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Mushtaq Bilal, PhD Profile picture
Mushtaq Bilal, PhD
@MushtaqBilalPhD
I write about how to use AI for academic purposes | Building https://t.co/uBj501HzJp
May 31 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Do NOT use Sci-Hub, the evil website that pirated 88M+ research papers.

It also integrates with Zotero.

We must make billion-dollar, for-profit, academic publishers richer.

Below is a step-by-step tutorial on how to add Sci-Hub to Zotero, so you know how to avoid it: The landing page of Sci-Hub. 1. Don't go to this link:

github(dot)com/syt2/zotero-scipdf

Don't scroll down and click on "latest release xpi file."

As a result, an "xpi" file will not be downloaded on your computer.
May 30 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
🚨Claude Code just gave me a complete research paper with a single prompt.

The paper has a strong argument and even beats AI-detection app, Pangram.

With a little editing, it can pass for 100% human, and can be easily submitted for peer review.

Here's the workflow I used: A research paper discusses Hans Christian Andersen’s tales in colonial India, while an AI detection tool analyzes its originality. Last year, I published a paper on how Hans Christian Andersen's Danish fairy tales were translated and received in colonial India.

I took the bibliography of this paper and put all the documents in a separate folder.

I wanted to see how well Claude Code could perform using these sources.The document discusses Bengali translations of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales in colonial India, emphasizing cultural impact and context.
May 2 • 16 tweets • 6 min read
How to set up your personal, AI-powered, research management system using Claude Code

A steo-by-step tutorial: 1. Go to obsidian[.]md

Download and install the app on your computer.
Apr 27 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
Sci-Hub is an evil website that pirated 85M+ research papers and made them freely available

And now they've added AI to their database to make Sci-Bot.

It answers your questions using latest, full-text articles.

But DO NOT use it. We should all try to make billion-dollar academic publishers richer.

I'm putting the link below so you know how to avoid it. Link: sci-bot.ru
Apr 26 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
How to make AI-generated text 100% human with Claude Code:

PS: we're cooked A screenshot of Claude Code and Pangram windows placed side by side. 1. To humanize AI-generated text, you'll need a Claude Skill called "humanizer"

github[.]com/blader/humanizer

It detects 29 patterns of AI writing and removes them.
Apr 20 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
Screening titles and abstracts for your systematic literature review is a very time-consuming process.

Researchers have to screen thousands of papers.

You can use Claude Code to automate the screening process with accuracy:

Here's how to do it: 1. Create a folder on your computer, "systematic review"
Apr 18 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
Codex is one of the most powerful AI agents for research work.

But most academics don't know how to get started on it. They're still stuck with ChatGPT.

Here's a step-by-step tutorial to help you get started on Codex.

Codex 101 for academics: A screenshot of the Codex landing page. 1. Go to openai[.]com/codex

Download and instal the Codex app on you computer.

Unlike ChatGPT that you use in your browser, Codex is a desktop app.

Don't be intimidated by its name. You don't need any coding experience to use it.
Apr 8 • 16 tweets • 6 min read
Karpathy's idea of LLM Knowledge Bases went viral: 18M+ views.

Now everyone wants to build one but many are facing problems, especially non-technical folks.

Here is a step-by-step tutorial on setting up an LLM Knowledge Base for non-technical folks: A tweet by Andrej Karpathy discusses using LLMs for personal knowledge bases, achieving 18.3M views and highlighting user challenges. 1. Go to obsidian[.]md

Download and install the app on your computer.
Mar 19 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Scopus has 100M+ research papers.

LeapSpace AI lets you generate research reports and literature overviews based on full-text papers in Scopus.

It generated for me a 27-page report with 143 references.

Also helps you find research grants.

Here's how to use it: 1. Go to researcher[.]elsevier[.]com and sign up for a free trial.

Log in to LeapSpace and enable deep research.

Ask a question and it will generate a complete report based on full texts of research papers.

Click on a reference and it will give you the relevant paper.
Mar 5 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
A lot of academics still think AI apps generate fake references to papers that don't exist.

They are living in 2023.

You can easily integrate a database of 280M research papers with Claude and ChatGPT to get answers with references to published papers.

Here's how to do it: 1. Go to scite[.]ai/mcp and select Claude ai

Copy the URL given in the second line. Then click on the blue "Add Scite" button.

This will open Claude Connectors. Type in the name Scite and paste the URL in the "Remote MCP" field.

Then click on "Add."
Mar 4 • 17 tweets • 6 min read
Claude Code will fundamentally change the nature of academic research.

But most academics don't know how to use it.

Here's how to get started on Claude Code (even if you've never coded).

Claude Code for Academics 101: Before getting started, we need to understand what Claude Code (CC) is.

It's not a simple chatbot.

Think of it as a general-purpose work enviroment that lets you create customized features for your own specific purposes.

