AI for Idea Generation

co-Create and collaborate

There have likely been many times in your journey as a student where having an eager and intelligent assistant would have been a valuable asset and time saver. AI gives you the opportunity to fill this gap and provides you with an efficient and effective collaborative assistant that can help summarize and compare research, compile notes, create outlines, draft documents, act as an expert and more!

The intent is for you to begin with your own ideas, research, notes or drafts and utilize AI to analyze, build and expand on those ideas, ultimately providing timely assistance to reflect on as you work toward your end goal/assignment completion.

AI can be an invaluable tool for students working on assignments by helping to expand on their existing ideas, thoughts, and research. Rather than simply providing answers, it can suggest new angles, perspectives, or resources that students might not have considered. By engaging with AI, students can refine their arguments, explore alternative viewpoints, and enhance the depth of their analysis, ultimately strengthening their work.

Some key ways GenAI can be used to suggest ideas are:

  • Generating brainstorming ideas
  • Expanding on specific concepts
  • Providing different perspectives
  • Suggesting resources or references
  • Clarifying complex concepts
  • Testing hypotheses or ideas

This collaborative approach encourages critical thinking and creativity, allowing students to build on their foundational knowledge while expanding the scope of their assignments. 

Here is an example of how a student can work collaboratively with AI (in this case ChatGPT) to help in idea formation and expansion.

Example: Sciences Student (Biology)

Scenario: A student is writing a research paper on the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems.

Prompt:“I am studying the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, specifically coral reefs. I’ve already researched how rising sea temperatures lead to coral bleaching. Can you suggest additional factors or recent studies that could expand my understanding of this issue, such as the impact of ocean acidification or other ecological stressors on marine life?”

This prompt encourages AI to provide further insights into other factors influencing marine ecosystems, enriching the student’s existing research.

AI platforms that are useful for suggesting ideas include:

For Brainstorming: ChatGPT and MindMeister
For Research and Citation: Scite, Perplexity

AI can assist  students by streamlining the process of outlining key concepts during study sessions. By inputting lecture notes, textbook excerpts, or research material, AI can identify and organize the most important points into a clear and structured outline. This helps students focus on core ideas, categorize information logically, and create a foundation for further review or essay planning. Additionally, AI can adapt the outline format to suit individual preferences, whether it’s a traditional hierarchical structure, bullet points, or mind maps, making study sessions more efficient and productive.

Here is an example of how a student can work collaboratively with AI (in this case ChatGPT) to help create outlines based on their own research, notes, and idea.

Example: Psychology Student (Research Paper on Cognitive Development in Children) 

Scenario: A psychology student is writing a research paper on cognitive development in children.

Prompt: “I’m writing a research paper on cognitive development in children, focusing on how memory and problem-solving skills evolve during early childhood. I’ve gathered research on Piaget’s stages of development and recent studies on working memory in young children. Can you help me create an outline for my paper, using these concepts as a foundation? I want the paper to include an introduction, literature review, analysis of key theories, and a conclusion with suggestions for future research.”

This prompt helps the student build an outline that organizes their own research and concepts in a structured way.

AI platforms that are useful for helping to create outlines:

For Structured, Detailed Outlines: ChatGPT and Scribe AI
For Research Organization: Trello with AI integration and Scrivener

AI as a Study Tool
AI as an Editor