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Critical Generative AI Literacy

About

Your experiences and ideas are important and uniquely human, and only you can express them for yourself. As you work to develop your own style of expression, you might tinker with generative AI tools. UC Berkeley has several Licensed Generative AI Tools. We encourage you to integrate generative AI into your work thoughtfully and with intention and to remember that your thoughts matter. YOU are more than enough! 

Responsible Gen AI Use Checklist

I...

  • Am using Gen AI to assist—not substitute—my own thinking 
  • Understand the tool’s limits
  • Verify any claims made
  • Cite the tool when appropriate
  • Don’t input personal or private information
  • Have discussed my intended use of Gen AI with my instructor or GSI  

Generative AI can be helpful in various stages of the research process. It can be a valuable tool for research brainstorming, organizing ideas, and providing summaries of complex texts. Use AI as a starting point for tasks like the ones below, not a final answer.

  • Brainstorming
  • Writing assistance 
  • Summarizing 
  • Technical support and coding

For every reasonable use-case, you should be prepared for disappointing results. This might include:

  • Predictable output that, if left unedited, lacks originality. This is especially true when using AI for writing assistance.
  • Incorrect or incomplete summaries, especially of dense scholarly content.
  • Potential for disastrous errors within coding repositories, especially if AI’s access allow it to delete data.
  • Verify claims against reliable sources. 
  • Look for missing or inaccurate citations.  
  • Question vague generalizations, and seek further information.

Librarians can guide you through checking facts, verifying information, and finding sources — try our Evaluating Resources Guide, Fact Checkers Guide, and Research Help service!

Prompt Engineering

Once you’ve decided to use GenAI, the next step is to write a prompt, also known as prompt engineering. Clear, well-scoped prompts are key to getting useful output. Start with the following templates:

  • Explain ______ in simple terms.
  • Generate 5 research questions about ______.
  • Write a summary of ______ (text) for ______ audience.
  • Create a ______ in the style of ______.
  • Act like a ______ and create a ______.

Use the CLEAR Framework* to clarify your thinking and save time as you "converse" with Gen AI. 

Be:

  • Concise
  • Logical
  • Explicit
  • Adaptive
  • Reflective 
*Adapted from: Lo, Leo S. "The CLEAR path: A framework for enhancing information literacy through prompt engineering." The Journal of Academic Librarianship 49, no. 4 (2023): 102720.

Emphasize brevity, remove extraneous information. 

Example

Instead of using the prompt...

“Please provide me with an extensive discussion on the factors that contributed to the affordable housing crisis in the Bay Area during the last few decades.”

 

...use a more concise prompt like...

“Identify factors impacting affordable housing in the Bay Area.”

Be structured, coherent, and pay attention to the sequence of ideas.

Example

Instead of using the prompt...

"How do I write a scientific paper?"

 

Use a more sequential prompt like...

“Describe steps in writing a scientific paper, starting with the abstract and ending with the references.”

Be clear about the desired output.

Example

Instead of using the prompt...

“Tell me all about Afrofuturism."

 

...use a more explicit prompt like...

Provide a concise overview of Afrofuturism, emphasizing its history, key people, and impact.” 

Maintain flexibility and an experimental mindset.

Example #1

If you receive generic responses from the prompt...

“What are some ways to prepare for fire season?”

 

Use a more targeted and adaptive prompt like...

“List household practices for preparing for fire season.”

Example #2

If you receive too much information from the prompt...

“Describe the history of library research instruction”

 

...use a more specific and adaptive prompt like...

“Explain the development of information literacy from the 1970s to the present."

Use critical thinking to continuously evaluate and improve prompts.

Example #1

When receiving a response regarding the benefits of vegetarianism...

Evaluate the response's accuracy, relevance, and completeness. Use your insights to inform and refine future prompts (ex: ask for specific benefits or focusing on certain aspects of vegetarianism).

Example #2

When receiving (as a response) a list of strategies for close reading...

Evaluate the response's relevance and applicability for each strategy. Use your evaluation to inform future prompts (ex: use a prompt that generates a response more closely matching the specific challenges you were hoping to address).