Using Generative AI Responsibly for Brainstorming and Refining a Research Question

This activity assignment involves using Generative AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Pi.ai, to assist in brainstorming and refining research questions. The task is structured into three main sections:

1. Narrowing a Topic:
   • Experiment with different prompts to see which ones work best for narrowing down a research topic.
   • Record the effective prompts and note whether a single interaction (single-shot) or multiple interactions (few-shot) were needed.
   • List additional topic suggestions provided by the AI and evaluate their relevance.
2. Refining Your Research Question:
   • Test various prompts to refine a research question.
   • Identify the most effective prompts and determine if a single-shot or few-shot approach was more beneficial.
   • Document other research questions suggested by the AI and assess their usefulness.
3. Generating Keywords/Phrases for Library Database Searches:
   • Use prompts to generate keywords and phrases for searching in library databases.
   • Note which prompts were most effective and whether a single-shot or few-shot approach was used.
   • List additional keywords or phrases suggested by the AI and consider their applicability.

Participants are encouraged to follow the guidelines provided in the "Using Generative AI Responsibly for Brainstorming and Refining a Research Question" handout, experiment with different prompts, and engage in a conversational approach with the AI to optimize their results.