic]” or
“Identify key debates in [topic]”

Can yield valuable initial insights.

Once this foundational information is obtained, the crucial task is to carefully review and edit the AI-generated content.

This involves connecting the dots between different sections, ensuring that each part contributes meaningfully to addressing the research question, and refining the language to maintain academic standards.

It’s also essential to check for and avoid plagiarism, ensuring that all sources are correctly cited.

In addition, considering the vast amounts of information ChatGPT can access, it’s vital to verify the accuracy and relevance of the content.

Researchers should cross-reference AI-generated summaries with actual research papers, especially the most recent ones, as ChatGPT’s dataset may not include the latest studies.

Editing and Proofreading

Now that your literature review is mostly written out, now focus on the editing and proofreading. The content generated by ChatGPT needs to be meticulously reviewed and edited. Here are the steps:

Verifying the accuracy of the information. Researchers must cross-check the AI-generated content against actual research papers and systematic reviews. This ensures that the latest studies are accurately represented.
Improve coherence and flow. Researchers should restructure sentences, ensure logical progression of ideas, and maintain a consistent academic tone throughout the document.
Checking for plagiarism. Despite ChatGPT’s ability to generate human-like text, researchers must ensure that all sources are correctly cited and that the review does not inadvertently replicate existing material.
Check Grammar and Spelling: Editing should encompass grammar checks, vocabulary refinement, and ensuring that the language used is appropriate for an academic audience.
Update Citation: Review citation, or reference list to ensure everything is cited correctly, and the citation list is written out to your required standard, be it MLA, Chicago, or APA.

What ChatGPT Prompts To Use When Writing A Literature Review?

There are many ways to use ChatGPT to write literature review, usually by using the right prompts. Here’s how specific types of prompts can be effectively employed, with multiple examples for each category:

“Provide a comprehensive overview of the latest research on [topic].”
“Summarize the current understanding and key findings in the field of [topic].”
“Detail the dominant theoretical frameworks currently used in [topic].”
“Describe the evolution of theoretical approaches in [topic] over the past decade.”
“Identify and discuss the major debates or controversies in [topic].”
“What are the conflicting viewpoints or schools of thought in [topic]?”
“List the leading researchers in [topic] and summarize their key contributions.”
“Who are the emerging authors in [topic], and what unique perspectives do they offer?”
“Explain the most common research methodologies used in studies about [topic].”
“How have the methodologies in [topic] research evolved recently?”
“Trace the historical development and major milestones in [topic].”
“Provide a timeline of the key discoveries and shifts in understanding in [topic].”
“What significant paradigm shifts have occurred in [topic] in the last twenty years?”
“How has the focus of research in [topic] changed over time?”
“Analyze the methodology and conclusions of [specific paper].”
“Discuss the impact and reception of [specific paper] in the field of [topic].”
“Compare the results and methodologies of [paper 1] and [paper 2] in [topic].”
“How do [paper 1] and [paper 2] differ in their approach to [topic]?”
“Based on current literature, what are the suggested future research directions in [topic]?”
“Identify gaps in the literature of [topic] that could be explored in future studies.”

By using these types of prompts, researchers can guide ChatGPT to produce content that is not only relevant to their literature review but also rich in detail and scope.

Wrapping Up: Use Other AI Tools Too, Not Just ChatGPT

In conclusion, while ChatGPT serves as a powerful ally in the literature review process, it’s important to recognize it as one of many AI tools available to researchers as well. Diversifying your AI toolkit can enhance the depth and breadth of your review, offering varied perspectives and methodologies.

As AI continues to evolve, embracing a range of these tools can lead to more comprehensive, nuanced, and innovative academic writing, expanding the horizons of research and scholarly exploration beyond what we currently envision.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2023.2185514
Corpus ID: 257377232

Using ChatGPT to conduct a literature review.

