What is Scite, when should I use it?
Scite is an online AI tool which can also be used as a browser extension. Both the website and browser extension have a Smart Citations feature which produces an evaluation of research papers through categories: ‘number of publications citing this work’, ‘number of supporting citation statements’, ‘number of mentioning citation statements’, ‘number of contrasting citation statements’. Scite also has an ‘Assistant’ function which can be used like a search engine. It will typically bring back a couple of paragraphs outlining some information on the topic and include references from research papers. Scite primarily draws its information from databases, full text journal articles and metadata from the sciences. It also has access to some publishers such as Wiley and Cambridge University Press, as well as open access articles. Although Scite is predominantly focused on the sciences, it does include some humanities journals and publishers. The university has paid for a licence to use the website. If you have a University of Manchester email address you will be able to sign up and create an account using this email address.
How can I use the Smart Citations feature and what should I be aware of?
The Smart Citations feature shows how many other research papers Scite has access to which are either ‘Supporting’, ‘Contrasting’ or ‘Mentioning’ the selected paper. This can be helpful in giving an initial sense of how the selected paper might relate to the wider field of study, and other potential papers which might be of interest. However, the Smart Citations features should not be taken as the final word on the selected paper’s worth, or how you might like to make connections between papers. Like other Generative AI tools, Scite uses natural language processing to determine the three categories for the Smart Citations. This means that it may not always accurately capture meaning, especially if complex, and will replicate the biases of the data.
What should I consider when using the Smart Citations feature?
Although Scite has access to a large number of journal articles and research papers, it does not have access to everything. This means that the Smart Citations are not representative of the whole field. Therefore, it might be that a paper has few citations of any sort, but this does not automatically mean it should be discounted; it perhaps comes from a niche research field, or Scite does not have access to papers which do engage with it. Conversely, if a paper has a high scoring ‘Contrasting’ metric, it does not necessarily mean the ideas presented in the paper are flawed, it could be that the content is highly complex, or a new area of research which is currently being developed. Medical subjects and the sciences tend to have more ‘Contrasting’ citations because the nature of the discipline demands more sustained critique in producing new medical practices or scientific knowledge.
If I have used Scite Assistant to help with my searching, do I need to acknowledge this?
As noted in our AI tool and chatbot guidance it is essential that all ideas and work be your own. Extensive use of tools such as Scite may need acknowledgement. Although Scite and Scite Assistant may be helpful to generate ideas, it should not substitute your own research, the practice of searching, and the use of multiple databases to ensure breadth of research. The use of any tool, including Generative AI, to create work which is then passed off as your own is academic malpractice, just as it would be if you asked another person to write the section or assignment for you.
Can I use Scite Assistant to write my literature review?
In line with current university guidance on AI, using the Scite Assistant function of Scite would need to be referenced appropriately. Scite Assistant also uses natural language processing, so any use of the output would nevertheless still require you to engage with it critically, and not be used as a replacement for your own critical thinking and analysis.
Scite Assistant can run searches for you without having to use Boolean Operators (‘AND’, ‘OR’, ‘NOT’). While this is easier to use at point of contact, this does then mean that it is the AI which is deciding the search strings for you. These can be investigated individually by clicking on the links which appear once these searches have been run. The search can be modified by requiring it, through the ‘+’ icon, to specify which papers to search. However, you can use Boolean Operators in the ‘Advanced Search’ function.
What are the implications of using Scite for academic integrity and practice?
Part of the practice of academic research is learning to create your own connections between different sources, develop your analytical abilities and produce original research. While Scite can support the research process in offering suggestions as to potential search topics and research papers, research should not be entirely based upon artificial intelligence. Any research should be unique to the researcher and their methods of research: it should be their own work. One of the main limitations of Generative AI is that it reproduces biases from the information and data it is trained on. Therefore, any use of these tools needs to be used critically and not taken to be neutral information either in its content, or in its presentation, such as the classification system of the Smart Citations
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