Artificial intelligence tools are increasingly used for research. People ask them to explain topics, summarize articles, suggest books, or help organize ideas. Used thoughtfully, AI can be a helpful starting point. Used carelessly, it can create confusion, especially when it invents information that sounds real but is not.
This second post in the ORL’s AI Introduction Series focuses on how beginners can use AI tools for research in a practical, careful way.
What does “using AI for research” mean?
Using AI for research can involve several different tasks. You might ask for a plain-language explanation of a topic, request a summary of a longer article, generate keywords to use in a database search, brainstorm related ideas, or ask for suggestions for books and articles.
These can all be helpful starting points. The important thing to remember is that AI tools generate responses based on patterns in language. They are not research databases, and they do not directly retrieve or verify information from published sources.
AI is Not a Library Catalogue.
A common mistake is using AI as though it were a library search tool or database. Library catalogues and research databases direct you to real, published materials. You can see the author, publisher, date, and often access the full text. AI tools, by contrast, create answers based on patterns in language. Sometimes they suggest real books or articles. Sometimes they generate titles that don’t exist. This is often called “hallucination.”
If an AI tool gives you the title of a book or article, always search for it in a trusted source, such as:
- the ORL’s catalogue
- the ORL’s Digital Collection
- a reputable database or publisher’s website
If you can’t find the original source, it may not be real.
Tips for Using AI for Research.
Here are a few practical ways to use AI to research more effectively.
Request a broad overview of a subject.
You might ask: “Explain the basics of renewable energy in plain language for someone new to the topic.” This can give you background knowledge before you move on to books or articles.
Generate search terms.
Instead of asking an AI tool to explain a subject, try asking: “What keywords should I use to research food insecurity in Canada?” Then take those keywords into the ORL’s catalogue or a database. This keeps the research process grounded in real materials.
Request summaries carefully.
If you already have an article, you can ask AI to summarize it. Keep in mind that summaries may miss nuance. It’s still important to read the original source, especially if the topic is complex.
Why AI Sometimes Gets It Wrong.
AI tools are often fluent and sound confident. That does not mean they are correct.
They may:
- Invent article titles or authors.
- Combine details from sources of varying quality. If researching a home appliance, for example, AI may generate responses that combine professional reviews from trusted sources such as Consumer Reports with less objective information from online message boards, manufacturers, and retailers.
- Provide outdated information. Because AI tools are trained on large datasets collected at a specific point in time, they may not have access to the most recent information or real-time updates.
- Reflect bias from the data they were trained on.
This is why fact-checking matters. If the topic involves health, law, finances, or education, it is essential to double-check information generated by an AI tool against legitimate, reliable sources.
Privacy and Caution.
Avoid entering sensitive personal information into AI tools. Do not share passwords, identification numbers, private documents, or personal financial details. Some AI tools store or use input data to improve their systems. It is best to treat anything you type as potentially public.
AI and Intellectual Honesty
If you’re writing for school, work, or publication and use AI to generate ideas, suggest structure, edit wording, or summarize content, you may need to acknowledge that assistance, depending on your institution’s guidelines. Many schools and workplaces now have policies about AI use. When in doubt, ask your instructor, employer, or a librarian.
Your community library and the knowledge professionals found there remain your most trusted research partner. AI can help you begin. The library helps you verify.
The ORL offers access to books, e-resources, and knowledgeable staff who can help you refine search terms, locate reliable sources, and evaluate information. If you’re unsure whether a source is legitimate, bring the title to a librarian at your local branch, or email us at help@orl.bc.ca. We’re happy to help sort it out.
Try This at Home: Research Prompts
If you’re new to AI and want to determine if it’s a research resource that suits you, try prompts like these:
“Explain [topic] in plain language for a beginner.”
“Provide five keywords I could use to research [topic] in a library database.”
“What are common debates, perspectives or opposing viewpoints on [topic]?”
“Summarize this paragraph in simpler terms: [paste excerpt].”
Then take what you learn and confirm it using trusted sources. Research has always required curiosity and critical thinking. AI doesn’t replace those skills. It simply adds another tool to the process.
Book Recommendations
Looking to learn more about research skills, digital literacy, or artificial intelligence? The ORL has a wide selection of items available.
In A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence, Oxford researcher Mike Wooldridge offers an accessible overview of how AI developed, where it stands today, and where it may be heading.
Future Forward: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson surveys the history, modern applications, and ethical questions surrounding AI, encouraging readers to think critically about its expanding role in everyday life.
How to Think About AI: A Guide for the Perplexed by Richard Susskind examines the history, promises, and risks of artificial intelligence, urging readers to look beyond today’s tools and consider the deeper ethical and societal questions that future AI developments may raise.
Co-Intelligence: Living and Working With AI by Ethan Mollick explores how generative AI can act as a collaborator in work and daily life, offering practical insight into how humans can partner with intelligent tools while thinking critically about their long-term impact on society.
Confident AI: The Essential Skills for Working With Artificial Intelligence by Andy Pardoe offers an accessible introduction to the fundamentals of AI, helping readers build practical knowledge and confidence for using AI tools in their careers and everyday work.
Mastering AI: A Survival Guide to Our Superpowered Future by Jeremy Kahn examines how artificial intelligence could transform industries, education, health care, and creative work, while also warning of serious risks to inequality, democracy, and critical thinking if the technology is not carefully managed.
In our next post in the AI Basics series, we will explore using AI as a creative partner.
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