AI study tools can explain a difficult concept, generate practice questions, organize notes, or give feedback on a draft. They can also produce incorrect explanations or invented references. Treat AI as a practice partner—not a replacement for reading, solving problems, or following course rules.
Five useful ways to study
- Ask for a plain-language explanation and compare it with course materials.
- Generate practice questions, then answer them before requesting feedback.
- Use active recall: ask the tool to quiz you one question at a time.
- Share your own attempt and ask which steps need clarification.
- Turn learning objectives into a revision schedule and adjust based on repeated mistakes.
Prompts that keep you involved
Instead of “Write my essay,” try “Ask me five questions to help develop my argument, one at a time.” Instead of “Solve this problem,” try “Give me a hint for the next step, but do not reveal the answer until I ask after attempting it.”
Check facts and references
AI output can sound fluent and still be inaccurate. Verify claims in textbooks, trusted reference works, original research, or official sources. Open every citation before using it; plausible-looking titles and URLs can be wrong. For calculations, reproduce the steps or use a tool designed for the task.
Respect academic rules and privacy
Policies differ by school, instructor, and assignment. Check whether AI is permitted and what assistance must be disclosed. Never present generated work as your own if that violates the rules. Do not paste classmates’ personal information, passwords, identity documents, or confidential school records into a public tool.
A 25-minute session
- Review the lesson and note what you understand for five minutes.
- Answer practice questions without looking at the answers for ten minutes.
- Review errors and ask for explanations for five minutes.
- Write a summary from memory, then check it against the source.
Consult UNESCO’s guidance on generative AI in education and research. For safe handling of inputs, see our AI privacy checklist.
Featured image credit: Christin Hume via Unsplash.
