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AI Tools and the Research Process

Guide to using Generative AI in research, covering tools, GPT models, key concerns, CLEAR Framework, and citation practices for ethical use.

AI Generated Image 1

Welcome to AI Tools and the Research Process

This research guide explores the integration of Generative AI into academic research, emphasizing the importance of understanding AI tools to use them effectively. It outlines the AI tools landscape, categorizing tools into general purpose, writing & paraphrasing, audio & visual, and research-specific applications.

The guide explains the GPT model's components and training process, highlighting pretraining, transformer architecture, fine-tuning, and text generation. It addresses critical concerns such as accuracy, copyright, bias, privacy, and environmental impact, providing strategies for responsible AI use. The CLEAR Framework is introduced to enhance prompt engineering, focusing on conciseness, logical structure, explicit instructions, adaptability, and continuous evaluation.

The guide also discusses best practices for citing AI-generated content, ensuring transparency and ethical research practices.

About, Assessing, Asking, & Attributing AI Tools

Image: About AI

About AI Tools 2

This page presents the principles of AI Tools and what researchers can anticipate when engaging with them. For example, users can expect AI tools to assist with tasks such as data analysis, content generation, and language translation.

Image: Assessing AI

Assessing AI Tools

This page aids researchers in appraising and assessing AI Tools for suitable integration into their research endeavors. For instance, researchers might evaluate an AI tool's accuracy in predicting trends or its efficiency in processing large datasets.

Image: Asking AI

Asking AI Tools

This page offers insights to researchers on crafting questions for AI, encapsulated in the art of prompt engineering. For example, researchers can learn how to structure prompts to get the most relevant and accurate responses from AI tools.

Image: Attributing AI

Attributing AI Tools

This section steers researchers through the nuances of academic integrity and AI Tools in the research process, including best practices for citation and disclosure to ensure their audience comprehends the role of AI in their work. For instance, researchers might include a statement in their paper explaining how AI was used to analyze data or generate initial drafts.

Disclosure Statement

Portions of the text in this guide were generated with drafting assistance from Microsoft Copilot and subsequently reviewed and edited by the author.

Citation

  1. Image generated by Firefly, response to "generate a header image of a group of researchers who are feeding information into a large retro robot," February 12, 2025, Adobe, https://firefly.adobe.com/.
  2. Images generated by Firefly, responses to the descriptions of each section, respectively, February 14, 2025, https://firefly.adobe.com/.

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