How Should I Approach My AI Research Project Without Prior Experience? ?
Hi everyone! I’m working on a research project to explore how people perceive AI—its impact on daily life, its benefits and drawbacks, and what they expect from future AI advancements. My goal is to understand AI from multiple perspectives, including general users and industry professionals.
To do this, I plan to:
🔹 Conduct surveys to gather public opinions on AI usage, concerns, and expectations.
🔹Interview AI professionals (researchers, developers, or industry experts) to get expert insights on current trends and future developments.
🔹 Analyze the collected data to identify patterns, key concerns, and possible solutions to AI-related challenges.
However, I have no prior research experience, so I’d love advice on:
✅ How to design and distribute an effective survey
✅ Best ways to reach and connect with AI professionals
✅ Methods for analyzing and presenting my findings clearly
✅ Any useful resources or tools for beginner researchers
If you have experience in research or AI-related projects, I’d greatly appreciate your guidance. Thanks in advance! 😊
#AIResearch #CareerAdvice #ResearchHelp #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #Spring25
4 answers
Teklemuz’s Answer
To get started with refining your research question, you first need to clarify the focus of your research. Are you interested in how AI is impacting specific industries, such as healthcare, education, or finance? Or perhaps you’re more focused on the public's perception of AI, such as concerns, awareness, or trust? You might also want to explore how AI is applied in daily life, or perhaps delve into ethical issues surrounding AI.
Once you’ve decided on your focus, try breaking it down into more specific questions. For example, if you're focusing on AI in everyday life, you could ask a closed-ended question like, Do you use AI-powered devices (e.g., voice assistants, smart home systems)? Yes/No. You could also ask an open-ended question like, How do you feel about the role of AI in improving convenience in your daily activities?
If you’re focusing on concerns people have about AI, a closed-ended question could be, Are you concerned about AI replacing human jobs? Yes/No. An open-ended question might be, What are your primary concerns about the widespread use of AI in society?
If you're looking into AI’s impact on industries, a closed-ended question could be, Has AI made a noticeable impact in the healthcare sector? Yes/No. A possible open-ended question might be, How do you see AI transforming the healthcare industry in the next 5 years?
Consider the kind of data you want to collect when designing your survey. Do you want to explore personal experiences, which would be more qualitative, or are you interested in gathering statistical data, which would lean toward quantitative? Using 1-5 scale for agreement/disagreement questions is an effective way to measure attitudes. You could use platforms like Google Forms to create and distribute your survey. Before distributing your survey widely, it's a good idea to test it with a small group to ensure your questions are clear and that you're getting the kind of responses you expect. Once you're ready, you can post the survey on social media to get a more diverse set of responses.
When reaching out to AI professionals, consider using platforms like LinkedIn or ResearchGate. Be sure to clearly and politely explain your project. For data analysis, you can use Excel or Google Sheets for basic statistics, while tools like NVivo are helpful for organizing qualitative responses. To visualize your findings, consider using Google Data Studio or Tableau. Structure your report with sections such as Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.
To get started with your research, books such as The Craft of Research and Research Methods in Psychology can be invaluable resources. Moreover, you can take online courses on Coursera or edX to build your research skills. Google Scholar is a great tool for finding academic papers, while JSTOR provides more in-depth access to articles if you have access to it.
For gathering data, Google Forms and SurveyMonkey are user-friendly options for surveys. When analyzing your data, Excel or Google Sheets are great for basic tasks, while the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is widely used for more advanced statistical analysis. If you are working with qualitative data, tools like NVivo can help you organize and analyze it. To improve your writing, Grammarly is excellent for spotting grammar mistakes, and Hemingway Editor helps make your writing clearer and more concise. Stay organized with tools like Trello or Notion to track your progress, and manage your citations with Zotero. If you’re focusing on AI research, arXiv is an open-access repository where researchers share preprints of their work across fields like physics, computer science, and mathematics. This platform accelerates the dissemination of knowledge and fosters collaboration, making it an excellent resource for finding the latest research papers.
I hope you will find this information helpful. Best of luck with your research!
Christoph’s Answer
AI is an open field still for many professionals, so don't be discouraged by not knowing much about it, yet. We all need to constantly learn, and the most curious will be ahead of the others.
Kate’s Answer
Keep questions clear, concise, and unbiased—mix multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions. Then distribute your survey through social media (LinkedIn, Reddit AI communities), AI-focused forums, and university groups to reach diverse participants.
Join AI-related groups on Linkedin, follow researchers, and send polite, well-researched connection requests. Or attend AI conferences, webinars, or local meetups to network in real-time. You can use platforms like Twitter to engage with AI professionals through discussions and direct messages.
Ha’s Answer
- Be clear about what you want to achieve with your survey. Identify your target audience and the information you need.
- Choose the Right Question Types: Use a mix of multiple-choice, Likert scale, open-ended, yes/no, and ranking questions to keep respondents engaged and collect precise data.
- Keep it Short and Simple: Long surveys can reduce response rates. Aim for brevity and clarity by using simple language and avoiding leading or biased questions.
- Ensure Logical Flow: Structure your survey in a way that makes sense. Start with easy questions, place sensitive or complex questions in the middle, and end with demographic or optional questions.
- Test Your Survey: Conduct a pilot test with a small group to identify unclear questions and technical issues.
Good luck with your research project!