



Zendy Integrates OECD Open Data to Enhance Research Insights and Global Knowledge Access
Dubai, UAE – June 2025 – Zendy, the AI-powered research library, has integrated open-access data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) into its platform and AI research assistant, ZAIA. This strategic addition allows users to explore and interact with one of the world’s most trusted sources of economic, social, and policy data directly through Zendy’s intuitive search experience. Founded in 1961, the OECD—known for its comprehensive and rigorously curated datasets across sectors such as education, environment, health, and development—has recently made its data openly accessible. Making this data available on Zendy enables researchers and students around the world to access critical statistics and indicators, empowering evidence-based decision-making and academic exploration. With over 770,000 users across 191 countries and territories, Zendy continues to remove barriers to knowledge by equipping its global community with high-quality, relevant content. The integration of OECD data into Zendy’s library and its AI assistant, ZAIA, empowers users to ask complex questions and receive data-enriched answers within seconds. The inclusion of OECD data strengthens Zendy’s mission to promote educational equity and democratise access to the latest research datasets. OECD’s indicators provide essential context and insights for research projects, policy development, and business analysis. These valuable resources are now easily accessible through ZAIA’s AI-powered assistant and Zendy’s search platform. This move builds on Zendy’s commitment to creating an inclusive digital research environment where high-value content and AI-powered tools work hand-in-hand to support learning and discovery. For more information, please contact: Lisette van KesselHead of MarketingEmail: l.vankessel@knowledgee.com About Zendy Zendy is an AI-powered, mission-driven library committed to enhancing the accessibility and discoverability of scholarly literature, particularly in the Global South and underserved regions. Today, the library supports over 770,000 users across 191 countries and territories, offering a comprehensive collection of academic journals, reports, and research tools to empower educators, students, and professionals worldwide. About the OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation that promotes better policies for better lives. With 38 member countries, the OECD provides a platform for governments to collaborate, share experiences, and develop solutions to common problems. It collects and publishes data on a wide range of topics, supporting informed policymaking and global development efforts. .wp-block-image img { max-width: 85% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }

Zendy and e-Marefa Partner to Expand Access to Arabic Academic Content
Dubai, UAE – May, 2025 – Zendy, the AI-powered research library, and e-Marefa, the leading digital Arabic database, have signed a partnership agreement to expand access to high-quality Arabic academic resources for researchers, students, and professionals worldwide. This strategic collaboration will make e-Marefa’s extensive collection of Arabic-language journals, theses, conference proceedings, and statistical reports available on Zendy’s platform, supporting scholars in the Arab world and beyond, to enhance global access to Arabic scholarship. With over 770,000 users in 191 countries and territories, Zendy continues to grow as a trusted platform for discovering academic knowledge. By integrating e-Marefa’s content, Zendy reinforces its mission to ensure that critical regional knowledge is not only preserved but also made accessible and discoverable to a wider audience. e-Marefa’s database spans a diverse range of disciplines including humanities, social sciences, economics, education, and medicine. Through this partnership, these valuable Arabic-language resources will be more discoverable and searchable by a global Arabic academic audience, bridging language and accessibility gaps that have historically limited the visibility of Arab scholarship. The partnership also reflects Zendy’s commitment to linguistic diversity and cultural representation in research. In a global knowledge ecosystem dominated by English-language publications, ensuring the inclusion of Arabic content is key to fostering a more balanced, inclusive academic landscape. Zendy users will now be able to explore and benefit from e-Marefa’s content seamlessly, supporting regional research, curriculum development, and policy work rooted in the local context. Together, Zendy and e-Marefa aim to empower Arabic-speaking researchers and increase the global impact of their work. For more information, please contact:Lisette van KesselHead of MarketingEmail: l.vankessel@knowledgee.com About ZendyZendy is an AI-powered research library dedicated to increasing the accessibility and discoverability of scholarly literature, particularly in the global south and underserved regions. The platform currently serves over 770,000 users across 191 countries and territories, offering a comprehensive collection of academic journals, articles, and reports to empower researchers, educators, and students around the world. About e-Marefae-Marefa is the leading digital Arabic academic database, providing access to thousands of peer-reviewed journals, dissertations, statistical data, and specialised resources across a broad range of disciplines. Serving universities, research institutions, and libraries throughout the Arab world and beyond, e-Marefa is committed to advancing academic research in Arabic and increasing the visibility of Arab scholarship on the global stage. .wp-block-image img { max-width: 85% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }

