It’s here and there is no denying it. What are we talking about? Chat GPT of course. Whilst its features may be new and exciting, its application within the learning space for students is very similar.
You have a question, you put it to Chat GPT for an answer. It spits out in real time a script sourced from all kinds of publications, websites and other material that exists online. But how do you use this script so (a) it’s actually useful and (b) you don’t get into trouble for plagiarism?
Here’s a few of our recommendations we’ve found useful:
- Use the answers as a starting point to jump into further research. The results that are produced are not necessarily bad but will be generic and not as specific as needed. So if you are stuck or need some guidance, it’s a good place to start.
- Take screen shots or make a note of the answers that Chat GPT spits out. That way you have a record of what answers were provided to you and how you have made it your own piece of work. Keeping such records is also useful if a situation arises where evidence needs to be given to prove originality and authenticity.
- Don’t rely on it to come up with a thesis statement, topic sentence or analysis that can be used for the specific question you are trying to work on. Whilst Chat GPT trawls all different types of material, it’s not specific enough to know what your module, what specific words are and what your ideas are. It also won’t be able to put together analysis that links back to your thesis and question.
If you get stuck or need some guidance, feel free to reach out to us.