Consensus is an AI-powered search engine and research tool that:

1. Identifies the most relevant peer-reviewed literature for your query, and

2. Synthesizes a cited, evidence-based summary of the findings.

Consensus Paper Coverage

Consensus searches over 220 million research papers. These papers come from publicly available datasets like Semantic Scholar and OpenAlex, as well through proprietary partnerships with academic publishers. Consensus has coverage across all academic disciplines and includes articles from nearly all top journals.

Responsible AI Design:

Consensus is built to address the major risks of AI in academic research, particularly hallucinations (when AI fabricates sources or information that don't exist). Unlike general AI tools like ChatGPT, Consensus includes multiple safeguards:

• Closed system: Operates exclusively within 220+ million peer-reviewed papers; cannot access unreliable web sources or invent studies

• Search-first approach: Functions as a search engine first, finding and ranking real studies, then using AI only to interpret them

• Verifiable sources: Every claim links directly to a real paper; click any citation to verify the source exists

• Transparent methodology: See exactly which papers were analyzed, their quality indicators, and publication dates

• Addresses outdated information: Publication dates visible for every paper; filter for recent research

Finding evidence‐based answers and verifying claims

• Conducting or strengthening a literature review

• Exploring new or unfamiliar topics quickly

• Identifying key papers, authors, and influential research

• Finding support for arguments and spotting research gaps

• Finding evidence‐based answers and verifying claims

• Grant or scientific writing

Go to www.consensus.app and sign up with your university email address

There are three search modes, depending on how detailed you want the results to be:

Mode

What It Does

Best For

Quick

Analyzes 10 papers; short summary

Quick overviews, fact-checking

Pro

Analyzes 20 papers; detailed summary with custom formats

Coursework, literature reviews, custom outputs

Deep

Analyzes 50 papers; comprehensive report with diagrams and tables

Thesis work, in-depth research, advanced projects

Quick

Mode

What It Does

Analyzes 10 papers; short summary

Best For

Quick overviews, fact-checking

Pro

Mode

What It Does

Analyzes 20 papers; detailed summary with custom formats

Best For

Coursework, literature reviews, custom outputs

Deep

Mode

What It Does

Analyzes 50 papers; comprehensive report with diagrams and tables

Best For

Thesis work, in-depth research, advanced projects

Consensus is flexible and adapts to different search styles. You can search using natural language questions, commands, keywords, Boolean operators, paper titles, and more.

Natural Language Questions & Commands:

Keyword & Phrase Searches:

Boolean Operators

Refine searches with Boolean logic for more control:

When to Use Each Search Method

Search Type

Best For

Example

Natural Language Questions

When your research question is defined, but you're still exploring

Does creatine improve cognition?

Commands

PRO MODE

Custom formats: tables, lists, outlines, summaries

"Create a table comparing..."

Keyword Search

Broad topic exploration

climate change coral reefs

Boolean Search

Precision searching; complex queries with multiple concepts

(depression OR anxiety) AND meditation AND college students

Title Search

Finding a specific known paper

"Effects of Meditation on Anxiety"

Author Search

Exploring a researcher's body of work

Sarah Johnson neuroscience

Natural Language Questions

Search Type

Best For

When your research question is defined, but you're still exploring

Example

Does creatine improve cognition?

Commands

PRO MODE

Search Type

Best For

Custom formats: tables, lists, outlines, summaries

Example

"Create a table comparing..."

Keyword Search

Search Type

Best For

Broad topic exploration

Example

climate change coral reefs

Boolean Search

Search Type

Best For

Precision searching; complex queries with multiple concepts

Example

(depression OR anxiety) AND meditation AND college students

Title Search

Search Type

Best For

Finding a specific known paper

Example

"Effects of Meditation on Anxiety"

Author Search

Search Type

Best For

Exploring a researcher's body of work

Example

Sarah Johnson neuroscience

Tips for Better Results

• Be specific: "smartphone addiction in adolescents" not "phone use"

• Focus your queries to topics likely covered in academic research papers

• Include key terms and relationships you're investigating

• Use MeSH terms for medical topics to improve accuracy

Pro Tip:

