---
license: mit
language:
- en
base_model:
- mistralai/Mistral-7B-v0.1
---
# Educational Research Methods Chatbot - Setup Guide

This guide provides instructions for setting up and running the Educational Research Methods Chatbot.

## Prerequisites

- Python 3.8 or higher
- pip (Python package installer)
- An OpenAI API key for Command R+ access

## Installation

1. Clone or download the repository to your local machine.

2. Navigate to the project directory:
   ```
   cd research_methods_chatbot
   ```

3. Install the required dependencies:
   ```
   pip install -r src/requirements.txt
   ```

4. Create a `.env` file in the `src` directory with your OpenAI API key:
   ```
   OPENAI_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   ```

## Running the Chatbot

1. Start the application:
   ```
   cd src
   python main.py
   ```

2. Open your web browser and navigate to:
   ```
   http://localhost:8080
   ```

3. You should see the chatbot interface where you can ask questions about educational research methods.

## Features

- **Research Method Recommendations**: Get advice on which research methods are appropriate for your educational research project.
- **APA7 Citations**: All information is provided with proper APA7 citations from published scientific resources.
- **Conversation History**: The chatbot maintains context throughout your conversation for more coherent interactions.
- **Responsive Design**: Works on both desktop and mobile devices.

## Architecture

The chatbot uses a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture with the following components:

1. **Command R+ LLM**: Powers the natural language understanding and generation.
2. **Vector Database**: Stores embeddings of research methods information for efficient retrieval.
3. **FastAPI Backend**: Handles API requests and manages the RAG pipeline.
4. **Web Frontend**: Provides a user-friendly interface for interacting with the chatbot.

## Customization

To customize the chatbot with additional research methods information:

1. Add your information to the `research_methods_info.md` file.
2. Restart the application to rebuild the vector database with the new information.

## Troubleshooting

- If you encounter CORS issues, check that the frontend URL matches the allowed origins in the backend configuration.
- If the chatbot doesn't provide citations, ensure that the research methods information is properly formatted with source information.
- If you receive API errors, verify that your OpenAI API key is valid and has sufficient credits.

## License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.