Scientific Research - Infos and Tips

The guidelines for citation and structure of your work (BA/MA thesis) are specific to your study program and are provided by the program (Teams/moodle/etc.)

The library has many different books regarding scientific writing style and much more. Ask us or check out the library search engine!

How to use the library services effectively.

An overview of our licenced databases.

Use the Inter Library Loan (for books) and document delivery (for articles) if you need media that is not available at FH Upper Austria libraries.
Start here: Search engine of the Austrian library network
More search engines: KVK Catalog a world-wide library catalog, WorldCat (Focus on US libraries)

Use the library research classes to learn more. Ask for individual dates/small group dates any time!

AI tools can support literature research in the library search engine (PRIMO (Katalog Plus)) as well as the databases and offer helpful and enriching possibilities in the course of research.
This is not a complete list, but only a small selection of helpful tools. 

Always keep in mind that these AI tools are merely aids: independent verification of facts and adherence to academic standards remain essential.

AI models consume considerable amounts of energy and resources, as their training and operation are based on large amounts of data, which leads to environmental pollution. Therefore, a conscious and targeted use of such tools is important to minimize their impact. 

(List in alphabetical order.)

ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an AI-powered language model (Large Language Model, LLM). The AI can follow context across longer conversations and respond precisely to questions.
Examples:
-Formulating precise search queries for databases
-Suggestions for possible keywords and synonyms
-Summarizing texts
-Translating texts
-Analyzing data and tables (“Code Interpreter” / Advanced Data Analysis)
-Creating charts and visualizations
-Understanding both images and text (multimodality)
-Retrieving up-to-date information via web browsing

Connected Papers
Connected Papers visualizes the relationships between scientific articles and helps identify related work and foundational literature. The intuitive network map shows how papers in a research field are connected.
Examples:
-Identifying “must-read” articles in a new subject area
-Discovering trends or research gaps in a field
-Linking basic and applied studies
-Exporting network data for further analysis
-Integration with reference management software

Elicit
Elicit is an AI-powered tool that answers research questions by collecting and analyzing relevant papers from a wide range of scientific databases. It is useful for sorting literature based on specific criteria such as methodology or types of results.
Examples:
-Finding studies conducted with specific research designs
-Comparing results of similar studies
-Creating a list of relevant sources based on a research question
-Extracting study details such as sample size, methodology, or effect sizes
-Tabular presentation of study results

Gemini (Google AI)
Gemini is a multimodal AI model family from Google that was designed from the ground up to process various types of information such as text, code, images, and video. 
It is capable of understanding, structuring, synthesizing, and answering complex tasks, often accessing the current knowledge of the internet in real time.
Examples:
- Research and synthesis: Summarizing online articles, research papers, and videos (via YouTube) on a specific topic.
- Multimodal analysis: Understanding and answering questions about uploaded images (e.g., explaining an illustration from a textbook or a graph).
- Creation of learning materials: Generating mind maps, tables, or quiz questions based on texts or concepts.
- Real-time data access: Answering questions using current information from Google Search to provide timely or highly specific facts.
- Code explanation and generation: Assistance with programming tasks by explaining complex code sections or generating code snippets (e.g., for data analysis).
- Structured feedback: Generation of outlines, argumentation structures, or brainstorming ideas for scientific papers.

NotebookLM
NotebookLM is an AI-powered research tool from Google. It functions as your personal research partner: you upload your own sources (PDFs, Docs, notes), and the AI generates answers, summaries, outlines, or new ideas based solely on these documents. According to the homepage, the uploaded documents are not used to train the general AI model.
Examples:
- Summarizing course materials: Creating an overall summary of lecture slides and notes for exam preparation.
- Audio summaries: Using the “Audio Overview” feature to convert documents into podcast-like discussions or short summaries.
- Generating self-test questions: Automatically generate questions and answers based on uploaded teaching texts.
- Connecting concepts: Highlight thematic overlaps and connections between different research papers.
- Outline creation: Generate an initial outline for a paper with automatic references to the relevant sources.
- Targeted research (“Ask Your Document”): Ask specific questions and receive precise, source-based answers with direct quotes from your documents.
- Explanation of complex passages: Have difficult sections of text explained in simpler language or rephrased for presentations.

Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search engine that provides precise answers to questions by combining information from different sources and citing references directly. It is particularly useful for quickly obtaining well-founded information and verifiable sources for further research.
Examples:
-Quick overview of a new topic
-Identification of relevant studies or articles
-Definitions and explanations of technical terms
-Further research through references
-Option to search only scientific / peer-reviewed sources
-Source citations with confidence assessment

Research Rabbit
Research Rabbit enables the identification of publications based on one or more scientific articles. The tool is well suited for exploratory, in-depth literature research. It allows users to create an interactive research tree to visualize relationships between authors or articles.
Examples:
-Searching for scientific articles to supplement a (systematic) search
-Organizing and tracking relevant publications
-Following new publications related to authors, institutions, or topics
-Interactive cluster visualizations by research themes

Semantic Scholar
Semantic Scholar is a search engine specifically developed for scientific articles and uses AI to identify relevant works based on citations and topics. It provides filtering options and an overview of frequently cited papers central to a subject.
Examples:
-Searching for articles in a specific research field
-Suggestions for related articles based on previous research
-Highlighting of key statements in abstracts
-Citation evaluation
-Links to full-texts where available
-Notifications for new relevant articles

IMPORTANT when using any (AI) tools:
- The tools are constantly being further developed, so changes to functions, operation or price, as well as terms of use, can occur at any time.

