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Artificial Intelligence Literacy

Guide to Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy and AI use in research.

LLMs: Uses and Prompt Strategies

Large Language Models (LLMs) are a powerful tool that can be used in developing ideas and as a starting point for research. The key to using them effectively in knowing how to form prompts and refine the outputs.

 

Uses of LLMs

  • As a starting point, but not as a source of facts.
  • Text editing, such as rephrasing text to make it more accessible to those without specific knowledge or for different reading abilities.
  • To generate ideas and start discussions.

 

Prompting Strategies

  • Give the AI a role or provide context for your prompt.
  • Give explicit and detailed instructions. Include the format you want the tool to use for the output.
  • Keep talking to it. Ask for changes as you go. Don't expect the first response to be perfect, because that is your starting point.

Sources:

University of Washington Health Sciences Library. Artificial Intelligence: Guide to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health sciences research. Updated December 20, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2024. https://guides.lib.uw.edu/hsl/ai

University of Arizona AI Literacy Workshop, May 17, 2023. Accessed January 11, 2024.

Limitations of LLMs

AI should not be used as a search engine. Generative AI such as ChatGPT and Bing Chat are Large Language Models (LLMs) that work on probabilistic generation of text.

Limitations of LLMs

  • AI may "hallucinate" answers that sound true but are not.
  • When citations are provided by the AI, they may not be real.
  • Your chosen tool may have outdated information if the version has not been updated recently.
  • Publishers have begun to disallow use of AI in writing.
  • What you submit to AI may be used in future training data.

 

Some of these limitations are easier to work around than others. See the uses and strategies above for ways to use AI responsibly.

Always fact check information and sources (if provided) when using AI in research. See AI and Academic Integrity for tips on using AI in course work.

Cite your tool when using it in any academic writing.

Source: University of Washington Health Sciences Library. Artificial Intelligence: Guide to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health sciences research. Updated December 20, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2024. https://guides.lib.uw.edu/hsl/ai