Lesson 2 of 5 · about 6 min
Asking for sources, and checking them
When you finish, you can ask AI for sources in a useful way and test whether those sources are real and say what is claimed.
Stuck? Ask the AI tutorSources can be invented
A common AI error is a made-up source: a book that was never written, a study with a believable title, a link that goes nowhere, or a real author attached to a work they did not write. The tool is building text that looks like a citation, not always pulling a real record.
Some tools search the web and attach links to real pages. This is better, but not perfect. The page may exist and still not say what the summary claims. So whatever type of tool you use, the rule is the same: open the source and read the relevant part yourself.
A better way to ask
Weak prompt: “Give me sources about sleep and learning.” The tool may produce a neat list of titles that you cannot trust. Stronger prompt: “Explain what is generally known about sleep and learning. Then tell me what kinds of organizations or journals publish reliable work on this, and give me search terms I can use to find the original sources. If you are not certain a specific source exists, say so.”
This pushes the tool toward honest, searchable guidance instead of fake precision. You then do the finding in a library, a trusted site, or a search engine.
The three-part source test
First: does it exist? Search the exact title and author, or find the page. Second: does it say that? Find the passage that supports the claim. If you cannot find it, the claim is unsupported. Third: is it a good source? Consider who published it, whether they have expertise, whether it is current, and whether anyone has a reason to mislead you.
Passing all three means you can reasonably use the claim. Failing the first means the source is fake. Failing the second means the tool misrepresented a real source. Both are common enough that the test is worth the minutes.
A worked example from daily work
Samir, a university student in Cairo, asks an AI tool for three articles on climate effects on farming. The tool lists three titles. He searches each: one exists, one has a similar title by a different author, and one cannot be found. He opens the real one and finds that it supports only half of the tool’s summary.
He keeps only what the real article says and writes it in his own words, citing the article itself, not the AI. He also tells his instructor that he used AI to find search ideas. Being honest about the process and careful about the source protected his grade and his learning.
Practice now
- Ask an AI tool for sources on a topic of interest. For each one, run the three-part test: exists, says that, good source. Make a small table of results.
- Rewrite a weak ‘give me sources’ prompt into a stronger one that asks for search terms and types of organizations, and admits uncertainty.
Use any AI assistant you have. Do not paste private, client or patient information into it.
Check yourself
1. A tool gives you a citation with a title and author. What is the first thing to do?
2. A real article exists but does not contain the claim the AI attributed to it. What does that tell you?
3. Which prompt is more honest about sources?
Ask the AI tutor
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AI-drafted. Checked by an automated validator and a separate AI reviewer; a person has not read every lesson. Translations and tutor answers are AI-made. Found a mistake? Tell us. AI can be wrong. General information only, not professional advice. Not affiliated with any AI company named. Current University is not accredited.