3 AI Tools To Find/Refine Research Topic in 2025 (FREE Option Included)

In the fast-evolving landscape of academic research, the first—and often most difficult—step is choosing the right research topic. This one decision can define the direction of your entire study. Whether you are a graduate student, a PhD scholar, or a new researcher, you’ve likely faced the confusion of selecting a topic that’s original, feasible, and academically significant.

In 2025, artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic tool—it's a present-day necessity. A range of powerful AI-driven platforms now offer support to help researchers formulate, refine, and validate their research topics based on existing literature, emerging trends, and publication gaps.

But which tools truly stand out? And more importantly, which ones are free or accessible for students on a budget?

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore three top-tier AI tools that can help you find or refine your research topic, including one completely free option. You’ll learn how to use each tool step-by-step, what makes them effective, and how to use them strategically for academic success.

Let’s begin.

Watch Video on YouTube:

Why Choosing the Right Research Topic Is So Hard

• The paradox of choice in modern academia

• Information overload vs originality

• How outdated manual methods slow you down

• Supervisor limitations and vague topic suggestions

• Why a “good topic” must be feasible, fresh, and fit the literature gap

Role of AI in Academic Research (2025 and Beyond)

• AI is not replacing researchers, it’s upgrading them

• Role of LLMs (like ChatGPT) in academia

• How AI is being used at top universities and journals

• The shift from general tools to domain-specific AI tools

• Importance of using ethical and accurate AI systems

Tool 1 – Aveksana AI

What is Aveksana AI?

Aveksana is a dedicated academic AI assistant focused on research development. It helps scholars:

• Select & refine topics

• Explore research gaps

• Draft proposals

• Structure chapters like Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, etc.

How to Use Aveksana for Topic Refinement

Step 1: Log in via Google and choose your field and degree

Step 2: Select “Formulate Topic”

Step 3: Input your supervisor’s suggestion or your idea

Step 4: Let Aveksana evaluate the relevance, research gap, and literature availability 

Step 5: Review suggested topics ranked by potential and originality

Unique Features

• Gives % of existing literature coverage

• Offers 4–5 alternate refined topics

• Helps define why your topic matters

• Free version available with limited credits

Case Study:

You typed in “Application of imidazole-based ionic liquids in medicine.” → Aveksana found it had only 6.9% coverage → Recommends a related topic with higher research dept,h like “Psychological effects of ionic liquids on medicine adherence.”

Tool 2 – Scispace (Formerly Typeset)

What is Scispace?

An academic writing and publishing platform with powerful Deep Review search tools to:

• Refine your topic

• Analyze subfields

• Discover gaps through paper mapping

• Extract seed papers with citations

Access to Scispace: 

Discount code: Drrizwana20

How to Use Scispace

Step 1: Search your topic in Deep Review

Step 2: Scispace asks for clarification (e.g., “Are you interested in the economic or chemical aspects?”)

Step 3: Based on your response, Scispace suggests narrower versions of your topic

Step 4: It pulls highly cited papers and recent research

Case Study:

Typed in “Ionic liquids in medicine and green energy” → Scispace asked if you’re focused on mechanisms, outcomes, or economic implications → You selected “mechanisms” → Refined topic: “Mechanistic role of ionic liquids in targeted drug delivery systems”

Tool 3 – ChatGPT (FREE Tool)

Why ChatGPT?

ChatGPT now includes Research Mode and “Run Deep Research” prompts—perfect for:

• Topic brainstorming

• Literature summary

• Keyword clarification

• Draft refinement

How to Use ChatGPT to Refine a Topic

Prompt Example:

Refine the research topic ‘Ionic liquids in drug design’ into 5 specific study titles with a strong research gap focus. Include recent advancements and academic feasibility.”

Free Use Strategy

• Use GPT-4 (with free GPT-3.5 also working for most tasks)

• Combine with Google Scholar links

• Generate topic suggestions and an outline in minutes

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using tools without feeding accurate keywords

• Relying only on ChatGPT without fact-checking

• Choosing topics with zero existing literature

• Ignoring feasibility based on time/resources

Evaluating a Good Research Topic

A strong topic must be:

• Relevant to your field

• Feasible within your timeline

• Addressing an under-explored area

• Backed by existing literature

• Original and not overdone

Turn Your AI Topic into a Winning Proposal

• Use Aveksana to build the entire proposal step by step

• Pull seed papers using Scispace

• Get ChatGPT to summarize those papers

• Use structured prompts to draft the Introduction and Methodology sections

CONCLUSION

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way research begins. From idea formulation to full project outlines, AI tools in 2025 are making the journey smoother, smarter, and significantly faster. The key is knowing which tool to use for what purpose. Aveksana, Scispace, and ChatGPT are three reliable allies in your academic journey.

Start by choosing a topic that matters—then let AI help you refine and define it to perfection.

If you're serious about modern academic research, explore more AI-powered research tutorials at ScientificPakistan, where innovation meets education. Keep learning, keep exploring.