Getting an Overview of a Subject – Complementing Research Sources

Generative AI (GAI) tools are useful for providing quick overviews of specific subjects, often focusing on central themes and key questions presented in bullet-point format. This approach can offer access to a variety of perspectives and help deepen your understanding of areas you may not have considered before. However, it is essential to set aside time to critically evaluate the information and sources provided. Often, the source of the information is not disclosed. Is the information current? Is it from a credible scientific source?

Remember not to rely solely on GAI tools, as they may produce false references or hallucinations (fabricated facts). It can be difficult for beginners to fact-check GAI-generated texts, as this often requires subject-specific expertise. Searching for facts and scientific evidence yourself allows you to identify missing perspectives or angles. Always complement the use of GAI tools with evidence-based research to achieve a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of a subject.

This table shows a comparison between searching with GAI tools and traditional databases.

	Search with generative AI tools	Traditional databases
Search technique	Use prompts or natural language queries (sometimes translated into keywords or lexical search through semantic processing)	Use keyword-based or controlled vocabulary search methods
Results	Highlight a small set of articles, but the selection process is not transparent and may vary across tools)	Retrieve all indexed articles matching the query; users can sort by relevance, date, or other criteria
Presentation	Summarize findings using large language models (LLMs), often based on abstracts rather than full texts; may provide personalized outputs	Display titles and abstracts for manual review; results are typically neutral and not personalized
Data from	Unclear. Sources are often undisclosed and vary by tool; some rely on open, interdisciplinary databases like Semantic Scholar or OpenAlex	Provide access to materials from indexed scientific journals and clearly indicate which journals are included. Often rely on subject-specific databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase, offering both licensed and open-access content

Here are some sources for facts and research literature:

Want more guidance on finding and evaluating sources?

Reading and Understanding Texts – Summaries and Study Questions

Generative AI tools can summarize text and highlight key points in bullet format, providing a quick overview of the main concepts within a topic. They can also help you develop a deeper understanding of a subject by offering examples of discussion points, critical questions, or supplementary materials. When using these tools, consider the range of perspectives from which a topic can be explored. Does the tool present information from a single point of view? Could there be bias in the information or sources it provides?

GAI Tools as Discussion Partners

Generative AI tools can generate follow-up questions tailored to your primary query, allowing you to explore a subject from different perspectives. In this way, they can help you develop both a broad and deep understanding of your topic by offering various ways to examine it through different lenses. By providing clear and specific instructions about the context you want the answer to suit, GAI tools can further broaden your understanding and guide you toward new avenues of insight you might not have considered before.