PLAN 576/AAAD 492: Urbanism in the Global South: Using AI

• Giving 100% accurate information and data 
• Creating correctly formatted citations
• Citing where the information in its output originated 
• Writing research papers for you

Steps to take when using AI in the research process:

• Check with your instructor/professor to what is acceptable use of AI.
• The use of AI should be open and documented.
• Make sure to verify the claims, quotations, sources, and reasoning that are generated by AI tools.
• If you are not able to locate the source from which the material is derived, you should not make use of the content.
• Document the process by explaining how you used AI; topic selection, generating keywords, research, the ouline of your paper, etc. 

All the information on AI is cited from Dayna Durbin' slide deck, Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Librarian.

Potential text-based AI tools to try:

ChatGPT

Copilot chat (free with your UNC account).

Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection is an AI-powered assistant designed to enhance productivity and creativity. The “data protection” aspect of the tool refers to the security measures and privacy controls in place to safeguard user information. Free generative AI tools commonly do not treat user-provided information as private. Copilot is a good alternative to ChatGPT because it uses the same underlying technology but is licensed for UNC affiliates and includes data protection. It also provides references for its responses.

Cited from Student Guide to Generative AI

“Hi! I'm researching [short description of your general topic]. Can you help narrow this to a more specific research topic? 

“I'm especially interested in [subtopic from the suggestions]. What are some research questions in this area?” 

“What are some angles I could take that include the impact of [my research topic] on local communities?”

When writing a prompt, be specific, concise, and give details about the kind of output you want.

How did using the AI tool change or help refine your research topic?

What keywords did the AI tool suggest? Were they different from what you initially brainstormed?