Wiley and IEEE Collaborate with Zendy to Drive Ethical AI Through RAG-Based Innovation
Today, we announced that Wiley and IEEE have joined Zendy’s RAG-based revenue-sharing model, exemplifying a positive move toward ethical AI collaboration within the academic publishing industry. This news builds on our March announcement of a new Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)-based revenue share model, created to ensure publishers are proportionately compensated when their licensed content is cited or referenced by AI. Publishers Indicate a Shift Toward Ethical AI Partnerships The addition of Wiley and IEEE signals growing momentum behind Zendy’s RAG-based model. They join other publishers including IT Governance, Lived Places Publishing, Lexxion, British Online Archives, Bentham Press, and e-Marefa—reflecting a shared commitment to transparency, research integrity, and publisher-supported innovation at a time when such values are critically needed. Supported by these publishers, Zendy’s AI assistant, ZAIA, can now reference an even broader base of peer-reviewed content, ensuring that researchers receive high-quality, accurate, and fully attributed responses powered by our domain-specific large language model. Zendy Co-founder Kamran Kardan commented:“We’re seeing a turning point in how academic publishers view AI, we can sense an active shift from threat to partner. The inclusion of Wiley, IEEE and our other partners sends a powerful message that transparent and fair licensing and ethical AI models are the way forward.” A Transparent Model Grounded in Attribution and Licensing ZAIA uses RAG to retrieve data from a combination of open access and licensed paywalled sources. References generated by the model are attributed, enabling Zendy to calculate compensation per citation. This ensures AI can reach its full potential without overlooking the critical questions publishers are asking. We’re building this model together with collaboration at its core. This model is not just a technical solution, it’s a statement about the future of knowledge dissemination, where publishers are part of the AI value chain, not left behind by it. We also see a future where attribution goes beyond paywalled content, recognising the pivotal contributions of Open Access publishers and, ultimately, individual authors. Our model is designed to be scalable across the entire scholarly communication ecosystem, ensuring that the benefits of AI reach every stakeholder in the research value chain. Why Ethical Attribution Matters for Researchers and Institutions For the global scholarly community, this means unrestricted access to quality, reference-backed information. With trusted sources powering responses, researchers can confidently explore new ideas. For institutions, it creates a more defined path to AI adoption with publisher-approved, ethically referenced data, supporting academic integrity and compliance at every step. Get Involved in the Future of AI Collaboration We invite all stakeholders, including academic publishers, libraries, and research institutions to join us in shaping a future where AI collaboratively supports, not replaces, the foundations of scholarly communication. For more information or to book a demo of the capabilities of Zendy’s AI solutions, please visit our website. About Zendy We are an AI-powered research library with over 780,000 users across over 190 countries. Designed to accelerate the research process, we provide access to millions of journals, articles, and e-books, while offering a range of AI-driven tools, including ZAIA, an AI assistant that helps researchers expedite their research journey. We collaborate with leading academic publishers to make scholarly content more accessible and affordable, ensuring that users can explore high-quality research with ease. Zendy is a product of Knowledge E and is developed in collaboration with researchers, students, institutions, and publishers. Our mission is to democratise access to content by making it more affordable and accessible. There are no limitations on reading, just simple access to scholarly resources. For more information, visit zendy.io. .wp-block-image img { max-width: 85% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }

How to Write a Strong Literature Review (With Examples)
In a previous blog, we highlighted top 5 best AI tools for literature review that offer a large collection of research materials to support your research. Now, in this blog, we will go through the process and the 3 pillars of writing lit review while providing a real-life literature review example to help you grasp the concept with ease. What's a Literature Review? A literature review is a summary of what other researchers have already discovered about your topic. It helps you figure out what's already known, what questions still need answers, and how your own research fits into the bigger picture. What Are the 3 Pillars of Literature Review? Introduction The introduction of a literature review should: Provide context for the topic Define the scope and purpose of the review Outline the organisational framework Present a clear thesis statement Body The body of the literature review is where you analyse and synthesise existing research. Consider organising your review by: Themes or concepts Chronological order Methodological approaches Conclusion A strong conclusion should: Summarise key findings Highlight contributions to the field Discuss implications and applications Suggest directions for future research Tips on How to Write a Great Literature Review Read widely to get a full picture of your topic. Don't just summarise - analyse and compare different studies. Look for patterns and gaps in the research. Keep your writing clear and logical. Use transition words to help your ideas flow smoothly. How Zendy Can Help with Your Literature Review In order to write a strong literature review you need to find the right sources, and of course a tools to help accelerate the process. Zendy.io isn’t just a digital library that offers access to relevant studies across disciplines, but it also helps you write a solid literature review, Zendy AI tools include features designed to help you with literature reviews. You can: Summarise lengthy research articles instantly Highlight key phrases and findings Ask ZAIA, your personal AI research assistant, to explain complex papers Compare multiple sources to find common themes or gaps It’s a simple way to stay focused, save time, and actually enjoy the process. Real-Life Literature Review Example This is my favourite example of a literature review! Assume you're reviewing literature on climate change and agriculture: "Researchers have been studying how climate change affects farming for decades. Early studies in the 1990s focused mainly on crop yields (Stephen, 1992; Iana, 1995). As time went on, scientists started looking at more complex issues. For example, Sleman (2005) examined how changing rainfall patterns affect soil quality, while Monica (2010) investigated the spread of new crop diseases in warmer temperatures. Recent research has taken a broader view. Emad (2018) looked at how climate change impacts entire food systems, from farm to table. Meanwhile, Rodrigo (2020) explored how small-scale farmers in developing countries are adapting to new weather patterns. Despite all this research, we still don't know enough about how climate change will affect food security in specific regions. Future studies could focus on creating detailed, local predictions to help farmers prepare for what's ahead." See how this example of literature review flows naturally from one idea to the next? It gives you a clear picture of how research in this area has evolved over time. Other Examples of Literature Review Chronological literature review example: Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review Methodological literature review example: Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines Theoretical literature review example: Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature Thematic literature review example: The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review Other literature review example: The Economics of Global Climate Change: A Historical Literature Review University of West Florida: Literature Review: Conducting & Writing By following these tips and studying literature review examples, you'll be ready to start writing a solid literature review. Remember, the key is to organise your sources, explain how they connect, and point out what still needs to be studied. Happy researching! .wp-block-image img { max-width: 85% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }

The Journal of Financial Economics
A top peer-reviewed journal since 1974 published by Elsevier, founded by Michael C. Jensen, Eugene Fama, and Robert C. Merton. The Journal of Financial Economics (JEF) serves as a dedicated platform for publishing high-quality studies on financial markets, corporate finance, financial intermediation, entrepreneurial finance, corporate governance, organisational economics, macro-finance, behavioural finance, and household finance. Focused on both theoretical and empirical research in financial economics. The Journal of Financial Economics prioritises rigorous empirical, theoretical, and experimental contributions, particularly those related to the theory of the firm and financial economics. Journal of Financial Economics Impact Factor and Rankings According to the latest updates from VU Journal Publishing Guide, The Journal of Financial Economics has made a big impact, with an impressive 10.4 impact factor as of 2024. That puts it among the top economics and finance journals globally. It ranks 5th out of 600 in the Economics category and takes the top spot—1st out of 233—in Business, Finance. These rankings highlight just how influential the journal is in its field. AbbreviationJ. FINANC. ECONISSN0304-405X (1879-2774)eISSN:N/ACategoryAccounting (Q1); Economics and Econometrics (Q1); Finance (Q1); Strategy and Management (Q1)WoS Core Citation IndexesSSCI - Social Sciences Citation IndexJournal Impact Factor (JIF)10.45-year Impact Factor11.4Best ranking:ECONOMICS (Q1) Percentage rank: 99.2%CountrySWITZERLANDPublisherElsevier Source: WoS Journal of Financial Economics Scopus Metrics According to Scopus data for 2023, the journal's metrics are equally impressive: SCImago Journal Rank (SJR): 13.655 Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP): 5.048 CiteScore: 15.8 These metrics reinforce the journal's reputation as a leader in its field, with high rankings in many categories including Accounting, Finance, Economics and Econometrics, and Strategy and Management. Journal of Financial Economics H-index and Citations The Journal of Financial Economics has an exceptional h-index of 311, indicating that at least 311 articles published in the journal have been cited at least 311 times each. This high h-index reflects the journal's strong impact and the enduring relevance of its published research. What is The Scope of The Journal of Financial Economics? The journal covers a wide range of topics within finance and economics, including: Accounting Economics and Econometrics Finance Strategy and Management It's particularly known for its applied papers and case studies section, which provides a platform for scholarly studies of actual cases, events, or practices in the financial world. Conclusion The Journal of Financial Economics stands out as a top-tier publication in its field, consistently ranking highly across various metrics. Its high impact factor, impressive SJR, and strong h-index all point to its significant influence in the world of financial economics. For researchers and professionals in finance and economics, publishing or referencing articles from this journal can lend considerable weight to their work. .wp-block-image img { max-width: 85% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }

