New study reveals students are searching for AI essay writing tools - Students in Virginia struggle the most with their studies

 

• A new study has revealed students across the US are looking to AI tools for help with their studies, using Google search data
• "AI essay writer" was one of the most searched phrases, suggesting students are increasingly reliant on AI for academic assistance 
• The study also revealed Virginia is the state with the most students struggling with their studies
• The ranking collated Google searches made around revision tools and essay advice, then scaled the results against state populations   

 

New data reveals which states’ college students are struggling the most with their studies, – with Virginia named the state where people struggle the most.  

 

Shockingly, the study also identified a high number of searches for AI tools, making it apparent students are leaning on them more now than ever.  

 

The ranking, created by nootropics expert Nootroedge, analyzed the volume behind keywords associated with AI, essay writing tools, and plagiarism – including ‘AI essay writer’ and ‘chatgpt essay’ - to identify which states students are considering cheating the most. 

 

This search volume was then scaled against each state’s population to determine the states with the most students who are searching online for academic help, revealing AI as a key tool students are searching for.  

 

It’s no surprise given the recent rise in popularity of AI tools and chatbots – and it seems that some students are taking advantage of these platforms, as ‘AI essay writer’ was one of the top 10 most-searched-for phrases within the study in the past year. 

 

In fact, ‘AI essay writer’ had a monthly average of 35,004 searches over the last 12 months - which was the seventh most searched term within the study. Additionally, searches for ‘chatgpt essay’ had an average of 3,267 monthly searches in the past year.

 

As a result of the increase in the use of AI, many colleges have implemented AI checkers to detect use, posing a significant risk for any students who are currently heavily dependent on these tools.  

 

The ranking also identified which states have the most students struggling with their academic studies. It's no surprise that some students are struggling, as – according to a recent survey from Best College - over half (51%) of students have had problems or challenges with their academics over the last year, with many struggling to focus and meet deadlines. 

 

On top of this, it’s clear from the data that some students face fundamental academic challenges, especially when it comes to writing essays and completing coursework. 

 

The findings show Virginia students seek more assistance than any other state, as they reported over 1,100 help-related Google searches per 100k people over the past year. This is 50% higher than the state that requires the least support (Alaska, 549 searches p/100k).

 

The area that students in the state sought the most help with is providing citations for the sources they used in their essays – specifically those following the APA format – and how to check for plagiarism before submitting their work for review. 

 

On the other end of the scale, students in the state needed the least amount of help with their dissertation or defining what academic writing is – suggesting they’re skilled with putting their writing together but need help meeting college guidelines before submitting. 

 

Regarding the queries associated with general support, Virginian college students looked for the most help with studying, particularly how to do so ‘effectively’, pointing to a difficulty focusing and taking large quantities of information in at once. 

 

Following behind as the state with the second-highest volume of struggling students is Maryland, which averaged 1,071 study-related searches per 100K. Top searches included how to use Grammarly for spellchecking – and how to write a solid conclusion to an essay. 

 

Arizona ranked third, with 1,055 monthly searches per 100K people. The areas that the state needed the least support with were accessing general academic support and writing an analytical essay – although they did need guidance on citing sources. 

SOURCE: Amber Ducane