The Primo Research Assistant is a component of OneSearch. It uses content found in your library to identify five resources that may help answer your question by extracting relevant information from the description / abstracts of each source.
It is a tool powered by GenAI (specifically LLM) that supports exploring academic content by asking questions in natural language.
"Primo Research Assistant: Ask research questions. Explore new topics. Discover credible sources."
Questions are converted into a query that the search engine understands with the help of a Large Language Model (currently GPT 4o-mini). It identifies the "most relevant documents" in the index and ranks them according to how well they can answer the question.
The default search is everything (All types); no content filters are selected. The five sources returned may include articles, books, eBooks, dissertations, or other items available in OneSearch. Each item presented will include an overview and information about the source.
Use the drop-down menu and select a specific source type for your search: Journal articles, peer-reviewed, and books.
Keep in mind:
It is possible a search will return saying it can not generate any results. It does not necessarily follow that there is nothing available, but that the way the search was entered did not meet criteria set by the LLM - or that the LLM configured is set to "flag" topics or terms.
Take time to restate your query - or return to the main OneSearch page.
Clarivate / Primo tools "utilize LLMs to process your input and Clarivate’s licensed content for real-time responses. Neither your input nor the licensed content are stored by the large language model or used for any other purpose than the immediate interaction session. Clarivate does not use your data to directly or indirectly train LLMs" (Clarivate AI Policy).
"Your data is protected and processed securely to uphold its integrity and confidentiality. We strictly adhere to applicable data privacy policies and regulations, ensuring secure handling of your personal data and information. Our tools utilize LLMs to process your input and Clarivate’s licensed content for real-time responses" (Clarivate Data Privacy).
Explore how to locate Research Assistant, manage a search, and review an example search for defining social media filter bubbles.
From the navigation bar at the top of every OneSearch page, select the ellipses ...
Enter your research question or select one of the example questions and review suggested topics.
Research history is available (left sidebar); it's possible to revisit previous questions. User may opt to keep or delete any search query.
Research Question:
How does junk food influence weight gain?
Everything Search: nitial search conducted without any filters in place; sources returned include four articles ranging in date from 2018 - 2025.
Overview of sources includes:
"Junk food influences weight gain primarily through its nutritional composition and behavioral effects. It is typically high in sugar, fat, and salt, which contribute to poor satiety signaling in the brain, leading to increased caloric intake and unhealthy dietary patterns. The hyper-palatable nature of junk food, combined with its widespread availability and aggressive marketing, especially to vulnerable groups such as children and urban populations, facilitates frequent consumption and can promote addictive eating behaviors that contribute to weight gain (Research Assistant Overview).
Research Question:
How does junk food influence weight gain?
Article Search: Conducted with filters in place for journal articles, all dates, and available online. Five articles were returned with a date range of 2018-2022. Sources returned feature articles available via OhioLINK's EJC, EBSCO databases, and via open access.
Overview of sources includes:
"Junk food influences weight gain through multiple interconnected mechanisms involving both behavioral and physiological factors. Socioeconomic adversity and disturbances in the social environment during infancy and early childhood can lead to stress, emotional turmoil, and low self-esteem, which in turn promote the consumption of calorie-dense junk food as a form of self-medication. This pattern of junk food intake can contribute to subtle addiction and subsequent weight gain and obesity (Research Assistant Overview). " (Research Assistant Overview).
