Library teaching and events
We provide support for Students, Researchers, and Teaching Staff.
Literature Searching with AI
Discover how AI-powered search tools —like the literature discovery platform Elicit— offer new ways to find and engage with sources.
During the session, you'll learn how to use AI to uncover relevant literature more efficiently, whilst differentiating between semantic and traditional keyword searching. We’ll demonstrate how to craft effective prompts and questions to get better results and think critically about the risks and limitations of AI in research—evaluating bias, a lack of transparency, and why your judgement still matters.
Whether you’re already experimenting with AI or just curious about its potential, this session will help you approach these tools with confidence and clarity.
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
- Describe the differences between semantic and lexical search approaches
- Use AI-assisted tools to undertake literature searches and identify relevant academic sources
- Recognise the limitations of AI-powered search tools, including issues of bias, transparency, and incomplete coverage