the prompt this whole guide is built on
List every claim in your last answer that I should double check, and tell me where I could verify each one: my textbook, my notes, or a source I can actually open.
AI sounds exactly as sure of itself when it's wrong as when it's right. That's the whole problem. It'll hand you a quote nobody said, a page number that doesn't exist or a study that was never published, all in the same calm voice as everything else.
Focus on the answers that would cost you points if they're wrong. Here's that list, and the fastest way to check each one.
Always check these
- Quotes. If you can't find the exact words in the original, they don't go in your work.
- Citations and links. Open every single one. Made up titles and authors can look perfect.
- Numbers, dates and names. Check them against your textbook or notes.
- Anything your professor explained differently. Your class beats the internet.
- Recent news. The AI might not know what happened lately.
How to check fast
- Paste the prompt above right after any answer you plan to use. It gets the AI to list its own shaky claims.
- Open each source yourself. A dead link or a page about something else means the claim goes.
- Search quotes in quotation marks, or find them in the actual book or article.
- If you can't verify something in a few minutes, drop it.
Make it show its work
For each claim in your answer, tell me whether it came from what I gave you or from your general knowledge, and how sure you are. If you're not sure a source exists, say so.
Check against your source
Here's the section from my textbook: [paste it]. Compare it with your answer and list anything that doesn't match.
that's it. go try it tonight.