M. Haman , M. Školník
Published in Accountability in Research 6 March 2023

62 Citations

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Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Literature Review With Prompts

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use ChatGPT for Writing a Literature Review

Writing a literature review can be a challenging task for researchers and students alike. It requires a comprehensive understanding of the existing body of research on a particular topic. However, with the advent of advanced language models like ChatGPT, the process has become more accessible and efficient.

In this step-by-step guide, ilovephd will explore how you can leverage ChatGPT to write a compelling literature review that is both informative.

A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use ChatGPT for Writing a Literature Review

Step 1: Defining Your Research Objective Before diving into the literature review process, it is crucial to define your research objective.

Clearly articulate the topic, research question, or hypothesis you aim to address through your literature review. This step will help you maintain focus and guide your search for relevant sources.

Step 2: Identifying Keywords and Search Terms To effectively use ChatGPT to assist in your literature review, you need to identify relevant keywords and search terms related to your research topic.

These keywords will help you narrow down your search and gather pertinent information. Consider using tools like Google Keyword Planner or other keyword research tools to discover commonly used terms in your field.

Step 3: Familiarizing Yourself with ChatGPT Before engaging with ChatGPT, it is essential to understand its capabilities and limitations. Familiarize yourself with the prompts and commands that work best with the model.

Keep in mind that ChatGPT is an AI language model trained on a vast amount of data, so it can provide valuable insights and suggestions, but it’s important to critically evaluate and validate the information it generates.

Step 4: Generating an Initial Literature Review Outline Start by creating an outline for your literature review. Outline the main sections, such as the introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.

Within each section, jot down the key points or subtopics you want to cover. This will help you organize your thoughts and structure your review effectively.

Step 5: Engaging with ChatGPT for Research Assistance Once you have your outline ready, engage with ChatGPT for research assistance.

Begin by providing a clear and concise prompt that specifies the topic, context, and any specific questions you have. For example, “What are the current trends in [your research topic]?” or “Can you provide an overview of the main theories on [your research question]?”

Step 6: Reviewing and Selecting Generated Content ChatGPT will generate a response based on your prompt. Carefully review the content generated, considering its relevance, accuracy, and coherence.

Extract key points, relevant references, and insightful arguments from the response and incorporate them into your literature review. Be sure to cite and attribute the sources appropriately.

Step 7: Ensuring Coherence and Flow While ChatGPT can provide valuable content, it’s important to ensure the coherence and flow of your literature review.

Use your critical thinking skills to connect the generated content with your research objective and existing knowledge. Rearrange, rephrase, and expand upon the generated text to ensure it aligns with the structure and purpose of your review.

Step 8: Editing and Proofreading Once you have incorporated the generated content into your literature review, thoroughly edit and proofread the document.

Check for grammatical errors, consistency in referencing, and overall clarity. This step is crucial to ensure your literature review is polished and professional.

ChatGPT prompts to Write a Literature Review

Prompts you can use when engaging with ChatGPT for research assistance in writing a literature review:

“Can you provide an overview of the main theories and concepts related to [your research topic]?”
“What are the current trends and developments in [your research field]?”
“Can you suggest some key studies or research papers on [specific aspect of your research topic]?”
“What are the main methodologies used in conducting research on [your research topic]?”
“Can you provide a critical analysis of the existing literature on [your research question]?”
“Are there any gaps or areas of controversy in the literature on [your research topic] that need further exploration?”
“What are the key findings and conclusions from the most recent studies on [your research topic]?”
“Can you suggest some reputable journals or publications explore for relevant literature in [your research field]?”
“What are the different perspectives or schools of thought in the literature on [your research topic]?”
“Can you provide a summary of the historical background and evolution of research on [your research topic]?”

Remember to provide clear and specific instructions in your prompts to guide ChatGPT in generating relevant and accurate content for your literature review.

Using ChatGPT to write a literature review can greatly facilitate the research process. By following a step-by-step approach, researchers can effectively leverage ChatGPT’s capabilities to gather insights, generate content, and enhance the quality of their literature review. However, it is important to approach the generated content critically, validate it with reliable sources, and ensure coherence within the review.

