ACADEMIC TALK FOR YOUNG SCHOLARS

 An open-format Academic Talk aimed at supporting young scholars and developing their competencies in academic writing and the use of generative artificial intelligence was held at the Department of Primary Education of Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University. The speaker was Professor Bakhyt Alipova, PhD, from the University of Kentucky (USA). The event was attended by master’s students and faculty members of the Department of Primary Education.

Professor Alipova presented the structure of the research process (Research Proposal Process) and explained how modern AI tools can support young scholars at every stage of preparing a research project – from topic selection to literature review and final manuscript preparation. Based on the slide «Research Proposal Process with genAI Support», key stages were discussed where artificial intelligence assists early-career researchers in formulating research questions, identifying theoretical frameworks, locating and organizing academic sources, generating ideas, developing methodology, and preparing research texts.

During the meeting, participants were introduced to a range of contemporary digital tools that significantly facilitate the work of young researchers. These included NotebookLM as a tool for text analysis and material preparation, SciSpace as a platform for understanding scientific articles and developing literature reviews, scite_ as a tool for evaluating the quality of sources through citation context, and Research Sage, which enables the generation of hypotheses, data analysis, and the creation of draft research texts. These tools were presented as a practical and accessible set of resources for those taking their first steps in research.

Special attention was given to ethical issues related to the use of artificial intelligence. The discussion covered principles for formulating effective prompts, strategies for avoiding common generation errors, requirements for proper academic citation of AI-assisted materials, and the reasons why artificial intelligence cannot be considered the author of scholarly work. Professor Alipova emphasized the importance of combining digital tools with critical thinking and maintaining academic integrity. The Academic Talk provided a valuable opportunity for master’s students and faculty members of the Department of Primary Education to deepen their understanding of contemporary research methods, become acquainted with international practices, and strengthen their skills in working with generative AI.