Harnessing ChatGPT for educational scientific research: A qualitative analysis approach

Mahmoud Ali Moussa; Medhat Mohamed Saleh; Omar Atallah Al-Adamat

doi:10.29333/jdet/18855

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Mahmoud Ali Moussa ¹ , Medhat Mohamed Saleh ¹ , Omar Atallah Al-Adamat ² ^*

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¹ Suez Canal University, College of Education, EGYPT² Ministry of Education, JORDAN^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates researchers' perceptions of ChatGPT's influence on research creativity, efficiency, and scholarly integrity. A cross-sectional survey with six open-ended questions was administered to 112 participants across academic levels (2 post-doctoral, 20 PhD, 26 Master's, 64 diploma holders) within education and psychology. Data was analyzed using triangulated methods: SWOT analysis, thematic analysis, and systematic open coding. Findings indicate ChatGPT is perceived as a dual-edged tool that enhances productivity while posing cognitive and ethical risks. Ethical considerations are central, with participants emphasizing the need for structured guidelines. The human factor remains decisive—AI's benefits depend on researchers' methodological awareness and ethical engagement. Results suggest AI functions optimally as a cognitive scaffold, with its impact contingent upon use patterns and user experience. The findings carry implications for developing evidence-based policies and training for responsible AI integration in academic research.

Keywords

artificial intelligence
academic research
ChatGPT
AI ethics
research methodology
scholarly integrity
AI-assisted research
qualitative analysis

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

Journal of Digital Educational Technology, Volume 6, Issue 2, October 2026, Article No: ep2615

https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18855

Publication date: 25 Jun 2026

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Article Downloads: 2

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How to cite this article

APA

Moussa, M. A., Saleh, M. M., & Al-Adamat, O. A. (2026). Harnessing ChatGPT for educational scientific research: A qualitative analysis approach. Journal of Digital Educational Technology, 6(2), ep2615. https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18855

Vancouver

Moussa MA, Saleh MM, Al-Adamat OA. Harnessing ChatGPT for educational scientific research: A qualitative analysis approach. Journal of Digital Educational Technology. 2026;6(2):ep2615. https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18855

AMA

Moussa MA, Saleh MM, Al-Adamat OA. Harnessing ChatGPT for educational scientific research: A qualitative analysis approach. Journal of Digital Educational Technology. 2026;6(2), ep2615. https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18855

Chicago

Moussa, Mahmoud Ali, Medhat Mohamed Saleh, and Omar Atallah Al-Adamat. "Harnessing ChatGPT for educational scientific research: A qualitative analysis approach". Journal of Digital Educational Technology 2026 6 no. 2 (2026): ep2615. https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18855

Harvard

Moussa, M. A., Saleh, M. M., and Al-Adamat, O. A. (2026). Harnessing ChatGPT for educational scientific research: A qualitative analysis approach. Journal of Digital Educational Technology, 6(2), ep2615. https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18855

MLA

Moussa, Mahmoud Ali et al. "Harnessing ChatGPT for educational scientific research: A qualitative analysis approach". Journal of Digital Educational Technology, vol. 6, no. 2, 2026, ep2615. https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18855