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Using ChatGPT in Medical Research: Current Status and Future Directions

Suebsarn ruksakulpiwat.

1 Department of Medical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

Ayanesh Kumar

2 School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

Anuoluwapo Ajibade

3 College of Art and Science, Department of Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

This review aims to evaluate the current evidence on the use of the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) in medical research, including but not limited to treatment, diagnosis, or medication provision.

This review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, and Medline to identify studies published between 2022 and 2023 that aimed to utilize ChatGPT in medical research. All identified references were stored in EndNote.

We initially identified 114 articles, out of which six studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for full-text screening. Among the six studies, two focused on drug development (33.33%), two on literature review writing (33.33%), and one each on medical report improvement, provision of medical information, improving research conduct, data analysis, and personalized medicine (16.67% each).

ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize medical research in various ways. However, its accuracy, originality, academic integrity, and ethical issues must be thoroughly discussed and improved before its widespread implementation in clinical research and medical practice.

Introduction

Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been described as a branch of computer science that focuses on creating intelligent machines that can think and act like humans. 1 AI makes decisions by learning from its environment and the information they obtain. 1 There is various type of AI, including machine learning, an algorithm that learns from data and makes a prediction. 1 , 2 Another type of AI is Natural Language Processing (NLP) which uses algorithms to understand and generate human-like conversations. 3 Recently, AI has been utilized in various ways, such as medical diagnosis, 4 the Internet of Things, 5 and artificial intelligence of things. 6

Especially in healthcare, AI has been beginning to be applied and shows the potential to transform many aspects of patient care and administrative processes within providers or pharmaceutical organizations. 2 A study from Davenport & Kalakota described the potential for AI in healthcare. The author suggested that healthcare providers and life sciences companies already use several types of AI. The fundamental application categories are diagnosis and treatment recommendations, patient engagement and adherence, and administrative activities. 2 A recent systematic review aimed to evaluate the existing evidence of a machine learning-based classification system that stratifies patients with stroke. The result found that machine learning models have the potential to help healthcare providers with stroke diagnoses that can lead to early treatment and improve patient outcomes. 7

Generative Pre-trained Transformer, or ChatGPT, an NLP system, is a chatbot launched by OpenAI in November 2022. It was designed to generate human-like conversations by understanding the context of a conversation and generating appropriate responses. 8 , 9 ChatGPT has several features that make it a powerful NLP system. It can understand the context of a conversation and generate appropriate responses in different styles, such as formal, informal, and humorous. 9 There is a debate about using ChatGPT in medical research, and a potential concern has been noted. For example, privacy and security. In medical research, AI systems depend on access to large amounts of private data, such as medical records. The data could be accessed by unauthorized parties and used for nefarious purposes if the data is not adequately protected and secured. 10 In addition, misuse and over-reliance is other significant concern that must be noted. Although AI systems like ChatGPT can be compelling, they could be better. Medical professionals may over-rely on AI systems and trust their decisions without adequately considering the limitations and potential errors of the technology. 10

This review aims to evaluate the current evidence related to the use of ChatGPT in medical research, including its potential to provide treatment, diagnosis, and medication. Although ChatGPT’s use in healthcare is still in its early stages, there is a need for sufficient prior research on the concept, research fields, and application cases. Therefore, this review seeks to provide insights into the current trends of utilizing this technology in medical research and offer suggestions for future research.

Identify Relevant Studies

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines 11 were used to guide the identification, screening, exclusion, and inclusion of articles in this review. Four electronic databases (Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, and Medline) were searched on January 21, 2023, at 9:26 PM EST to identify articles published between 2022 and 2023 that were related to or aimed to utilize ChatGPT in medical research. The search terms “ChatGPT” AND “Chatbot” AND “Medical Research” were used. Additionally, the reference lists of the included studies were manually searched to obtain relevant studies, and all references were stored in EndNote. A flow diagram was created to present the results of the search and screening process, following the PRISMA guidelines.

Study Selection

The authors independently screened the titles and abstracts of the identified studies to determine their relevance. Subsequently, the full text of the selected articles was also assessed to ensure they met the inclusion criteria. These criteria were implemented to ensure that only studies relevant to the objective of the review were included. Similarly, exclusion criteria were used to eliminate literature unrelated to the review ( Table 1 ).

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Data Extraction

The standardized chart for data extraction ( Supplementary Table 1 ) consisted of the following data for each study: Reference, Year, Country, Study Design, Sample size, Target population, Objective, Results (Utilize ChatGPT in medical research), Main result/key finding and Suggestions for future research.

Search Results

Initially, a total of 114 articles were identified. After running Endnote X8, no duplicates were found. Subsequently, 114 articles were screened based on their title and abstract using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in six articles eligible for full-text screening. During the full-text screening phase, no articles were excluded, and all six articles were included in the final analysis. Finally, the retrieval process was outlined using the PRISMA flow chart, as shown in Figure 1 .

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is JMDH-16-1513-g0001.jpg

PRISMA flow chart.

Description of Included Studies

Table 2 displays that of the six included studies, two were published in 2023 (33.33%), and four were published in 2022 (66.67%). The studies were mainly conducted in the USA and Germany, with two studies from each country (25% each). One study was conducted in each of the following countries: the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Spain, and Switzerland, each accounting for 12.5%. The most popular study design was literature review (n = 2, 33.33%), followed by case study (n = 1, 16.67%), editorial (n = 1, 16.67%), and perspective (n = 1, 16.67%). One study had a sample size of 15 (16.67%), while the rest did not specify the target population due to the study design (n = 5, 83.33%). Only one study focused on radiologists (16.67%), while the majority did not have a specific target population (n = 5, 83.33%).

The Characteristics of the Included Studies

Characteristic	Number*	Percentage (%)

2023	2	33.33%
2022	4	66.67%

USA	2	25%
Germany	2	25%
Republic of Korea	1	12.5%
Turkey	1	12.5%
Spain	1	12.5%
Switzerland	1	12.5%

Literature review	2	33.33%
Case study	1	16.67%
Editorial	1	16.67%
Perspective	1	16.67%
Not specific	1	16.67%

15	1	16.67%
N/A	5	83.33%

Radiologists	1	16.67%
N/A	5	83.33%

Note : *The number of included studies.

Abbreviation : N/A, Not applicable.

Description of the Key Finding of Included Studies

Table 3 summarizes the key findings of the included studies. Two studies (33.33%) explored the use of ChatGPT in drug development. In comparison, another two studies (33.33%) examined its application in writing literature reviews. One study (16.67%) described using ChatGPT for medical report improvement, one for providing treatment, one for providing medical information, one for improving research conduction, one for data analysis, and one for personalized medicine.

Key Findings of Included Studies

Main Result/Key Finding	References						The Total Included Studies (n, %)
Main Result/Key Finding	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	The Total Included Studies (n, %)
Drug Development							2 (33.33%)
Medical Report Improvement							1 (16.67%)
Providing Treatment							1 (16.67%)
Providing Medical Information							1 (16.67%)
Writing Literature Review							2 (33.33%)
Improve Research Conduction							1 (16.67%)
Data Analysis							1 (16.67%)
Personalize Medicine							1 (16.67%)

This review summarizes the use of ChatGPT in medical research. Currently, this AI is primarily used in drug development, improving medical reports, providing treatment and medical information, writing literature reviews on health-related topics, improving research conduct, data analysis, and personalizing medicine. The discussion section details how ChatGPT was utilized in each area and how it could be implemented in future research.

