Get the best results
Squirrel works from what you give it: the more complete your material and the more precise your instructions, the better the result. Here is, tool by tool, what to provide and what to expect.
5 golden rules
- Provide the raw material. Squirrel invents nothing: a literature review needs the papers; a discussion needs your results AND the literature.
- State the context. Discipline, level (BSc, MSc, PhD), target journal, field country — one line is enough and changes everything.
- One goal per run. Work chapter by chapter, section by section. "Do everything" requests give shallow results.
- Review and verify. Every output is a working draft. Check figures and references before submitting — you remain the author.
- Iterate. Not satisfied? Add an instruction ("shorter", "more formal", "focus on the method") and run again.
📚 Literature
Literature review
Critical synthesis of the documents you upload.
Upload the papers (PDF) or paste your reading notes, stating your topic. You get a theme-by-theme synthesis (not paper-by-paper) with debates, agreements and gaps. Tip: state your research question to focus the synthesis.
Research gap finder
What the literature has not yet answered.
Upload several papers from your field (or an existing literature review). You get the unanswered questions, contradictions between studies, and original research directions ranked by feasibility.
Annotated bibliography
A structured entry for every paper you provide.
Upload one or more papers (PDF). For each: purpose, methods, findings, limitations and future research. Tip: process 2-3 papers at a time for more detailed entries.
Paper summarizer
A long article condensed into a clear one-pager.
Upload the article (PDF/Word). You get a one-page brief: question, method, findings, conclusions, why it matters. Tip: say "for a class", "for my thesis"… to adapt the angle.
Compare studies
Side-by-side table: sample, method, findings…
Upload 2–5 papers (or their abstracts). You get a comparison table (study, sample, method, findings, limitations) followed by an analysis of agreements and disagreements.
🧭 Design the study
Research questions & hypotheses
Questions, objectives and hypotheses from your topic.
Describe your topic, context and what you have already read (or upload your literature review). You get a main question, sub-questions, aligned objectives and testable hypotheses.
Research model
Conceptual framework, variables and hypotheses.
Give your topic, the variables you have in mind and the setting. You get a conceptual framework (IV, DV, mediators, moderators), hypotheses and a description of the diagram to draw.
Methodology
Your study's methodology section.
Describe the study aim, target population and your constraints (time, budget, field access). You get a complete, justified methodology section: design, sampling, instruments, collection, analysis, ethics.
Research proposal
Full proposal: objectives, significance, timeline, budget.
Give the topic, context, planned duration and available means. You get a structured proposal: problem statement, objectives, significance, brief review, methodology, timeline (table) and indicative budget lines.
Survey builder
A questionnaire aligned with your research objectives.
Paste your objectives/hypotheses and describe your respondents. You get a full questionnaire: consent text, sections per variable, scales (Likert…), demographics, and validation advice (pre-test).
📊 Data & analysis
Data analysis
Interpret your data (CSV/tables) and get results.
Upload your data: SPSS file (.sav) directly, CSV, Excel — or paste the table — and ask your question. The .sav variables, labels and data are converted automatically. You get descriptive statistics, patterns, recommended tests and limitations.
Run statistical tests
T-tests, ANOVA, correlation, regression… actually computed on your data.
Upload your data (CSV, Excel, SPSS .sav) and state your variables and hypothesis (e.g. "compare mean credit across regions"). Your analyses are ACTUALLY executed in Python (pandas, scipy, statsmodels): you get exact statistics, assumption checks, and ready-to-insert APA reporting. Costs more credits than advice alone — but the numbers are computed, not estimated.
Statistical test advisor
The right test (t-test, ANOVA, chi-square, regression…) for your case.
Describe your variables (type, scale), groups and hypothesis. You get the appropriate test, its assumptions, alternatives, and how to run it in SPSS/R/Jamovi. Tip: to have the test actually COMPUTED right here, use the "Run statistical tests" tool.
Explain statistical output
SPSS, R, Stata, Jamovi → interpretation + APA write-up.
Upload your SPSS/R/Stata output: as PDF (SPSS: File → Export → PDF), as a screenshot (PNG/JPG), as a .spv file, or paste the text. State the software and your hypothesis. You get: line-by-line interpretation, ready-to-insert APA 7 reporting, and a plain-English explanation.
Results writer
Turn your tables/statistics into a Results section.
Paste your tables and statistics (or upload the file). You get a formal "Results" section, faithful to the figures, with table references. Interpretation is saved for the Discussion.
