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The School of Marketing and Management (SoMM) at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) hosted an enriching research workshop on 24th March 2025.

Led by Ms Harjinder Kaur (Senior Lecturer and IAP Coordinator, SoMM at APU), the workshop aimed at transforming how academic literature review is approached in research.

Titled “AI for Systematic Literature Review: Automating the Screening and Analysis of Research Articles,” the workshop was conducted by Dr Dineswary Nadarajan, recipient of Asia’s Outstanding Researcher Award by World Research Congress (WRC). 

Empowering Tools for Academic Excellence

Students were introduced to a comprehensive suite of AI-powered research tools designed to simplify, accelerate, and enhance the literature review process.

These included:

1. Open Read
2. Explainpaper
3. Connected Papers
4. Semantic Scholar
5. Heuristica
6. Scispace
7. Elicit

Each tool showcased provided unique capabilities that empowered students to conduct more thorough, efficient, and insightful literature reviews, ultimately enabling them to approach academic research with greater confidence, precision, and clarity.

Interactive Learning and Engagement

To consolidate learning in an engaging way, the workshop concluded with an interactive Bingo game, incorporating key artificial intelligence (AI) research concepts covered.

Students collaborated in identifying and discussing AI-related research tools and concepts, reinforcing their knowledge in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

The activity not only encouraged teamwork and critical thinking, but also provided an opportunity for students to revisit important takeaways in a memorable format.

The laughter and energy in the room reflected a genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter.

Student Perspectives

Muhammad Abdullah Ashfaq, a student from Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Marketing Management with a specialism in Digital Marketing, found the workshop highly valuable and emphasised the critical importance of addressing ethical considerations in the application of AI within academic research, which he got to learn from the insightful discussions and practical demonstrations during the workshop.

Achreen Kaur Rajinder Singh, a student from Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) (Artificial Intelligence), expressed that learning about AI-driven research tools not only enhanced her understanding of literature review techniques, but also sparked a deeper interest in integrating AI into her academic work.

Ropafadzo Juchu, a student from Master of Finance, appreciated the clear and practical introduction to AI tools that can simplify and strengthen literature reviews, and noted that the workshop boosted her confidence in approaching future research projects with a more structured and efficient methodology.

Nur Wardina Putri Shamsulnahar, a student from Master of Science in International Business Communications, highlighted that the workshop provided her valuable insights into how AI can support various stages of the research process and has equipped her with a more strategic and technology-driven approach to academic research. 

Reflections on the Workshop

Ms Harjinder reflected on the workshop’s success in empowering students with practical knowledge and confidence to integrate AI into their research practices.

She noted that the enthusiastic participation and positive feedback reflected a growing awareness of the importance of technological literacy in academic pursuits.

In contrast, Assoc Prof Dr Devinder Kaur (Head, SoMM at APU) shared that the engagement and curiosity shown by the students underscored a promising shift toward more innovative and efficient research approaches.

Additionally, she expressed that initiatives like this are crucial in equipping future researchers with the tools and mindset needed to thrive in an AI-driven academic landscape.