Research support is not verified research

Unit ID: AIT-M06-U00 Estimated active time: 15-20 minutes

The main idea

AI can help organise research, but generated claims still need sources.

The tool is useful for shaping the work — what to look for, where to look, how to compare. It is not a source, and nothing it produces has been checked against anything.

Why this matters

This is the riskiest use in the whole course, because you are asking for material you do not already have. Everywhere else the facts come from you and the tool arranges them.

Safe example

A tool lists possible market factors, but each claim needs verification.

The list is a good starting point for research. Treated as findings, it is a set of confident statements nobody has checked.

Better working habit

Ask for research steps before asking for conclusions.

A plan can be followed and audited. A conclusion cannot, and asking for one first means the plan gets written backwards from it.

What to watch for

Do not cite AI output as a source.

It is not one. If a claim matters, the citation has to be the thing you actually read.

Mini practice

Rewrite a conclusion prompt into a research-plan prompt.

Compare what each gives you, and note which one you could hand to someone else to carry out.

Check yourself

Before moving on, answer:

• Am I asking for a plan or for an answer?
• Which claims here would I need a real source for?
• Would I be comfortable naming this tool as my source? If not, what is?