Thematic analysis (qualitative)
Interview transcripts → codes, themes, quotations.
Upload your (anonymised) interview or focus-group transcripts and state your research question. You get: initial codes, themes and sub-themes with definitions, exact illustrative quotations, and a description of the thematic map.
📝 Writing
Abstract generator
A structured academic abstract from your paper.
Upload your COMPLETE paper (or paste it): the abstract is drawn from your own findings. You get a 150–250-word abstract (background, methods, results, conclusion) + keywords. Tip: mention the target journal if it imposes a format.
Discussion writer
Your findings set against the literature you provide.
Provide TWO things: your results AND your literature review (or the papers). You get a discussion that sets each finding against prior studies, explains agreements/departures and draws implications. Without provided literature, the comparison stays generic.
Conclusion & recommendations
Conclusion, implications, limitations and future work.
Paste your objectives, key findings and methodology (briefly). You get: a conclusion aligned to the objectives, theoretical and practical implications, concrete recommendations per stakeholder, honest limitations and future research directions.
Improve academic writing
Correct and elevate academic language (FR/EN).
Paste the passage to improve (one section at a time gives the best results). Meaning, language and your citations are preserved; only grammar, clarity and register change.
Plagiarism fix (rewrite)
Rewrite flagged passages with proper citation.
Paste the passages flagged by the plagiarism checker (with the detected source and your reference list if possible). Each passage is deeply rewritten (structure AND vocabulary), with clear notes where a citation or quotation marks are required. Then re-check the text — that is the cycle: detect → fix → re-check.
Translate FR ⇄ EN
Academic translation between French and English.
Paste the text (or upload the document): the source language is detected automatically. Your discipline's terminology and citations are preserved. Tip: translate chapter by chapter for long documents.
🎓 Publish & defend
Reference formatter
APA 7, MLA, Chicago, IEEE, Harvard, Vancouver.
Paste your reference list (even messy) and state the target style (e.g. "APA 7"). You get the list reformatted and sorted, with incomplete references flagged (missing year, pages…) — missing data is never invented.
Turabian bibliography (from notes)
Extracts footnotes/endnotes and builds the Turabian bibliography.
Upload the Word (.docx) document that holds your footnotes or endnotes (or pick it from a project). Squirrel extracts the notes automatically, then builds the bibliography in Turabian style: deduplicated, alphabetized by author surname, in bibliography form. Turabian style only for now. Download the result as Word.
Revise per reviewer comments
Applies reviewer comments to your manuscript.
Pick or upload your manuscript, THEN put the reviewer comments in "Instructions to Squirrel". Squirrel MERGES the fixes into your manuscript — keeping everything that is already fine word-for-word and changing only the passages concerned — then returns the COMPLETE corrected version (download as Word), plus a point-by-point response. Tip: to also keep your original Word images, tables and formatting, use the "Fix Word document" tool.
Convert citation style
Converts the whole document between APA, MLA, Turabian, Chicago…
Pick or upload your document, and state the target style in "Instructions to Squirrel" (e.g. "APA 7", "MLA 9", "Turabian"). Squirrel first detects the current style, tells you what it is, then converts every in-text citation AND the reference list to the requested style. With no target stated, Squirrel lists the options.
Journal finder (DOAJ)
Real peer-reviewed journals matched to your paper.
Paste your abstract and keywords. The system queries DOAJ (the Directory of Open Access Journals) live, and the AI ranks the most suitable REAL journals: scope, publication fees (APC), licence. Tip: give your keywords in English for better matching.
Reviewer response assistant
Professional responses to reviewer comments.
Paste the reviewers' comments AND, if possible, the relevant passages of your paper. You get a point-by-point response letter ("Response to Reviewers"): acknowledgement, reasoned reply, and proposed revision for every comment.
PRISMA assistant
Systematic reviews: criteria, screening flow, extraction.
Describe your question (ideally in PICO format) and, if you have them, your screening numbers (records identified, excluded…). You get: inclusion/exclusion criteria, a per-database search strategy, your numbers organised as a PRISMA 2020 flow, and an extraction table template.
Viva / defense preparation
Likely examiner questions + model answers.
Upload your thesis (or its key chapters: abstract, methodology, results). You get likely examiner questions organised by chapter (including tough ones about limitations), model answers grounded in YOUR text, and a defense strategy.