Using AI to Support Your Research

A prompt is the input you provide an AI platform (like ChatGPT) that will generate a response. It may take multiple attempts to create the right prompt that will produce the output you want.

While not a substitute for research, generative AI can help you:

• Brainstorm topics for papers
• Gather background information
• Narrow the focus of your topic
• Assist with idea organization and outlines
• Identify keywords.

Here are some tips for effective prompt engineering to generate keywords and ideas.

• Role play, provide context, and add details.

Example: "I am a college student writing an argumentative paper for my first-year composition class. My thesis statement is 'Endangered species must be protected because they play a vital role in the ecosystem and their extinction can have serious consequences.' What are some keywords I can use to search library databases to find sources?"

• Ask a follow-up question for additional information.

Example: Recommend a database from the McHenry County College Library to help with my research paper on endangered species.

Example: Create an outline for my research paper about endangered species and conservation efforts.

PRO TIP: The output with an outline could also be a great source of more keywords and ideas to search our databases and locate sources.

• Protect your privacy. Don't enter personally identifiable information (PII) in your chat. PII is defined as, "Information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, either alone or when combined with other information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual." (Source: United States Department of Labor)