How To Read Academic Papers Easily In 7 Simple Steps

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Do you need help to read academic papers effectively? Mastering these essential research skills is vital for anyone seeking to enhance their writing and build efficient papers, summaries, and articles with AI. Let's explain this process and unlock the secrets of efficient academic paper reading together.

If you find academic papers challenging to read, Unriddle's AI research assistant can help you improve your writing and produce efficient AI papers, summaries, and articles. It provides valuable insights to help you reach your potential and enhance your writing skills.

What Is An Academic Paper?

An academic paper is not a social commentary, an opinion, or a "blog." It begins with a thesis. The writer aims to persuade readers of an idea or solution to a problem based on evidence, not personal opinion.

Academic writing should present the reader with an informed argument. To construct an informed argument, you must first try to sort out what you know about a subject from what you think or feel about a subject. You can begin by posing a question that will lead to your idea (in which case, your idea will answer your question), or you can make a thesis statement. Or you can do both: ask a question and immediately suggest the answer your essay will argue.

The research process is not simply collecting data, evidence, or "facts" but copying and pasting this preexisting information into a paper. Instead, it is about investigating, asking questions, and developing answers through serious critical thinking and thoughtful reflection. Most research involves at least a survey or questionnaire soliciting opinions from a reasonably sized sample of relevant participants.

AI for Academic Research

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Academic Research

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Research Process

Industry Research

Research Skills

Research Collaboration

Parts of An Academic Paper

1. Title/Cover Page

The title/cover page includes the paper's title, author's name, address, phone number, email, and submission date.

2. Abstract

Although not all education papers require an abstract, it's useful for more complex and lengthy papers. Typically 100 to 300 words, the abstract provides a concise overview of the paper, outlining the research question, significance, methodology, and main results.

3. Introduction and Statement of the Problem

The introduction sets the stage by defining the primary research problem and thesis argument, explaining the importance of the study, its originality, and how it fills gaps in existing research.

4. Limitations of Study

Discussing the study's limitations early on is crucial, as well as outlining what the paper intends to cover and what it doesn't. Limitations can occur due to time, resources, demographics, and more.

5. Methodology

This section details the research methodology used in the paper, including whether qualitative or quantitative methods were employed, data collection techniques, field research, library/archives utilization, and more.

6. Literature Review

Present a discussion summarizing what is known about the topic and how that knowledge was acquired. This sets the context for your study and helps build on existing research.

7. Main Body of Paper/Argument

The core of the paper, the main body, supports the thesis with citations and analysis. It should present a logical thesis development, focusing on clear reasoning and cohesive argumentation.

8. Conclusion

This section brings together the paper's main arguments, offering a comprehensive summary of the research findings. An effective conclusion should leave the reader informed and satisfied.

9. Works Cited/Bibliography

A comprehensive list of all sources cited in the paper, following specific APA guidelines for formatting author names, dates, titles, page numbers, and more.

10. Appendices

Appendices contain supplementary material that enhances the reader's understanding but isn't directly included in the main body. This material may include tables, charts, questionnaires, and other elements supporting the paper.

Unriddle allows you to read faster and write better. Quickly find info in documents, simplify complex topics, take notes, and write with the power of AI. Unriddle is trusted by thousands of researchers and students, from the classroom to the boardroom. Unriddle generates an AI assistant on top of any document so you can quickly find, summarize, and understand info.

Read Faster & Write Better With Unriddle

Unriddle.AI understands the meaning behind your writing and automatically links you to relevant things you’ve read and written about. Highlight text, and Unriddle will show you the most relevant sources from your library using AI. Never lose a citation again. Generate text with AI autocomplete to improve and expand your writing, with suggestions based on the context of your work. Step into a collaborative workspace where everyone can contribute and chat with the same documents in real-time and much more!

Read faster & write better — try Unriddle for free today.

How To Read Academic Papers Easily In 7 Simple Steps

1. Unraveling the Paper with Unriddle AI's Help

When starting into an academic paper, one valuable tool to streamline your reading process is Unriddle AI. This powerful tool facilitates faster reading and improved writing by simplifying complex topics, allowing you to take notes, and helping you quickly grasp key information. Unriddle generates an AI assistant that overlays any document, allowing for efficient information retrieval, summarization, and comprehension.

