How is Consensus different from Google Scholar?
Google Scholar searches paper titles and abstracts. Consensus uses AI to actually read and understand paper content, providing direct answers to questions with citations rather than just links to potentially relevant papers.
What types of questions work best with Consensus?
Consensus works best with factual research questions that can be answered by scientific literature, like effects of interventions, comparisons between treatments, or scientific consensus on topics. It is less suited for opinion-based or very recent topics.
How does the Consensus Meter work?
The Consensus Meter shows the distribution of research findings on yes/no questions, indicating whether studies mostly support or oppose a claim. This helps visualize scientific consensus at a glance.
Is Consensus free to use?
Yes, there is a free tier with basic access and limited GPT-4 analyses (10 per month). Premium plans at 8.99 dollars/month provide unlimited AI-powered analyses and study snapshots.
What research databases does Consensus search?
Consensus indexes papers from major academic databases including PubMed, Semantic Scholar, and other peer-reviewed sources. It focuses on high-quality, peer-reviewed research rather than preprints or non-academic sources.