Whether you’re deep into problem sets or still pretending syllabus week lasts a month, spring semester moves fast. Everyone’s talking about using AI tools to keep up, but before you toss your academic life into ChatGPT Edu, it’s worth understanding what AI tools do and how to make them work for you.
In this series, we’ll share tips and tricks for using AI as a study partner, not an answer key, with expert advice gleaned from AI learning consultants Marta McCabe and Cheryl Beierschmitt of the Academic Resource Center (ARC).
When used properly, AI can be an invaluable study companion, a concept highlighted by the Duke Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). They also note that students learn more when they think through problems themselves before using AI. However, to avoid pitfalls, it’s best to use it intentionally and thoughtfully.
Brain-first approach
AI is only as good as what you ask it, according to the ARC. Instead of vague prompts or asking for definitions, share what you currently know and ask it to fill in gaps.
This ‘brain-first’ approach, sharing what you know first, ensures you do the cognitive work needed to build comprehension.
For example, instead of uploading a math problem and asking, “How do I solve this derivative?”, ask AI to walk you through how the power rule works, how to apply it for that specific question, and provide another example of a similar problem.
You can also restrict AI to your class readings or assigned articles and ask for citations or links to help verify accuracy, as noted by Cheryl Beierschmitt from the ARC.
Keep in mind that, according to the CTL, minimizing AI’s environmental impact starts with using the tool carefully and prompting responsibly.
So, what does asking “better” questions actually look like?
From ‘Tell me stuff’ to ‘Help me understand’
Say you’re taking CHEM101 and are learning about activation energy and how it relates to enzymes. Instead of prompting AI with “explain enzymes,” try:
I know enzymes speed up reactions by lowering activation energy, but I don’t understand how that actually happens. Can you walk me through the mechanism step by step?
Now imagine you’re studying for a midterm on European history and are trying to prepare for a possible essay on the causes of WWI. Instead of prompting, "what caused World War I?," try:
I understand that militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism were all primary factors in causing WWI, but I’m struggling to see the relative weight each one played. Walk me through how different historians explain the chain of events leading to the start of WWI and why their interpretations differ.
If you want to try this out, all Duke undergraduates can place an order for a ChatGPT Edu account, which does not train on your data, at no cost through the pilot period ending in May.
In the next installment of 'How to Make AI Your Spring Semester Study Sidekick,' we’ll share tips and ideas for how to best study for midterms.
By Katarina Dragasevic '29
OIT Marketing and Communications Intern