AI Literacy · Q2: Before you use AI’s answer
Check AI's answer before you copy it, study from it, or use it in your work.
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AI chat tools write by guessing which words usually come next. They do not look up facts the way your textbook or a library database does. So an answer can sound sure of itself and still be wrong.
AI can:
Find the main facts in your textbook, your course materials, or another source you trust. If AI gave you a source, open it. Make sure the source says what AI says it does.
Read the assignment directions again. Does AI's answer do what your instructor asked?
If you can't explain AI's answer, you can't tell yet if it is right.
AI's reply can show you where to look more closely.
This does not prove anything. AI can be wrong about this too. Always use at least one of the other checks as well.
A student asks AI for articles to use in a paper. AI gives her three. She searches for them in the library database. One is real. The other two do not exist. She keeps the real one and asks a librarian to help her find two more.
A student asks AI what machine settings to use for a lab project. Before he tries them, he compares AI's answer to the equipment chart and his program's procedure sheet. They do not match. He follows the procedure sheet and asks his instructor about the difference.
Your instructor's AI Course Policy and assignment directions always apply.
Suggest an addition or correction: email Stephanie Self.
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