Drug Development

Evidence shows the potential of using AI technology in new drug development. Mann used ChatGPT to discuss the role of AI in translational medicine. The result illustrated that AI algorithms could help speed up new drug development and treatment and identify the side effect and interactions. 17 In addition, a study by Blanco-Gonzalez et al discussed the benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of AI in drug discovery. It has shown that AI techniques, such as machine learning, can accelerate and improve drug development processes by enabling more efficient and accurate analysis of large amounts of data. 12 This is consistent with previous studies suggesting that AI has been found to improve the efficiency of the drug development process and successfully predict the efficacy of drug compounds with high accuracy. 18 , 19 Although AI is expected to significantly contribute to developing new medications in the following few years, limitations, including ethical issues, must be considered. Moreover, AI should be cautiously employed in science until it can be entrusted to produce reliable and accurate information. Also, it is crucial to carefully evaluate the information provided by AI tools such as ChatGPT and validate it using reliable sources.

Medical Report Improvement

Although ChatGPT is not explicitly developed for simplifying medical reports, it has surprisingly performed well. One of our included studies investigated the phenomenon that ChatGPT may be used to simplify radiology reports. This case study included 15 radiologists to provide the agreement in radiology reports generated by ChatGPT. 13 Overall, radiologists agreed that the simplified reports generated by ChatGPT were complete but had some errors, such as missed findings or unspecific locations. Accordingly, it may cause imprecision in the medical context, leading to an error in patient treatment and clinical decision-making. 13 A previous study discussing using AI for quality improvement in radiology also suggested that AI can provide more support, such as ensuring medical reports are accurate, readable, and helpful to patients and healthcare providers. 20 However, future research is still needed to validate the findings and further explore the possibilities of this new technology in the medical domain. In this case, ChatGPT may involve a simplified radiology report autogenerated alongside an original report, proofread by a radiologist, and corrected where needed.

Providing Treatment and Medical Information

The study by Kim determined the medical information and treatment options that ChatGPT can provide for shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS). 14 The result reveals that ChatGPT output provides essential and uncontroversial treatment options for SIS. However, more details and specific treatment options still need to be obtained through a medical professional. Thus, it will be difficult for non-experts to determine treatment options based on minimal depth in the information provided by ChatGPT since effective treatment varies greatly depending on an individual’s condition or degree of SIS. 14 Regarding medical information, ChatGPT considers exercise to be one of the critical factors in recovering from SIS and provides several exercise examples. However, the description of the posture and action of the pendulum exercise was inaccurate. 14 As Davenport & Kalakota suggested, AI will have a vital role in future healthcare offerings, particularly in treatment applications. However, accuracy and ethical issues must be addressed, making it challenging. 2 Similarly, ChatGPT can provide general and basic-level medical information. Nevertheless, future technological advancements in the medical field must pave the way to develop this AI to be more accurate and detailed in medical and treatment information.

Writing a Literature Review on a Health-Related Topic

Two included studies used ChatGPT to conduct the literature review on the medical-related topic. The literature review by Blanco-Gonzalez et al discussed the benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of AI in drug discovery and proposed possible strategies and approaches for overcoming barriers. This review was generated with the assistance of ChatGPT and verified by human authors. 12 Furthermore, Aydın & Karaarslan used ChatGPT to create a literature review of the theme of the application of digital twins in healthcare. 15 The result shows that the texts written by study authors tested a low level of plagiarism compared to ChatGPT. On the other hand, the paraphrased abstracts created by ChatGPT had very high levels of plagiarism. Also, ChatGPT does not produce original texts after paraphrasing. 15

A previous study aimed to determine whether ChatGPT can write a good boolean query for a systematic literature review search. The authors recommended that AI can follow complex instructions and generate exact queries, making it a valuable innovation for researchers conducting systematic reviews. 21 However, human editing and verification are still necessary to minimize plagiarism and errors. Additionally, utilizing ChatGPT to conduct research, such as a literature review, presents challenges due to originality and academic integrity issues. Therefore, researchers should carefully consider the policies of their research institutions and journals before using AI in their research writing.

