How To Conduct More Effective Document Analysis With Gen AI

You’re A Few Steps Away From A Much More Effective Analysis

It’s one thing to ask generative AI to ‘summarise and analyse’ a document, it’s another to conduct a thorough investigation into the value within the document.

This could be applicable to research papers, reports, presentations, internal docs or other documentation types.

This article has 9 effective steps and prompts you can use to transform the way you extract value from the documents most important to your work.

Contextual Understanding

This involves grasping the overall context in which the document was created, including its situational background.

Understanding the context enhances comprehension of the document’s relevancy and meaning, providing insights into the motivations and circumstances that shaped the content.

Prompt Suggestions

• “Provide a summary that contextualizes the key findings within the broader field of study or industry”
• “What are the key takeaways from the document?”
• “Summarize the key points of this document within the broader context of the topics raised”

Argument Structure Analysis

This involves dissecting the document’s argument by examining its claims, evidence, and reasoning.

Analyzing the argument structure helps in evaluating the strength and validity of the document’s assertions, ensuring a critical and informed perspective.

Prompts

• “What are the main arguments put forward, and what evidence supports them?”
• “Identify any counterarguments presented and the evidence against them.”

Critical Evaluation

Critically assessing the document’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall quality. This is vital for determining its credibility and usefulness.

Prompts

• “What are the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments presented?”
• “Evaluate the overall quality and coherence of the document.”
• “Identify any inconsistencies or contradictions within the document.”
• “What areas could have been improved in this document?”

Evidence Evaluation

This involves assessing the quality and reliability of the evidence presented in the document.

Prompts

• “Evaluate the quality and reliability of the evidence used.”
• “How do the authors justify their conclusions based on the evidence?”
• “Are there any logical fallacies or biases in the arguments?”

Bias Detection

Detecting bias is essential for understanding the document’s objectivity and for critically assessing the information presented. It ensures a balanced view.

Prompts

• “What biases can be detected in the document?”
• “How does the document address opposing viewpoints?”
• “What perspectives are underrepresented or ignored?”

Comparative Analysis

Comparative analysis provides a broader perspective and helps in identifying unique contributions or common patterns across documents, enriching the overall analysis.

Prompts

• “How do the arguments in this document align or conflict with those in other works?”
• “Analyze the methodologies used in this document versus others.”
• “What unique perspectives does this document offer compared to others?”

Interdisciplinary Connections

Drawing interdisciplinary connections broadens the scope of analysis and reveals how the document’s ideas intersect with various fields of study, fostering a more holistic understanding.

Prompts

• “Identify any interdisciplinary connections made in the document and explain their significance.”
• “How can best practices from other fields or disciplines be applied to the analysis of this document?”

Gaps and Limitations

Recognizing gaps and limitations is important for a critical evaluation of the document, informing future research and highlighting areas that require further exploration.

Prompts

• “What questions remain unanswered after reading the document?”
• “How could the scope of the document be expanded?”
• “What additional data or research would strengthen the document’s arguments?”

Implications and Applications

Understanding the implications and applications helps in assessing the document’s relevance and impact on real-world issues and decision-making processes.

Prompts

• “What are the potential implications of the findings in this document?”
• “How can the concepts in this document be applied in real-world scenarios?”
• “Run multiple simulations from the results of this document including the following circumstances….”

Summary

The current status of generative AI is the value you receive corresponds to the value you put in. Ask the right questions to get better responses.

From The Author

Animus AI is a specially trained AI platform designed for health professionals and organisations. Our document analysis consistently beats ChatGPT and other generalist platforms in accuracy and practicality tests.

You can find more information at animus-health.com