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ENG 110 - Schaaf: Using AI

Resources and Assistance for your Final Research Paper

AI as a Research Assistant

AI tools such as Copilot can help you focus your topic and guide you through the research process.

Generative AI, while inappropriate for creating text that you might use in your paper, can be an effective tool for helping you find the best search terms and even the best subject databases to use.

  1. To get to Copilot, go to Microsoft 365, which has been rebranded Microsoft 365 Copilot.
  2. Click the icon for Copilot chat.
  3. Type in your question -- be as specific as you can.
  4. Follow up with additional questions or rephrase your questions until you find helpful results.

Sample prompt: What are 10 search terms I can use to find scholarly articles about the negative effects of oversleeping?

Sample prompt: What are the best research databases to use to find information about college students and social media?

Be sure to check out the suggested prompts that Copilot adds to the bottom of its response. Like:

  • "What are some key studies on this topic?"
  • "Can you suggest specific databases?"
  • "Can you explain how to use Google Scholar?"

Resources Related to AI

Here is a Library Guide that is focused on AI tools and issues in an academic setting:

Worksheet to Help You Brainstorm