By identifying the meaning behind your writing, Unriddle links you to relevant information you've previously read or written. Additionally, the tool highlights text, presenting you with the most pertinent sources from your library through AI. With Unriddle, you can enhance your writing as it provides AI-based autocomplete suggestions specific to your context.

Moreover, this collaborative workspace permits real-time document sharing and discussions, making it an indispensable resource for researchers and students. So, why elevate your academic paper reading experience by trying Unriddle today?

2. The Title & Abstract - A Gateway to the Paper's Essence

In your academic paper reading journey, the title and abstract are essential indicators of the paper's significance. By perusing the abstract, you can swiftly ascertain the key points, type of article, experimental setup, crucial findings, and author's conclusions. This preliminary step enables you to make an informed decision on whether to delve deeper into the paper, thus optimizing your reading time and reducing unnecessary downloads or purchases.

3. Skipping the Introduction - A Time-Saving Maneuver

When well-versed in the literature, skipping the introduction can be a smart move, as it generally covers background information. By skimming or bypassing this section initially, you can allocate more time to delve into the paper's meatier sections, such as the methods and results.

4. Scanning the Methods - The Gateway to Results' Validity

While reading an academic paper, scanning the methods section is crucial for determining the validity of the results. By matching the methods with the outcomes, you can discern if the research was executed appropriately and if the conclusions drawn are supported by robust experimental procedures.

5. Focusing on the Figures - The Heart of the Paper

The results section of an academic paper is the crux of the publication. It is where you'll spend the bulk of your time, ensuring that the data presented aligns with the narrative provided by the author. By reviewing the figures critically, checking for appropriate scales and statistical analysis, and scrutinizing supplementary information, you can truly grasp the significance of the research findings.

6. Tackling the Discussion - Interpreting the Paper's Significance

The discussion section of an academic paper offers insights into the author’s interpretation of the results and how they contribute to the broader literature. By scrutinizing this segment, you can gauge the paper's overall impact, identify unresolved questions, and evaluate the authors’ objectivity.

7. Filing it Away - Organizing for Future Success

After reading an academic paper, taking the time to file it away efficiently can save you significant time in the future. Utilizing a reference management system and including the full citation, a concise summary of the essential methods and results, personal comments, and relevant tags will streamline your research process and enhance your future writing endeavors.

How Do You Read Academic Papers Critically

When reading an academic paper, not every word can be treated equally. You need to have the ability to read a text quickly using three different techniques:

Scanning

This involves quickly looking over the material to pick out specific information.

Skimming

means reading something fairly quickly to grasp the general idea.

Close reading

This approach consists of reading something in detail.

To read an academic text effectively, it's crucial to use a combination of these techniques. Typically, you would start by scanning to determine the scope and relevance of the piece, then skim to identify key facts and areas to explore further, before finally reading more closely to gain a deeper understanding and think critically about the content.

Using these strategies is part of a filtering process to determine which texts are worth reading in more depth. This ultimately saves you time in the long run by allowing you to focus on the most relevant materials.

Read Faster & Write Better With Unriddle

Unriddle.AI allows you to read faster and write better. Quickly find info in documents, simplify complex topics, take notes, and write with the power of AI. Unriddle is trusted by thousands of researchers and students, from the classroom to the boardroom. Unriddle generates an AI assistant on top of any document so you can quickly find, summarize, and understand info.

Unriddle understands the meaning behind your writing and automatically links you to relevant things you’ve read and written about. Highlight text and Unriddle will show you the most relevant sources from your library using AI. Never lose a citation again. Generate text with AI autocomplete to improve and expand your writing, with suggestions based on the context of your work. Step into a collaborative workspace where everyone can contribute and chat with the same documents in real-time and much more!

Read faster & write better — try Unriddle for free today.

14 Best Tools To Read Academic Papers

1. Unriddle AI

Unriddle AI is a tool aimed at helping users read faster and write better. It simplifies complex topics and allows users to take notes and write with the power of AI. Unriddle generates an AI assistant on top of any document, enabling users to find, summarize, and understand information quickly. This tool is trusted by thousands of researchers and students, from the classroom to the boardroom.

Unriddle understands the meaning behind the user's writing and automatically links them to relevant things they've read and written about. Its features include highlighting text to show the most relevant sources from the user's library using AI, generating text with AI autocomplete to improve and expand writing, and providing a collaborative workspace for real-time contributions and chatting with the same documents.

Pros

Enables users to simplify complex topics, take notes, and write with the power of AI

Automatically links users to relevant information they have read and written in the past

Generates text with AI autocomplete to enhance writing

Facilitates real-time collaboration in a workspace for multiple users

Trusted by thousands of researchers and students

2. Bit AI

Bit AI is an AI program designed to assist teams in collaborating on documents, wikis, and knowledge bases. It allows users to create interactive documents containing videos, cloud files, and audio. Bit AI works similarly to Google Drive, enabling real-time collaboration on documents, with multiple people working on documents simultaneously and chatting within the interface.

Due to its document development features, Bit AI benefits researchers, marketers, product managers, startups, and Human Resources. It integrates with various third-party tools, such as YouTube, Google Sheets, Figma, and GitHub.

Pros

Features built-in AI Writing Assistant for generating documents, wikis, and other information

Suitable for researchers, marketers, product managers, startups, and Human Resources

Enables real-time collaboration on documents, notes, wikis, and other content

Integrates with a wide range of third-party tools, including YouTube, Google Sheets, Figma, GitHub

Cons

May lack customization options for document appearances

Lacks advanced text formatting features

Some users may find the interface slightly overwhelming

Limited options for custom branding within the documents

3. Semantic Scholar

Semantic Scholar is a top AI research tool widely used by students pursuing computer science, biomedical science, and neuroscience. It employs natural language processing to analyze academic papers and find relevant literature. Semantic Scholar offers detailed overviews of research topics and can identify the most critical parts of a paper, making it a valuable tool for researchers.

It continuously improves based on user feedback and provides a personalized user experience. However, there might be accuracy issues with the summary and the AI-generated citations. This tool offers access to the full text of some papers, providing a comprehensive research experience.

Pros

Refines search results for greater efficiency and relevance

Continuously improves based on user feedback for a personalized experience

Offers detailed overviews of research topics for better understanding

Cons

May have accuracy issues with summaries and AI-generated citations

Provides full-text access to only some papers

Some users may find limitations in the scope of the tool

4. Scite

Scite is a popular AI-powered academic research tool that enhances research processes. It utilizes natural language processing and machine learning to improve research on scholarly articles and analyze citations. Scite allows researchers to evaluate the dependability of references in a particular context, providing insights into the quality and impact of the research. Additionally, it offers better visualizations and metrics to understand the citation landscape of a specific paper or topic.

Pros

Analyzes how an article is referenced in other research for credibility assessment

Shows how different sections of an article are cited in other research for better comprehension

Generates reports on citation patterns and trends for identifying relevant articles and authors

Trained on a large dataset of articles, books, preprints, and other datasets for accurate analysis

Cons

Not all articles cited may be accessible for viewing

Some publishers may restrict access to full-text articles

The tool's interface may not be as intuitive for all users

May have limitations in analyzing extremely complex research papers

5. Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a beacon for academic research, offering a straightforward platform akin to its browser counterpart. It’s a treasure trove of recent articles, research papers, and scholarly literature, simplifying the quest for up-to-date information with easy-to-identify tags for quick access.

Pros

Use natural language searching to find academic and literature topics.

Allow your search for gray literature for systematic reviews.

Cons

The content you find will not be reviewed thoroughly, and there are concerns about source credibility.

Missed to show significant literature topics.

6. PDFGear Copilot

PDFgear Copilot is an AI-powered assistant that extracts and summarizes information in PDF documents. It utilizes OpenAI’s ChatGPT language model to help users locate important information in documents while conducting research. It lets you chat with a document, ask questions about its contents, and quickly summarize entire PDFs.

Pros

Interact With PDFs

Summarize, analyze, and interact with PDF content through natural language processing.

ChatGPT Integration

Find key information and get answers by using built-in ChatGPT functionality.

Streamline PDF Workflows

Complete tasks such as converting, printing, and saving PDFs with natural language processing.

Support for Multiple Languages

PDFgear Copilot supports over 100 languages, making it accessible to many users.

Cons

No Dark Mode

PDFgear doesn’t have an option to switch to dark mode, potentially alienating those who prefer it.

7. Consensus

Consensus is an AI research tool that gathers information from published material and peer-reviewed articles. The tool is helpful for those who want to understand scientific subjects thoroughly by scanning for trustworthy and accurate research articles. This tool is handy for students and researchers in STEM and business fields.

Pros

Natural language processing is used to analyze data and verify the source.

Generate a summary of research queries and help get information for the early research stage.

Cons

It is favored only for STEM and business, not the humanities and fine arts.

Not suitable for rigorous and reproducible research works.

8. Trinka

Trinka is one of the most commonly used AI tools for scholars and students, as it helps with grammar and language correction for academic and technical writing. It has 3000+ grammar checks tone, and style enhancements, which help scholars write better theses and projects without any errors.

Pros

Save time in checking grammar while doing academic writing.

Let you check grammar, correct spelling, and offer context suggestions based on your writing style.

Cons

The response time of the tool could be faster, which would cause a hindrance to quick feedback needs.

It may be challenging to understand the technical jargon.

9. Connected Papers

Connected Papers is a unique tool that helps researchers explore related academic papers visually. It uses similarity-based mapping to show connections between papers, with sizes of circles representing citation frequency. The tool positions related papers closer and connects them with lines based on semantic similarity. Here are the pros and cons of Connected Papers:

Pros

Similarity Graphs

Emphasizes semantic similarity over traditional citation trees.

Prior and Derivative Works

Identifies influential prior and derivative works.

Multi-Origin Graphs

Allows users to create combined graphs for multiple papers.

Save Papers and Graphs

Enables saving and revisiting for further exploration.

Cons

Limited Citation View

This does not directly show how papers cite each other.

10. Mendeley

Mendeley is an AI tool for organizing, sharing, and citing research papers in one place. It facilitates better bibliography creation, document annotation, and collaboration on projects. Here are the pros and cons of Mendeley:

Pros

Offer citation styles and boost citation efficiency.

Organize and share references for collaborative research.

Cons

Limited PDF annotation capabilities.

Users face server downtime and syncing errors.

11. Litmaps

Litmaps is a literature mapping tool that helps researchers discover and visualize new research papers. Connectedness theory allows users to quickly scan a network of papers to find related documents. Here are the pros and cons of Litmaps:

Pros

Search Academic Papers

Access over 260 million academic papers.

Mind Mapping

Visualize research and create maps.

Explore Research

Dynamically explore research from different angles.

Collaboration Features

Share research maps for collaboration.

Cons

Limited Free Plan

Some features are only available on paid plans.

12. Scholarcy

Scholarcy is an AI tool that automates reading, summarizing, and extracting information from research papers. It helps in recognizing figures, tables, and references, and organizing citations. Here are the pros and cons of Scholarcy:

Pros

Summarize research topics and save time.

Offer links to cited resources for accessibility.

Cons

Essay summaries require more precision.

AI-generated summaries may not cover all critical points.

13. Jenni

Jenni is an AI-powered writing assistant that aids students and researchers in academic writing tasks. It provides content suggestions, writing feedback, and research assistance using machine learning and natural language processing. Here are the pros and cons of Jenni:

Pros

AskJenni

An AI research assistant.

Citation and Reference Assistance

Properly format citations and references.

AI Commands

Perform tasks like paraphrasing and rewriting.

AI Autocompletion

Suggest sentences for faster writing.

Cons

Limited Content Types

Offers a limited number of content types.

14. Knewton

Knewton is an AI tool that delivers personalized educational content using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. It allows tailoring educational content based on individual needs and learning styles. Here are the pros and cons of Knewton:

Pros

Personalized Learning

Offers adaptive learning experiences.

Student Interaction

Provides varied questions to prevent cheating.

Cons

Generic Problems

It needs to align with the curriculum.

Impact on Student Learning

Offer feedback and flexible assessment options.

AI Tools for Academic Research

Research Tips

How to Organize Research Papers

Research Collaboration Software

Academic Collaboration

Research Lab Management

Traditional Research

Best Apps for Grad Students

Research Collaborations

Complete Step-by-Step Guide On How To Use Unriddle's AI Research Tool

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use Unriddle. I’ve also copied it below :)

From here, it's pretty simple.

Unriddle helps you read, write and learn faster.

Interact with documents via AI so you can quickly find and understand info.

Then start writing in a new Note and Unriddle will show you relevant content from your library as you type.

Get started by uploading a document.

Or read on for the full rundown.

