Artificial intelligence (AI) can support postgraduate research, but it should strengthen human thinking rather than replace it. This principle is at the heart of a new book by the North-West University (NWU) academic Prof. Kudzayi Savious Tarisayi.
Prof. Tarisayi from the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at the Potchefstroom Campus, is the author of Artificial Intelligence in Postgraduate Research Methodology: Transforming Researchers for the AI Age.
The book provides postgraduate students with a framework for using AI tools responsibly during the research process. It was inspired by Prof. Tarisayi's experiences while facilitating AI literacy workshops over the past three years.
The workshops were attended by postgraduate students, academics, teachers and university administrators. During these sessions, he noticed growing concern among postgraduate students about the role of AI in academic research.
“I noted the anxiety, especially among postgraduate students, that came with embracing AI in the research space,” says Prof. Tarisayi.
He also identified a gap in guidance on how AI could be integrated into research without weakening academic standards.
“The book was written to bridge that gap by providing a framework,” he says.
At the centre of the book is the augmented inquiry literacy framework. It draws on Douglas Engelbert's 1962 work on augmenting human intellect. The approach views technology as a tool for extending human capability rather than replacing it.
Prof. Tarisayi says this changes the question researchers should ask about AI.
“The central question should not simply be, ‘What can AI do?’, but rather, ‘How can AI augment human intellectual work while keeping humans at the centre of research?’”
The framework is built around three dimensions: augmentation competence, critical inquiry and ethical stewardship.
Augmentation competence focuses on how researchers can work effectively with AI. Critical inquiry stresses the need to maintain scholarly rigour and use critical thinking. Ethical stewardship deals with the moral and professional responsibilities linked to the use of AI.
According to Prof. Tarisayi, AI has the potential to change postgraduate research when it is used ethically. However, researchers must remain responsible for their work and decisions.
“Postgraduate students should always remember that AI is like a Swiss Army knife. While it can bring a lot of positives in the research cycle, it can also damage their reputation if used unethically.”
The book will also be supported by a companion website. It will provide updates on AI tools and policies as the technology and rules surrounding its use continue to change.
Prof. Kudzayi Savious Tarisayi's new book provides postgraduate researchers with a framework for using artificial intelligence while keeping critical thinking, research ethics and human judgement at the centre of the research process.
