QASSIM UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDENTS' USE OF GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: A FIELD STUDY

Abstract

Intelligencee tools are witnessing artificial Generative tremendously evolution in various aspects of our lives, which has brought about unprecedented fundamental changes in all educational fields, especially the field of scientific research, and based on that, the current research aimed to reveal the most important fields of scientific research in which students of Qassim University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia use generative artificial intelligence tools , and the rates of their use according to each field, and determine the extent of their awareness of the positives and negatives of their use of them from their point of view , and clarify the most important requirements in light of which Qassim University students can use these tools in scientific research effectively and responsibly from the experts' point of view. To achieve this, the research relied on the descriptive survey approach through a questionnaire applied to a sample of graduate students in the dissertation stage at Qassim University; To reveal the extent to which they use generative AI tools in scientific research, particularly in the most important areas, and their awareness of the pros and cons of their use, the research relied on a prospective approach using the Delphi method. Delphi questionnaires were administered in three rounds to a sample of educational technology experts with scientific output in generative AI. In the third round, the sample numbered 12 experts. The study concluded that the degree of use of generative AI tools by graduate students in scientific research is weak , and that their awareness of the pros and cons of their use of these tools is average. The results of the Delphi rounds revealed a number of requirements that experts considered necessary to achieve the effective and responsible use of generative AI tools by graduate students at Qassim University in scientific research. These requirements were divided into requirements related to graduate studies management, requirements related to faculty members, and requirements related to students. In light of these results, the researchers presented a set of recommendations that, if activated, would achieve the effective and responsible use of generative AI tools by graduate students at Qassim University in scientific research.