Skip to Main Content

Information Literacy

Use the information and resources here to improve your research skills.

Writing Resources

Many universities have writing centers with useful resources on writing. Here are a few we recommend:

Dictionaries & Thesauri

Writing Tools

Using AI as a Writing Support

How AI Can Support Writing:

AI can help you:

  • Create a project plan for how you will complete a writing project
  • Create an outline
  • Brainstorm
  • Suggest possible introductions and conclusions
  • Revise and provide feedback on content: generate alternatives for tricky sentences, identify redundant language/clutter, flag where your argument could be clearer, repeatedly review revised drafts, suggest clearer topic sentences, check for tone consistency, break up long sentences, smooth awkward transitions, check for grammatical errors and typos,
  • Format citations
  • Translate: consider writing content in your native language or using text to speak, then using GenAI to revise the content into standard academic english

General Tips:

  • Consider using specific tools such as Grammarly rather than more generalized AI tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini. Specific tools are more likely to give you accurate advice.
  • Feed the AI your ideas, voice, writing patterns - don't let it speak for you. 
  • AI shouldn't replace your own original thinking, but should support it. 
  • Don't ask AI for facts you can't easily check; AI often hallucineates information. 
  • Use specific prompts with AI, not just "make it better"
  • Engage in multiple iterations with AI; consider using follow up prompts

Sample AI Prompts to Support Writing:

  • "Review my outline and give me feedback on the structure of my essay. Is my logic easy to follow? Do my ideas flow logically from one to the next? Where can I improve the structure to strengthen my argument or make the sequence clearer?"
  • "Which parts of my argument are solid, and where do I have logical inconsistencies? What counterarguments to my thesis have I not anticipated?"
  • "I'd like you to look at the following text I wrote and edit it to make it sound more natural to a native English speaker. Do only minimal/minor edits without changing the tone of the text, which should remain academic and professional." (Source)
  • "Review my essay according to the attached rubric."
  • "Act as an expert writing tutor. I need to write an analysis of how technology has impacted higher education. Ask me questions to help me write something insightful. Ask one question at a time, wait for my response, and ask me the next question. After I have answered your questions, produce a potential structure for an analytical report for me." (Source)
  • "For the attached document, suggest potential revisions to improve the organization of information and academic voice." (Source)
  • "I need to write a ten page paper on the history of public education in the United States that includes at least five academic sources. This is due in three weeks, and I can only work on this on Saturdays. Help me develop a plan for completing this task in time."

Sources:

  • Lande, J. (2025, April 8). Using AI to improve your writing (without losing your voice). Indisputably. http://indisputably.org/2025/04/using-ai-to-improve-your-writing-without-losing-your-voice/
  • Liu, D. (2023, April 28). Prompt engineering for students -- making generative AI work for you. Teaching@Sydney. https://educational-innovation.sydney.edu.au/teaching@sydney/prompt-engineering-for-students-making-generative-ai-work-for-you/

Additional Resources: