Data Sources for Research Assistant FAQ
1 min read
Please note: this feature is exclusive to ReadCube Enterprise.
The Research Assistant searches across multiple trusted sources to generate a response, and cites everything it uses so you can verify the information and explore it further. This article covers what it searches, how citations work, and how to bring what you find back into your library.
Where does it search?
The Research Assistant searches across your ReadCube library, scientific databases, and patent repositories. All sources used are cited in the response so you can verify and dig deeper.
What scientific databases are searched?
The Research Assistant searches a broad range of sources indexed as part of the Dimensions database, including:
- Journal articles
- Preprints
- Patents
- Books and book chapters
This includes data from PubMed, PubMed Central, arXiv, Crossref, and direct feeds from over 160 publishers.
Does it include patent literature?
Yes. The Research Assistant searches patent data via the Dimensions database, giving you access to a wide range of intellectual property information alongside traditional scientific literature, for a more comprehensive view of the research landscape.
Can I limit the search to a specific library or list?
Yes. You can direct the Research Assistant to look at a specific library or list rather than searching everything.
Does it need the full PDF to analyze an article?
No. The Research Assistant will analyze full-text content when it’s available, but it can also generate responses based on titles and abstracts alone. You don’t need the PDF saved in your library for the AI to consider an article. It will use whatever metadata is accessible to provide the most relevant insights.
Will it search my library and research databases at the same time?
Yes. Depending on your prompt, the Research Assistant decides which searches are best to run, and it can run them simultaneously.
How does citing work?
The Research Assistant lists sources at the end of its response and often embeds them within the answer text itself. To dive deeper into a cited article, click the source link to open the PDF. From there you can use Chat with PDF to interrogate the article directly.
Can I add a cited source to my library?
Yes. Click on the reference and use the standard Add to Library option, just as you would with any other content.
What if an article isn’t in my library?
The Research Assistant helps you find the most relevant articles through its integrated search across the Dimensions database, with a direct route to download (where available) or purchase the article from the publisher, or via ReadCube Document Delivery (https://www.readcube.com/en/document-delivery/).