- Check whether the use of AI tools is permitted for your work or publication and how their use must be documented.
- Ensure that your entries in prompts comply with data protection regulations.
- Evaluate the quality of the articles found by AI tools.
- Check the accuracy of the content of AI-generated results, such as analyses or summaries.
- Make sure that the selected tool is suitable for your specific use case.
- If the AI tool does not link to the full text, check whether the FH Upper Austria has access and you are logged in with your data - e.g. via PRIMO (Katalog Plus), EZB or databases.

The FH Upper Austria has published a handout regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the area of teaching. Make sure to adhere to the information published there or any new information that may be released in the future. (Title of the handout, available on internal communication channels: "Handreichung zum Umgang mit KI-Systemen an der FH Oberösterreich im Bereich der Lehre")

(Status: 09.12.2025)

FH Compass: Lots of information about life, learning and orientation at the FH, in the “Learning” section there is a lot of helpful information, tips and podcasts on topics such as learning strategies, test anxiety, self-management, studying and work/family, and much more.  

“Let's talk about it!” Lectures/Talks for students: Every other month there is a new talk on a relevant topic for students: one hour, online via Teams, without registration, just click in and join in! After a short presentation by experts on the respective topic, there will be enough time for questions, answers and discussion. 

Study Success Center: Various support programs for exam preparation, time and self-management, writing club, learning techniques and much more (Many only in German language at the moment).

Citavi

Citavi is a literature reference management database that helps you stay organized and quickly cite your needed literature.

FH Upper Austria students can download the licensed program ("Citavi Web and Desktop")
Choose: "W" -> Wels -> Fachhochschule Oberösterreich and click: "Ich bin StudentIn" 
How to use Citavi: Citavi Manual
 

Transcription Feature in Microsoft Word
Information about this feature in MS word

Google Scholar Library Integration
Click on "Settings" at the top left and then on "Library Links". Enter "University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria" and select the library. When searching in Google Scholar, it will now show on the right side whether the FH OÖ Libraries have licensed online access. You will be redirected to PRIMO or directly to the full text. Log in with your credentials at the top right to gain access. Note: The print collection is not covered – a direct search in PRIMO is still recommended!

Unipark survey software

The FH Upper Austria has licensed the Unipark survey software. To create an account please follow the instructions:
Send an email with the following data to Daniela.Noemeyer@fh-ooe.at

First and Last Name
E-Mail address
Team name (The team name should be as meaningful as possible (i.e. not FH Steyr) and consist of 1-2 words or abbreviations. A name is required even if the "team" consists of only one person.)

SPSS Software
Students can obtain the SPSS software at reduced prices. There is currently no direct way to obtain SPSS licenses from the FH. However, we are working on a solution for this.

Turboscribe
AI Tool to transcribe audio and video files.

VHB-JOURNAL RATING
A ranking of journals relevant to business administration based on the judgements of VHB (Verband der Hochschullehrer für Betriebswirtschaft e.V.) members.

WU Journal Rating
A ranking of business journals of the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Scimago Journal Ranking

Scopus-CiteScore

The ÖH (Student Union) of the FH OÖ offers a plagiarism check for students. More information here.

You can find many scan software products online (partly free or for a fee).
Here are a few examples:

PlagScan 
Prepostseo 
Plagaware
Scribbr
 

Every study program has a guideline on the information that has to be put on the binding.

We recommend the following bookbinders. (Many also offer postage of the finished product.):

Bindewerk Eichenauer (Steyr)
Stigler Copyshop (Steyr)
Buchbinderei Strandl (Linz)
Buchbinderei Kölbl (Wels)
Salzkammergut Druck Mittermüller (Gmunden)

Caution Regarding Publication Offers for Theses

Graduates are repeatedly contacted by publishers offering to publish their bachelor’s or master’s thesis. Unfortunately, many of these are so-called “predatory publishers.”These publishers aim to collect publication fees without providing proper editorial services. 
This means:

Poor Peer Review: Unlike reputable publishers who conduct thorough reviews, predatory publishers often skip a proper peer-review process. The work is published without being evaluated by experts.

Aggressive Marketing: They send unsolicited emails to authors and push for rapid publication. Some, such as AV Akademikerverlag, SVH Verlag, Scholar's Press, or Lehrbuchverlag (all part of the OmniScriptum Publishing Group), as well as GRIN or Shaker Verlag, are known for systematically contacting graduates.

Hidden Costs: High fees are often charged after a manuscript is accepted, which are not clearly communicated upfront. Even when publication is offered “for free,” the works are often sold at high prices via print-on-demand, without the author receiving any share.

Low Visibility & Reputation: Publications with these publishers have little academic relevance and are rarely indexed in reputable databases. If you are pursuing an academic career, publishing with such publishers is not advisable, as they lack quality standards and academic reputation, and their works are seldom purchased by university libraries. Moreover, you may lose the rights to your work upon publication, which could prevent you from further using your own thesis.

Be cautious if you notice any of the following:
The email is very generic, contains spelling errors, or uses an impersonal greeting.
The publisher promises extremely fast and seemingly easy publication.
There is little to no information about the peer-review process.
The publisher’s name is unfamiliar or sounds similar to a well-known publisher.
The publisher's website looks unprofessional or provides little information about its leadership.
Publication fees are only mentioned unsolicited or very late in the process.

What should you do if you’re contacted?

Critically and carefully evaluate the publisher: Don’t accept every offer right away. Use resources like the “Think. Check. Submit.” campaign to assess the legitimacy.

Contact us: If you are unsure whether an offer is trustworthy, don’t hesitate to reach out to your campus library. We are happy to help you assess it!

Your thesis is the result of hard work. Don’t let dubious offers pressure you!