Research Conduction, Data Analysis, and Personalized Medicine

Two studies included in the review report the potential of using ChatGPT in conducting research, data analysis, and personalized medicine. 16 , 17 Cahan & Treutlein illustrated how ChatGPT could assist practitioners across the broader stem cell research discipline, mainly by saving them time to conduct more research. 16 The author stated that ChatGPT could aid stem cell research in three ways: 1) the ability to process and analyze a large amount of cell-related data, 2) the optimization of stem cell culture conditions to allow for more efficient and controlled growth of stem cells, and 3) the creation of detailed models of stem cell behavior, helping researchers better understand how these cells respond to stimuli and how they can be manipulated for different purposes. 16

Likewise, Mann discussed the role of ChatGPT in translational medicine. The researcher suggested the following future directions for AI in translational medicine: 1) AI can be used in big data analysis, such as electronic medical records and genomic data, to help identify factors causing disease and predict patient outcomes; 2) AI can help develop personalized medicine that is tailored to the specific needs and characteristics of individual patients. 17 However, using ChatGPT in translational medicine presents challenges, such as: 1) algorithms can be biased and incomplete if the training data is biased and incomplete, potentially leading to inaccurate results that could impact patient care and outcomes; 2) AI may not fully understand the biological mechanisms of the human body system, resulting in limitations in providing factors contributing to disease and treatment; and 3) ethical implications of using AI, such as discrimination against certain populations or prioritizing specific groups, could lead to future healthcare inequalities and impact human life. 17

There are limitations to our review that need to be noted. Firstly, our search was limited to articles published in English between 2022 and 2023. Therefore, research published in other languages or outside of this timeframe may have been omitted, which could limit the generalizability and raise issues regarding the validity of the finding. Additionally, we focused specifically on the use of ChatGPT in medical research and did not include other potential applications of this technology in related fields. Finally, while we searched a range of databases, it is possible that some relevant studies were not captured by our search strategy.

Conclusion and Suggestions for Future Research

Over the recent years, ChatGPT has demonstrated its role in advancing the medical field, from supporting translational medicine and drug development with detailed and accurate data analysis to complementing medical practice and patient experience with improved medical reporting, diagnostics, and treatment plans. However, further work is required to enhance accuracy, originality, bias, and misuse and overcome issues pertaining to academic integrity, privacy, and ethics prior to the extensive application of this tool within research and clinical practice.

It is important to note that ChatGPT was not explicitly developed for application in research and medicine. As such, it lacks a much-needed depth in scientific and medical knowledge underlying mechanisms of disease and treatment. Yet, it has performed surprisingly well in providing basic-level support in research and clinical settings. This is a testament to its potential to revolutionize medicine and healthcare if further technological advancement of this model is made in conjunction with the medical field. For instance, future work must focus on training AI to develop an extensive understanding of the biological and medical sciences to improve the accuracy and depth of its analysis, diagnostics, and treatment plan generation. In addition, appropriate ethical guidelines, limitations, and authorizations must be placed on its use to prevent unauthorized use and protect privacy. Moreover, similar studies conducted in the future with improved models applied within research and clinical settings are required to track its progress. Finally, surveys of physicians’ and patients’ experiences and opinions may also aid in evaluating ChatGPT’s role in paving the way for a more seamless provider and patient care experience, respectively.

ChatGPT also has practical potential for enhancing patient care and treatment outcomes by providing medical information and facilitating communication between patients and healthcare providers. Academically, ChatGPT can advance understanding, identify new research questions, and improve data analysis and interpretation accuracy. Nevertheless, there are potential risks, such as the dissemination of inaccurate information and ethical concerns about informed consent, privacy, and data security. Therefore, researchers and healthcare providers must consider these factors when implementing ChatGPT-based interventions.

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

ChatGPT and Academic Research: A Review and Recommendations Based on Practical Examples

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College of Managemen; University of Tehran

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