Tips to use GenAI tools in research

Knowing which GenAI tool to use is not always easy. There are many different types of tools and each of them works a little bit differently. This page provides tips and best practices for using GenAI.

Establish goals

What are your goals and objectives for using GenAI? It's important to establish an understanding of why you are using a specific tool to accomplish a task before you start using it.

Know the functionality

What can the GenAI do for you? Each GenAI tool functions differently and it's important to understand what the tool can and cannot do. Review the application and determine if it is the right fit for your goals identified above.

Prompt engineering

How can you use the GenAI tool to the best of its ability? Most GenAI tools begin with a prompt or request on behalf of the user. Understanding how to create effective prompts is a skill itself. When writing your prompt be sure to use clear language, state your purpose, audience and format if needed.

Iterative process

Is the output of the GenAI not what you wanted? Using GenAI is an iterative process, meaning there is a lot of back and forth between the user and the tool in order to create the output that is most useful. If you receive an output that doesn't work for you, don't give up right away. Try a new approach to your prompt and tell the tool what needs to be done differently. Once you have generated your final version of the content be sure to check it over for any mistakes.

Ways to use GenAI in research

Ask it for definitions

If you need a concept explained or defined, ChatGPT (or a similar tool) can provide that explanation in as detailed or simple a manner as you would like. It can provide you with a variety of definitions, descriptions, and explanations -- but be sure to evaluate them carefully to ensure they are related to your information need or context.

Ask it for summaries and analyses of research articles

Check out the video below to see techniques and prompts you can use in Bing AI to get the most out of research articles!

Ask it for feedback on your writing

ChatGPT (or a similar tool) can be another source of feedback. You can copy/paste your work into ChatGPT and ask it to review your writing for errors. It will provide a list of suggestions that you can use to improve your writing. You can also ask it how to fix errors. Ask, "What is a comma spliace and how do I fix it?" and ChatGPT will explain the error and ways to correct it.

Ask it for insight into solving large scale problems

ChatGPT can generate ideas or list possible solutions for problems or questions that are complex or difficult to solve. Try asking, "How do we solve [problem]?" and see if it inspires you to change the world.

Tips for writing effective AI prompts

NOTE: AI tools will collect data on you. Please do not share personal information that you do not want collected.

Below is a prompt to obtain guidance on writing prompts for use with AI. The prompt was submitted to the AI chat service, You.com on January 31, 2024. Try the links provided in the generated text at the end of each listed item to obtain more in-depth information.

Prompt: I need tips for writing effective prompts for use with generative AI tools.

Generated answer:

"Tips for Writing Effective Prompts for Generative AI Tools

Writing effective prompts is crucial for getting the desired output from generative AI tools. Here are some tips to help you craft effective prompts:

Remember, the quality of the outputs you receive from generative AI tools is heavily influenced by the prompts you provide. By following these tips, you can improve the effectiveness of your prompts and enhance the results you get from generative AI tools."

References and additional resources

CSUN: Artificial Intelligence Guide

McGill University: Artificial Intelligence Guide

➡️ Select "Next" below or click here to learn how to evaluate GenAI output!