The Choice Framework
AI as a Thinking Partner
- We choose when, how, and why to engage with it
- AI enhances our capacity while we define our capabilities
- Quality scholarship has many paths. AI opens new possibilities while traditional approaches remain valuable
- Our value as researchers grows from our judgment, creativity, and insight
Embracing Your Own Pace
- Success metrics vary. We each find what works for our research and goals
- Different approaches work for different people and different projects
- Innovation often comes from unconventional approaches and following our curiosity
- Our unique perspectives often matter more than speed or efficiency
Multiple Paths to Publication
- Many researchers succeed with varying levels of AI integration
- Quality over quantity remains the academic gold standard
- Authentic voice creates compelling, memorable scholarship
- Traditional and AI-enhanced methods each offer valuable approaches
Building Research Intuition
The most valuable thing we develop as scholars isn’t technical skill. It’s intuition about:What Questions Matter
- Which research questions are worth pursuing and which are just interesting
- What gaps in literature represent genuine opportunities
- How our work can make a meaningful contribution
- When we’ve found something genuinely new or meaningfully different
What Patterns Signify
- Which trends in our fields carry substance and which pass quickly
- What methodological approaches fit different questions well
- How different theories relate to and build on each other
- Where our fields are heading and where we might contribute
What Quality Looks Like
- What makes arguments and evidence compelling
- How rigorous methodology and analysis appear
- When thinking and expression achieve clarity
- Which contributions advance knowledge meaningfully
Our Agency as Scholars
As scholars, we’re developing the expertise to:Judge AI-Generated Content
- Evaluate whether AI analysis captures what’s really important
- Identify when AI misses crucial nuances or context
- Recognize AI hallucinations and factual errors
- Assess the quality and relevance of AI suggestions
Provide Human Context
- Interpret findings within our fields’ specific discourses
- Connect insights to broader theoretical frameworks
- Translate complex ideas for different audiences
- Bridge between AI capabilities and human needs
Make Strategic Decisions
- Choose which tasks benefit from AI assistance
- Decide when human thinking adds the most value
- Balance efficiency with deep understanding
- Maintain ownership of our intellectual work
Practical Implications
- When AI Helps
- Human Essential
- When to Step Back
AI can amplify our capacity in specific, bounded tasks:
- Processing large volumes of text for initial screening
- Generating multiple versions of the same argument
- Checking grammar and clarity in writing
- Brainstorming different approaches to a problem
Building Our Research Practice
Questions to Guide Our Choices
- Does this AI use align with our values and goals?
- Are we learning and growing, or just producing output?
- Can we comfortably explain this process to supervisors and colleagues?
- Does this approach serve our long-term development as scholars?
Building Our Own Guidelines
- Experiment thoughtfully. Try different approaches and see what works
- Reflect regularly. Notice what’s working and what isn’t
- Seek feedback. Learn how mentors and peers view these choices
- Adjust continuously. Our needs evolve as we grow
The Bigger Picture
AI amplifies our capacity while we maintain our agency. Success as scholars grows from our ability to think clearly, judge wisely, and contribute meaningfully to human knowledge. The tools, processes, and paradigms may change, but the fundamental work of scholarship remains profoundly human: asking important questions, seeking truthful answers, and sharing insights that matter.Next Steps
- 🚀 Ready to start experimenting? → Go to the Quick Start Checklist.
- ⚠️ Want to understand publication implications? → Read about Publishing Realities.
- 🤔 Still exploring the big picture? → Read Why AI in Research?.
- 🏠 Return to main page → Go to the Introduction.
Remember: AI becomes most effective when we know when and how to engage with it wisely.