Switch to Deep when you want more thorough diagrams, tables, and a fuller synthesis. More info on Deep Search

Pro Tip:

Switch to Deep when you want more thorough diagrams, tables, and a fuller synthesis. More info on Deep Search

When you run a search, especially with Pro mode, you'll see a comprehensive analysis at the top of your results page:

Key Components:

Below the Pro Analysis, individual papers are displayed as numbered entries:

Customize Your Results View

Switch between three display options using the view buttons at the top right of your results:

• Default: Full details with key takeaways

• Compact: Same as Default without key takeaways (faster scanning)

• Table: Compare papers side-by-side with study attributes

Switch between three display options using the view buttons at the top right of your results:

• Paper title and authors — The original research study

• AI-extracted key finding — A one-sentence summary of the main conclusion

• Study details — Publication year, journal, sample size, and study type

• Citation information — For proper referencing

Click any entry to open the paper details panel on the right, where you can access the abstract, PDF, and full paper information:

Pro Tip:

Use the key takeaway as a quick filter to identify which papers are worth diving into. This saves time by helping you focus on the most relevant research.

Pro Tip:

Use the key takeaway as a quick filter to identify which papers are worth diving into. This saves time by helping you focus on the most relevant research.

Consensus has both paywalled articles and Open Access articles within our corpus. Every article will have a direct link to get to the underlying source. These links will say one of two things, indicating if the source is a paywalled article, or is Open Access:

• If the link says "PDF", the paper is Open Access and this link will take you directly to the full text

• If the link says "Full Text" the paper is paywalled and this link will take you directly to publishers website to access the paper with your credentials

If you are a part of an institution that subscribes to LibKey, you can enable the LibKey integration by going to your Consensus Settings page and selecting your institution. When the integration is enabled, all paywalled papers will take you directly to a university page to access the paper.

Important:

AI summaries are helpful starting points, but always read the original abstract and paper before citing. AI can miss nuances, limitations, or important caveats. If you cannot access a full text, contact your librarian or request the paper through interlibrary loan.

Important:

AI summaries are helpful starting points, but always read the original abstract and paper before citing. AI can miss nuances, limitations, or important caveats. If you cannot access a full text, contact your librarian or request the paper through interlibrary loan.

• 7.1 Consensus Meter: Visual distribution of papers that support, contradict, or show mixed/conditional results

• 7.2 Citations: One‑click formatted citations and guidance to ensure proper attribution

• 7.3 Search Filters: Narrow by date, study type, access, citations, sample size, domain, and more

• 7.4 Threads: Use for follow‑up questions and iterative research within the same search context

• 7.5 Lists: Save papers and threads to custom lists for organizing different projects or topics

• 7.6 Reference Manager Integrations: Export .RIS/.CSV or use connectors for Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley, RefWorks, Citavi, and Papers

For yes/no questions, Consensus displays a visual meter showing the distribution of research findings:

Click the table icon at the bottom right of the Meter to view the Consensus Snapshot, which provides additional context for each position:

• Summary of findings: Brief overview of what each position shows

• Recency: Average publication date of papers in each position

• Methods: Count of high-quality study types (Meta‑Analyses, Systematic Reviews, RCTs) in each position

• Journals: Average journal quality (SJR score) for papers in each position

• Citations: Total citations across papers in each position

Important:

The Consensus Meter shows the distribution of findings, but not all studies are equally rigorous. Always evaluate individual studies for quality, sample size, and methodology. Use the Consensus Snapshot to see which positions have stronger methodological support, more recent research, or higher‑quality journal publications.

Important:

The Consensus Meter shows the distribution of findings, but not all studies are equally rigorous. Always evaluate individual studies for quality, sample size, and methodology. Use the Consensus Snapshot to see which positions have stronger methodological support, more recent research, or higher‑quality journal publications.

Find a paper you want to cite in your search results

1. Click the quotation mark ("") button on the paper

2. Select your citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, BibTeX, or AMA)

3. Click "Copy Text" to copy the citation to your clipboard

You can export papers to reference managers like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote. Simply click the download button and choose .RIS or .CSV format, then import the file into your reference manager.