Interact with documents

When you upload a document, Unriddle generates an AI assistant on top of this data.

Click 'New' in the right sidebar and then select 'Upload' to get started.

Use this assistant to answer specific questions about the text, summarize content and simplify jargon.

The trick is to be super clear about what you want.

If you're summarizing a research paper, for example, instead of saying “Summarize” or “Summarize this research paper”, say something like “Explain this research paper to me in simple terms. What method did the researchers use? What did they find? Why does it matter?”.

The second prompt will produce a much better overview of the paper because we're giving the AI more hints about what we want.

Automatic relations

Unriddle grasps the context behind each Note and Document in your library and automatically links them based on meaning.

Let's say you have a collection of nuclear physics papers in your library.

When you start writing a note about The Manhattan Project, simply mentioning "The Manhattan Project" will prompt Unriddle to find the connection between this note and the nuclear physics papers.

Even if you didn't explicitly mention the research papers, Unriddle's knowledge of Oppenheimer, his work, and the significant relevance of these papers means it understands the connection and automatically links them together.

In short, Unriddle shows you relevant content from your library at the exact moment you need it, even if you haven't explicitly mentioned it.

Citing your sources

Writing is hard when you have a ton of sources to track.

So we made it easy.

Highlight some text, click ‘Cite’ and you’ll see items from your library that contain information related to the selection of text you just highlighted as determined by our AI.

When you select an item Unriddle inserts a link into highlighted text that, when clicked, takes you to the referenced item.

Writing with AI

Click ‘New’ in the sidebar and hit ‘Note’ to open up a new note.

Here you’ll find all the text formatting options you’re used to and more.

Type ‘++’ to generate text based on the context of what’s already written.

Highlight text and click ‘Ask AI’ to open up the AI menu where you’ll find options to improve, expand, summarize and explain.

You can type custom prompts too!

Finally, you can open any note in a pane on the right side of the screen while interacting with documents. Just click the orange pencil icon at the top of the chat window.

Adjust the model, temperature and response length in the Setting sidebar.

Click the cog icon in the top right corner of the screen and look for "Chat Settings".

These apply across all documents but you can easily flip between them regardless of settings at the time of upload.

Model: the machine learning model used to generate responses.

Temperature: the amount of creative license you give to the AI.

Max length: the maximum number of words generated in a response.

Got feedback or questions? Send us an email and we'll get back to you within a day.

— Naveed

Read Faster & Write Better With Unriddle for Free Today

Unriddle.AI is the ultimate research tool for anyone who values efficiency and accuracy in their research process. With Unriddle, the days of endlessly skimming through documents are over. Unriddle simplifies complex topics, makes it easy to take notes, and enhances your writing with the power of AI. Whether you're a student, a researcher, or a professional, Unriddle is your go-to assistant for tackling academic papers, reports, or other text-heavy documents.

Find Information Faster with Unriddle

One of the most significant challenges when reading academic papers is finding the relevant information you need quickly. Unriddle comes to the rescue by generating an AI assistant on top of any document. This feature lets you quickly find, summarize, and comprehend information without wasting time. By understanding the meaning behind your writing, Unriddle can automatically link you to relevant texts you've read or written about. Highlight text, and Unriddle will show you the most relevant sources from your library using AI. This integration eliminates the headache of losing citations and references.

AI Autocomplete for Enhanced Writing

Writing academic papers requires a keen understanding of the topic and a comprehensive review of existing studies. With Unriddle's AI-autocomplete function, improving and expanding your writing has never been easier. All suggestions provided are context-based, ensuring that your writing remains relevant and addresses the topic thoroughly. By using Unriddle, you will produce more concise and insightful papers that engage your readers.

Collaborative Workspace for Real-Time Interaction

Unriddle offers a collaborative workspace for individuals to contribute and chat in real time while working on the same document. This real-time interaction feature empowers teamwork, enabling multiple users to provide insights, suggestions, and edits simultaneously. The collaborative workspace ensures that all stakeholders are on the same page and can work collectively to achieve outstanding outcomes.

Try Unriddle for Free Today

Are you ready to read faster, write better, and streamline your research? Try Unriddle for free today and experience the power of AI-enhanced research skills. Whether you're a student, a researcher, or a professional, Unriddle is your ultimate companion for academic success. reveal your full research potential with Unriddle!