AI for Academic Research and Writing: Guidelines and Practice

Lecture Time：2025.5.30 14：00

Lecture Venue：VooV Meeting 720144002

Lecture Content Abstract：

As AI tools become increasingly integrated into academic research and writing, more students are turning to them for help with drafting papers, conducting literature reviews, and improving language. While these tools offer convenience, they also raise concerns around improper use, including over-reliance, lack of disclosure, and potential plagiarism or citation misuse. AI can support idea generation and language refinement, but it cannot replace original thinking and academic judgement. This lecture explores how to use AI tools responsibly and ethically in research and writing, drawing on real-world examples to examine appropriate boundaries, common pitfalls, proper attribution, and the evolving policies of universities and journals worldwide. The aim is to help students develop a clear understanding of ethical norms and best practices, ensuring AI serves as a productive aid without compromising academic integrity.

Speaker Profile

Dr. Niu Haifeng is a Lecturer at the School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, and holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge. As a member of the Cambridge Interdisciplinary Spatial Analysis Lab, his research focuses on land-use perception and dynamic simulation, spatial governance and policy evaluation, and spatial data science and geocomputation.

He previously served as a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy and contributed to advanced spatial analysis at the Cambridge Data Science Centre. Dr. Niu has led or participated in research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, EU Horizon 2020, and the UK Centre for Digital Built Britain, among others.

His work has been published in SSCI-indexed journals such as Cities, Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, and Progress in Planning. He has co-authored international publications and serves on the editorial board of Nature-Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.