Apply filters before or after your search to refine results. Click the Filter button (three horizontal dashes) to access filters.

Use this quick guide for some of our most popular filters:

Threads lets you ask follow-up questions within the same search, creating a continuous conversation with the research:

How to Use Threads:

1. Run your initial search

2. Click "Ask a follow up..." at the bottom of the page

3. Enter your next question (e.g., "What about in older adults?" or "What are the mechanisms?")

4. Continue building on your research without starting over

There are two ways to direct your follow-up questions to specific papers:

1. Select papers from search results: Check the boxes next to papers (up to 5) before asking your question

2. Upload your own papers: Click the dropdown menu on the left side of the search bar to upload PDFs or select from previously uploaded papers

If you don't select or upload papers, the agent will intelligently reason whether to search new papers or analyze existing results.

Managing Threads:

• Start new Thread: Click + symbol (top left of panel) or use Ctrl+K (Windows) / Command+K (Mac)

• Share Thread: Click 🔗 Share button → Set to Public → Copy link or share to X

Why Use Threads:

Build deeper understanding by asking follow-up questions, refining topics, exploring adjacent areas, and diving into methodology—all while maintaining context.

Why Use Threads:

Build deeper understanding by asking follow-up questions, refining topics, exploring adjacent areas, and diving into methodology—all while maintaining context.

Save searches and papers to custom lists for easy access and organization:

How to Save:

• Click bookmark button on any paper or thread → Select or create list

• Access lists: Click Research Hub (folder icon, left sidebar) → Lists tab

Organization Tips:

• Create lists for different projects or paper sections

• Use "My Favorites" for quick access to important papers

• Save entire search threads to revisit your research path

Export papers to your reference manager:

• Click the download button on a paper → choose .RIS or .CSV → import to Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley, RefWorks, Citavi, or Papers

• Or use available connectors where supported

Pro Tip:

Use Consensus end‑to‑end: start in Pro or Deep to map the field, apply Filters to focus, save key papers to Lists, and use Threads to refine follow‑ups. Use the Export button when you’re ready to move citations into your paper.

Pro Tip:

Use Consensus end‑to‑end: start in Pro or Deep to map the field, apply Filters to focus, save key papers to Lists, and use Threads to refine follow‑ups. Use the Export button when you’re ready to move citations into your paper.

Never:

• Copy Pro Analysis or AI-generated summaries directly into your papers

• Cite papers you haven't at least reviewed the abstract for

• Claim to have read papers when you've only seen AI summaries

• Use AI summaries as a substitute for critical thinking and analysis

Click on citations in Pro Analysis to verify the source

• Write findings in your own words

Golden Rule:

If you learned it from a source, cite it. When in doubt, cite it. Better to over-cite than under-cite!

Golden Rule:

If you learned it from a source, cite it. When in doubt, cite it. Better to over-cite than under-cite!

1. Start Broad: Begin with general questions to understand the research landscape

2. Then Narrow: Use filters and more specific searches to focus on exactly what you need

3. Not getting the results you want? Rephrase: Try synonyms and different question formats

4. Follow Citation Trails: Check reference lists in relevant papers to discover foundational research and understand how knowledge has developed

• Confirmation Bias: Actively seek papers with different perspectives, not just those that support your viewpoint

• Relying Only on AI Summaries: Always read at least the abstract for important papers; read full text for papers you cite

• Ignoring Publication Dates: Check for recent papers; note when findings have changed over time

• Not Checking Sample Sizes: Small studies may not be generalizable

• Treating All Papers Equally: Evaluate quality; prioritize meta-analyses and well-designed studies

Your campus library offers research assistance:

• Visit the reference desk for quick questions

• Schedule a research consultation with a subject librarian

• Attend library workshops on research strategies

• Use the library's LibGuides for discipline-specific resources

Librarians are research experts!

Don't hesitate to ask for help with search strategies, evaluating sources, managing citations, or accessing full-text articles.

Librarians are research experts!

Don't hesitate to ask for help with search strategies, evaluating sources, managing citations, or accessing full-text articles.