The goal
To learn how to review an AI tool’s answer and check its information and sources before using it in your studies or work.
Before you start
- An answer you received from an AI tool about a topic you are studying.
- At least two reliable sources on the topic: a textbook, an official website or a scholarly article.
- A notebook or file for your notes.
The steps
- Identify the claims: write down the three most important pieces of information in the answer.
- Ask for sources: ask the tool for the sources of this information.
- Open the sources yourself: make sure each source really exists and says what is attributed to it.
- Compare: match each piece of information against your reliable sources.
- Decide: what you accept, what you correct and what you remove.
Try it yourself
Ask the tool to explain a topic you are studying, then apply the steps to its answer.
A clearer request: “Explain the causes of climate change in five points, and give for each point a source I can refer to.”
After the answer: open every source mentioned. Does it exist? Does it say what is attributed to it? Note the result next to each point.
Note: results vary from one tool to another and from one attempt to the next; the example shows a possible result, not a fixed one.
Review the result
- Did you find a source that does not exist or does not say what was attributed to it? This is a common error, so do not rely on it.
- Did the key information agree with your reliable sources?
- Can you explain the idea in your own words without going back to the answer?
- If you use the answer in an assignment or research, follow your school’s or university’s disclosure rules.