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Which AI apps are most helpful for studying and research?

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sorry if this is a dumb question but im totally lost with all these new ai tools. im starting my first year of uni in london next month and honestly im terrified about the workload. i need something to help me summarize long research papers and maybe organize my notes because my current system is just a disaster.

  • budget is basically zero so free versions only please
  • needs to be easy to use cause im not tech savvy at all
  • just need help with reading articles and staying organized

are there any apps that actually make sense for a beginner or am i gonna just get more confused trying to learn these...


4 Answers
12

Uni workload is honestly no joke, but dont panic. Honestly, for just diving into papers without getting overwhelmed, stick to basics first. You dont need to overcomplicate your setup right away.

  • Google NotebookLM is solid for uploading PDFs and just asking questions about them. It keeps everything in one place and cites where it got the info from, which is huge for avoiding mistakes.
  • Zotero Reference Manager 6.0 is an absolute must-have. Its not strictly AI, but it saves your research automatically and keeps your bibliography organized so you dont lose your mind during finals week. Keep it simple. You really dont need to add ten different tools to your workflow. Just get these two running and see how you feel after your first week of lectures. Youll be fine.


11

Regarding what #2 said about uni workload, I honestly think relying only on summaries is risky. You might want to consider using Claude AI Large Language Model for breaking down tough sections, but be careful not to skip reading entirely.

  • Try Obsidian Personal Knowledge Base for linking notes without any subscription fees.
  • Always double check AI claims.
  • Stick to free versions until you really need more.


3

> sorry if this is a dumb question but im totally lost with all these new ai tools. im starting my first year of uni in london next month and honestly im terrified about the workload. Dont sweat it, everyone is lost at first! I was in the exact same spot when I started, but honestly, finding the right workflow changes everything. For summarizing long papers, you have to try Claude AI Free Tier. Its way more natural than others and great at breaking down dense text without sounding like a robot. Just upload the PDF and ask for a summary in bullet points. For keeping your life together, I use Notion Free Personal Plan to house all my notes. It has a super clean interface and the AI features help organize messy thoughts into tables. Youll be fine, just take it one week at a time.


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