It'll become clear by the end of this thread.
Mar 3 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Academics are abandoning ChatGPT for Claude, and for good reason.

Claude is way better than ChatGPT for intellectual work.

But moving to Claude risks losing your work history and memory in ChatGPT.

Here's how to move all your work history and memory from ChatGPT to Claude: 1. Open Claude and click on your profile in the bottom-left corner.

Then click on "Settings" and select "Capabilities."

In Capabilities, look for the "Start Import" button.

Click it and then copy the prompt given on the top.
Mar 2 • 13 tweets • 5 min read
Claude Cowork is set to revolutionize intellectual and academic work.

But most academics don't know how to use it.

Here's how to set up Claude Cowork as your research assistant:

(This workflow will take you only 15 min.) Guide on setting up Claude Cowork for academic research. 1. To use Claude Cowork, you'll need to download Claude desktop app.

Go to claude[.]com/download

and download the Claude desktop app.

You'll also need a paid plan for $20/m or $100/m.

Start with $20/m plan.
Jan 5 • 21 tweets • 4 min read
How to build an academic writing habit (to write a lot and publish a lot): In his book "Atomic Habits," James Clear writes about habits that are so small we don’t even notice them, but the power they have over us is immense.

He calls them atomic habits.

Although they are small, building atomic habits is VERY DIFFICULT.

Why? A photo of James Clear's book "Atomic Habits."
Dec 25, 2025 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Don't use Sci-Hub — it's a "controversial" website with 84M+ research papers freely available.

We should all try to make billion-dollar academic publishers richer.

Anyway, here's a thread on how to integrate Sci-Hub with Zotero to get free papers.

🚨DO NOT DO IT! 1. Don't go to this link:
github(dot)com/syt2/zotero-scipdf

But if you do, replace the word "dot" with an actual [.]

Don't scroll down and click on "latest release xpi file."

This will download an "xpi" file to your computer.
Dec 24, 2025 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
10 books to help you become a better academic writer so you can write a lot and publish a lot:

1. Academic Writing as if the Reader Matters by Leonard Cassuto

Practical tips on how to make your academic writing more engaging and readable. Examples from the arts and sciences. Academic Writing as if the Reader Matters by Leonard Cassuto 2. The Clockwork Muse by Eviatar Zerubavel

Helpful advice on how to organize your writing process in terms of time.

A-Time: for writing new material (deep work)
B-Time: for shallow work like compiling bibliography, etc.
C-Time: for house chores The Clockwork Muse by Eviatar Zerubavel
Dec 15, 2025 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
Dr Ally Louks's viral PhD thesis (130M views) on the politics of smell redefined the way people talk about smell.

Everyone wants to read her thesis, but it's unavailable until 2028

Here are 10 books on the politics of smell that you can read right now:

1. The Smell of Slavery A photo of Dr Ally Louks with her PhD thesis titled, "Olfactory Ethics: The Politics of Smell in Modern and Contemporary Literature."
The Smell of Slavery: Olfactory Racism and the Atlantic World by Andrew Kettler 1. The Smell of Slavery by Andrew Kettler

Shows how white slave owners defined Black, African bodies as noxious and deserving of enslavement.

Smell was used to dehumanize Black folks who were equated with animals by white slave owners. The Smell of Slavery: Olfactory Racism and the Atlantic World by Andew Kettler
Dec 2, 2025 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Getting past peer review is a challenge every researcher faces.

Stanford researchers recently launched a free AI-powered Agentic Review that can help you with it.

It gives you a human-level mock peer review so you can polish your paper before submitting it.

Check it out 👇 1. Go to paperreview[.]ai and upload your manuscript.

Enter your email and specify your target venue (conference or journal).

You may also want to copy the "Review Token" in case you don't receive an email.
Oct 6, 2025 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Libgen, Sci-Hub, and Z-library had millions of pirated academic books and papers.

So, they were shut down. We shouldn't use them anyway.

We should help billion-dollar academic publishers get richer.

Anyway, here's how to access these libraries:

Don't do this! 1. Don't go to open-slum[.]org.

Because there you will see links to LibGen, Anna's Archive, Z-Library, and Sci-Hub.
Sep 16, 2025 • 14 tweets • 4 min read
Zotero is the best citation management software. It's free and doesn't monetize your data.

But many folks have a hard time starting out on it.

Here's a step-by-step tutorial to get you started on Zotero: 1. Go to zotero[.]org and click on the "Download" button.

Download the app and install it on your computer.
Sep 3, 2025 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Small businesses can't hire expensive desginers for fancy logos and branding materials..

Genspark AI Designer @genspark_ai can help you with it.

It generated a logo for my coaching business and branded presentation templates — with a single prompt: 1. Go to and ask it to design a logo for your business.

I asked it to design a logo for my academic writing coaching business. It did a wonderful job. genspark.ai/ai_designer