We Are Exhibiting UKSG 2025 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Brighton!
We're thrilled to announce that we will be exhibiting at the 48th UKSG Conference from March 31 to April 2, 2025, in Brighton, UK. Visit us at booth #79 to experience: Live Demonstrations: See how Zendy’s AI-powered tools, like ZAIA and AI Summarisation, can streamline your research with reference-backed answers to all your research questions and concise summaries of complex academic papers Personalised Consultations: Meet our team to discuss how Zendy can support your library’s digital transformation. Interactive Sessions: Learn about our affordable subscription models and global accessibility initiatives. Meet Kamran Kardan, Sara Crowley Vigneau and Lisette van Kessel to learn how Zendy is making knowledge more accessible and affordable for researchers, students, and professionals worldwide. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the future of scholarly communication. To schedule a meeting with our team, please email us at info@zendy.io About UKSG Annual Conference: The UKSG Conference is a premier event in scholarly communications, attracting global delegates including librarians, publishers, researchers, and students. It offers an excellent platform for networking and exploring the latest trends in the research and publishing community. To learn more visit: https://www.uksg.org/events/conference25/ .wp-block-image img { max-width: 50% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }

We are Attending the 20th Annual Electronic Resources & Libraries (ER&L) Conference
We’re excited to announce that we will be attending the 20th Annual Electronic Resources & Libraries (ER&L) Conference from March 23–26, 2025, in Austin, Texas! This milestone event brings together professionals in e-resources, digital services, and the library industry to share insights, foster innovation, and build connections. Let’s Connect! If you’re attending ER&L 2025 or will be in Austin during the event, set up and schedule a meeting with our Co-founder Kamran Kardan. Please email us at info@zendy.io to schedule a time to discuss ZAIA’s vision for the future of AI in research and digital innovation. About ER&L 2025 The ER&L Conference is a community-driven event celebrating its 20th year of bringing together professionals passionate about electronic resources and digital services. With a peer-reviewed program shaped by industry experts, it’s the perfect space to explore trends, technologies, and solutions shaping the future of libraries. Location: Austin, USADates: March 23–26, 2025 Join us as we celebrate two decades of innovation in e-resources management! We look forward to seeing you there! To learn more visit – https://electroniclibrarian.org .wp-block-image img { max-width: 85% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }

Announcing our RAG-Based Revenue-Sharing Model for Academic Publishers
We are excited to announce a first-of-its-kind revenue-sharing model for AI-generated content, ensuring that publishers are fairly compensated when their paywalled research is cited by AI. Zendy Co-founder Kamran Kardan Our domain-specific large language model (LLM), ZAIA, uses Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to retrieve data from a diverse collection of open access (OA) and paywalled metadata through licensing agreements with publishers. Based on reference generation by the LLM, our new revenue-sharing model enables a fair and sustainable approach to compensating academic publishers for the use of their content by AI. Empowering Publishers with AI Innovation For years, major academic publishers have been cautious about AI companies using their research, citing copyright concerns, revenue impact, and the need for proper attribution. Our new model introduces a transparent, ethical approach for publishers to monetise their content in the AI era. Many large language models are restricted to training on publicly available research, as major publishers have not yet actively licensed their work to AI companies. Our revenue-sharing model is one of the first of its kind, ensuring clear consent, proper attribution, and fair compensation based on content retrieval. The transparent revenue-sharing mechanism ensures fair compensation for publishers based on the number of references provided in ZAIA’s responses. Our co-founder, Kamran Kardan, said: "This is a positive shift for the academic publishing industry. For the first time, AI is being used to drive revenue back to publishers instead of bypassing them. Ethical AI also means giving credit—and compensation—where it’s due. In the long term, we believe even authors should share in this revenue." We are partnering with a range of international publishers on this model, including IT Governance, Lexxion, British Online Archives, and Lived Places Publishing. Additionally, the RAG model is available for open access publishers, and we are currently exploring alternative compensation models for open access. A Leap Forward for Researchers and Institutions ZAIA provides users with precise, contextually relevant content tailored to their research needs. It offers answers to researchers' questions with reference-backed responses, ensuring that researchers and institutions can access high-quality, peer-reviewed materials while supporting the publishers who produce them. Promoting Sustainable and Ethical AI Content Partnerships To deliver accurate, unbiased, and comprehensive insights, large language models (LLMs) require diverse academic content. Our RAG-based model encourages broader collaboration between publishers and AI companies, fostering ethical agreements rooted in mutual licensing. Direct licensing with publishers allows us to guarantee high-quality, accurate, and up-to-date content, including retractions and data updates, thereby placing research integrity at the heart of our platform and our development of sustainable AI. We invite publishers, researchers, and institutions to collaborate in shaping the future of AI-driven research. To learn more about partnership opportunities, visit www.zendy.io or contact us at partnerships@zendy.io. About Zendy We are an AI-powered research library with over 780,000 users across 190+ countries. Designed to streamline the research process, we provide access to millions of journals, articles, and e-books, while offering a range of AI-driven tools, including ZAIA, an AI assistant that helps researchers expedite their research journey. We collaborate with leading academic publishers to make scholarly content more accessible and affordable, ensuring that users can explore high-quality research with ease. Zendy was created to facilitate access to academic literature. By addressing the key challenges that researchers face with traditional ways of finding relevant, high-quality academic content, we strive to provide peace of mind to students, researchers, professionals, and knowledge enthusiasts. We are developed by Knowledge E in a growing collaboration with researchers, students, institutions, and publishers. Our mission is to democratise access to content by making it more affordable and accessible. There are no limitations on reading, just simple access to scholarly resources. For more information visit zendy.io. .wp-block-image img { max-width: 85% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }

How to Find Peer-Reviewed Articles for Your Research
If you're doing research, you'll want to use reliable sources. Peer-reviewed articles are among the best because experts review them before they're published, ensuring quality and credibility. The benefits of expert peer review in research are significant—it helps maintain high standards, validates findings, and improves the overall reliability of academic work. But how do you find these peer-reviewed journal articles, and how can you tell if a journal is peer-reviewed? Let's break it down. What Are Peer-Reviewed Articles? A peer-reviewed article is one that has been checked by other experts in the field before publication. This process helps make sure the research is solid and trustworthy. Where Can You Find Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles? You can find peer-reviewed articles in a few different places: University Libraries – If you're a student or faculty member, your university library probably gives you access to research databases. Academic Databases – Websites like PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science have collections of scholarly peer-reviewed articles. Zendy – Affordable and accessible peer-reviewed scholarly content, in partnerships with leading publishers e.g., IntechOpen, IEEE, IT Governance Publishing, and IGI Global, powered by AI. Google Scholar – Some journal articles here are peer-reviewed, but not all. You’ll need to check the source. See The Growth of Digital Libraries: Benefits, Challenges & Trajectory How to Recognise Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles There are 4 ways to check if a journal is peer-reviewed or not: Visit the Journal’s Website – Look for a section about their review process. Use Library Databases – Many academic databases label peer-reviewed journals. Check the Editorial Board – A peer-reviewed journal usually lists experts who review submissions. Look It Up on Ulrichsweb – This directory can tell you if a journal is peer-reviewed. Are Google Scholar Articles Peer-Reviewed? Not necessarily. Google Scholar collects all sorts of academic work, including conference papers and preprints, which may not have gone through peer review. To check, see if the article was published in a reputable journal. What Is a Peer Review Example? Let’s say a scientist submits a research paper to a journal. The editor sends it to other experts, who review it for accuracy and clarity. And then they might suggest changes or reject the paper if it doesn’t meet the journal’s standards. So if the paper gets approved, it’s published as a peer-reviewed article. What’s the Difference Between Peer Review and an Original Article? Peer Review – A process where experts evaluate a research paper before it’s published. Original Article – A research paper that presents new findings. Some original articles are peer-reviewed, while others aren’t. How To Select Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles? When looking for peer-reviewed articles: Check the Journal – Make sure it's known for publishing peer-reviewed articles. Look at the Author’s Background – Are they an expert in the field? Review the References – Good research builds on other credible studies. Use Trusted Databases – Databases like Zendy, PubMed, and Scopus focus on peer-reviewed work. How Do You Know If a Peer-Reviewed Article Is Credible? Even among scholarly peer-reviewed journals, some are more reliable than others. Here’s what to look for: Reputation of the Journal – Some journals have stricter standards than others. Possible Bias – If a study is funded by a company with an interest in the results, for example, a pharmaceutical company funding a study on its own medication might have an interest in positive findings, be cautious. Strong Research Methods – A reliable, peer-reviewed article clearly explains how the research was conducted and how conclusions were reached. Retraction History – Some papers are later retracted due to mistakes or misconduct. Check if the article has been retracted. Final Thoughts It’s not hard to find peer-reviewed journal articles; it just takes a trusted source and a clear understanding of what you’re looking for. Digital libraries like Zendy give you access to everything you need in one place, including both free and paywalled peer-reviewed articles, with over 40 million articles across disciplines like engineering, medicine, economics, and more. .wp-block-image img { max-width: 85% !important; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important; }