Adira Research

Webinar Excerpt Series | Part 2 🌱

While AI can be a powerful tool in research, it also raises important ethical risks that researchers need to be aware of.

In this excerpt, I highlight some of the main ethical concerns associated with AI use in academic work, some of which have long existed but have become more pronounced in recent times due to the rise of AI tools.

Adira Research

Webinar Excerpt Series | Part 1 🌱

In this excerpt from our recent webinar on Ethical AI use in Research, I share a few important Do’s and Don’ts researchers should keep in mind when using AI in academic work.

The goal is not to avoid AI entirely, but to use it responsibly and in ways that genuinely support the research process.

Have you been using AI responsibly?

Can a researcher in 2026 actually be 100% AI-free? I have never used AI in my research is a bold claim to make in 2026.

And yet there are scholars who can still beat their chest about avoiding AI use in today's research landscape (yes, they exist🙂).

But unless you are writing with a quill and delivering your manuscripts by hand, the reality is much more complicated.

Because even if you have never directly used AI yourself, consider this:

If you have:

1. Used search engines that rank and surface relevant papers
2. Read and cited AI assisted papers or AI generated papers (these exist as well)
3. Processed feedback from a peer reviewer who used AI to critique your work
4. Used tools like word processor or reference managers which also quietly integrate AI

among many other scenarios...

Then AI has already touched your workflow whether you acknowledge it or not.

So it brings us back to whether this is really about the tools or a deeper concern of losing the human touch in research?

At our upcoming webinar, “The Ethical Use of AI in Research: Fact or Fiction”, we are moving beyond the “AI vs Human” debate.

Some highlights of our discussion will include:
1. The invisible AI already embedded in research workflows
2. What meaningful disclosure of AI use could look like
3. Where the line should be drawn to protect originality etc.

The future of research may not be AI-free but it must still must not compromise on integrity.

Join us on Saturday, 9th May, 2026 at 10 am GMT!

Find link to registration in the comments👇🏾:

Can a researcher in 2026 actually be 100% AI-free? I have never used AI in my research is a bold claim to make in 2026. And yet there are scholars who can still beat their chest about avoiding AI… | Amma Konadu Adjei Can a researcher in 2026 actually be 100% AI-free? I have never used AI in my research is a bold claim to make in 2026. And yet there are scholars who can still beat their chest about avoiding AI use in today's research landscape (yes, they exist🙂). But unless you are writing with a quill and del...

Is this you?

Welcome, and take a seat!

You have been excited by the speed, the efficiency and the possibilities…

but you are also unsettled by how quickly the process of “doing research” is being redefined.

Because let’s be honest:

AI is making research faster than ever before,
but it’s also changing what we consider originality, and even authorship.

So what exactly is happening?

Are we witnessing:
– The evolution of research?
– the erosion of human intellectuality?

Or both?

Adira Research invites you to unpack this tension with our upcoming webinar:

“The Ethical Use of AI in Research: Fact or Fiction”

📅 Saturday, May 9, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM GMT
🔗 Register here: https://forms.gle/MgvBQYvwnXpfS1qw5

A live discussion where we don’t rush to conclusions, because maybe there aren’t any simple ones left.

Where do you stand in this paradox?

The cat's out of the bag 🥳🥳

Save the date for our very first webinar on Saturday, 9th May, 2026.

Fact or Fiction? Let’s talk about Ethical AI🤖
The research world is changing fast. Join us as we explore the ethical implications of using AI in our field.

🗓 Saturday, May 9, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM GMT
🔗 Register now: https://forms.gle/MgvBQYvwnXpfS1qw5

Many research challenges don’t come from writing!

Here are some practical and non-writing steps that helps you stay confident and prepared. These tips are especially useful for early-stage researchers just starting their projects.

Check out the full post below👇

If you are early in your research journey and trying to build a strong foundation, feel free to reach out to Adira Research for support!

✍🏿 If you are starting your research project this year, avoiding these 3 mistakes could save you weeks of stress:

1️⃣ FORCING YOUR STUDY INTO A “RESEARCH GAP”
One common mistake is deciding on a topic or problem first, then searching the literature to "prove" it. This often leads to cherry-picking sources and ignoring findings that contradict or already answer your research questions.

While it’s okay to have an area of interest, strong research starts by engaging the literature openly to understand what has already been done and identify what is still underexplored, otherwise your work becomes redundant.

Let the literature guide your research question, not the other way around.

2️⃣ NOT HAVING A RESEARCH DESIGN

This is one of the most important lessons I learned during my MPhil: planning is everything!
You do not need to have it all figured out at the start, but having a research design keeps you several steps ahead.

It is much easier to refine a well thought-out research design than to restart a project that lacked structure from the beginning.

3️⃣ SKIPPING PILOT TESTING FOR DATA COLLECTION

Always test your data collection method and tool(s) before going all in. Pilot testing gives you an early look at the type and quality of data you are likely to collect. It helps you check whether responses align with your objectives, and your planned analysis methods actually fit the data.
A small pilot can save you from collecting large amounts of unusable or misaligned data.

If you are early in your research journey and trying to set a strong foundation, feel free to reach out Adira Research for support!

WhatsApp: https://wa.me/233506910664
Call: 0506910664
Pricing: www.ratecard.ly/adiraresearch