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Student Guide to Generative AI

This research guide provides definition, information, and resources for students to understand the basics of generative AI and ChatGPT including concerns, limitations, and opportunities.

As a student, there are both practical and ethical considerations around using any technology in school, including AI like ChatGPT. 

  • Review your syllabus for guidelines or ask professors for guidance on if and how to use ChatGPT in your individual courses, especially courses with writing components. 
  • Seek guidance from university departments like the Library, Learning Commons, or your Advisor, if you have additional concerns. 
  • For questions about plagiarism and academic misconduct, refer to the Academic Integrity Code for more details. 

Should I use AI for this task?

There are some important considerations to think about before using a generative AI tool for a task, especially for high stakes situations such as college or workplace tasks!

“Should I use AI for this?” 

Answer the questions below to decide if you should consider using generative AI for certain tasks. If the answer is “NO”, don’t use AI! 

 

Am I allowed to use AI in this class & prepared to explain how I used it? 

Yes, it can be used. (Make sure to check the guidelines!) 

No, it can’t be used, even if it’s cited. (STOP) 

 

Is it ethical? Am I sabotaging my learning? 

Yes, I am learning and using critical thinking while using AI. 

Not ethical - I’m having AI do all of the work. (STOP) 

 

Is the task aligned with AI’s skills? Or is it easier to do it myself? 

Yes, AI is capable at completing this task effectively. (Link to skills chart) 

No, the skills are more “human” like critique or imaginative thinking and it’s better to do myself (STOP) 

 

Will I be able to fact-check the response for accuracy & bias? 

Yes, I am knowledgeable or will fact/bias check against other sources. 

No, it is better to use a search engine so I have the context of the sources to evaluate. (STOP)  

  

Will the prompt include personal information of my own or someone else’s? 

The prompt may contain private details or data. (STOP) 

PAUSE to remove any personally identifiable information.  

Human Skills versus Generative AI Skills

When deciding whether to use a generative AI tool, consider if the request is something that AI excels at. Generative AI tools are not trained to make ethical judgements, critically think, or do deep logical thinking. 

EXAMPLE:

  • Generative AI's are great at summarizing large blocks of text quickly like a scholarly research study. 
  • Humans are great at evaluating the ethics of the research methods in that study or at critiquing the limitations of the study. 

Using AI in College

Using ChatGPT in College Work 

As people experiment with ChatGPT and other AI tools, many options have been discovered that college students can use to enhance their work (in ethical ways!). 

For example, you could use ChatGPT or other generative AI tools to:

  • Summarize a large block of text or a complex reading. 
  • Brainstorm ideas for research questions or narrow down existing ideas.
  • Suggest an opposing viewpoint against your thesis to expand your knowledge and hone your debate skills. 
  • Ask for feedback on your writing for the tool to review for grammar, sources, or content.
  • Outline a paper based on your initial research. 
  • Create flashcards to study for tests.

See the articles below for additional suggestions and ideas for tools to try out.

Alternatives to ChatGPT

ChatGPT may have exploded into our consciousness but it is not the only large language model tool - and it won't be the last. If you'd like to consider other options, these are a few alternatives: