Getting started
Generative AI can actively support and enhance your learning in many exciting ways. There is no right or wrong way to use it, and you will need to find what works for you! We encourage you to experiment with generative AI to help you with your studies. Not sure where to start? Here are some things for you to try:
| Function | Explanation | Example prompt |
| Overcoming Writer’s Block | Generative AI tools can provide inspiration and points to consider when you’re struggling to start writing an essay. | “Give me five ideas for an introduction to an essay about the importance of mental health in the workplace.” |
| Simplifying Complex Topics | AI can summarise and explain complex topics in simple language, helping you better understand difficult concepts in your courses. | “Explain the concept of quantum entanglement in simple terms that a high school student could understand.” |
| Efficient Note-taking | AI tools can assist in creating organised and structured notes from lectures, readings, or research materials. | “Create a summary of the key points from the lecture on the French Revolution, highlighting the main causes and consequences.” |
| Code Debugging and Assistance | AI can detect and highlight errors in your code, suggest fixes, and provide guidance on how to resolve issues. | “I’m getting an ‘undefined variable’ error in my Python script. Can you help me identify and fix the problem?” |
| Seeking Expert Insights | You can ask AI to provide information from the perspective of a specific expert or famous figure in a field relevant to your studies. | “Explain the theory of relativity as if you were Albert Einstein giving a lecture to university students.” |
| Language Translation | AI can detect and highlight errors in your code, suggest fixes, and provide guidance on resolving issues. | “Translate this research paper on the benefits of mindfulness from German to English.” |
| Brainstorming and Mind Mapping | Generative AI can help you brainstorm ideas and create mind maps for projects, essays, or presentations. | “Create a mind map with the central theme of ‘Sustainable Cities,’ including five main branches and three sub-topics for each branch.” |
| Personalised Learning Assistance | AI can provide targeted explanations, examples, and practice questions based on your individual learning needs and progress in a course. | “I’m struggling to understand the concept of linear regression in my statistics class. Can you provide a step-by-step explanation with a real-world example?” |
Apply Your Thinking:
Try it yourself!
Use Copilot to try a few prompts out for yourself. You can use the examples above – or use some of your own! For instructions on accessing the tool, you can go directly to https://copilot.microsoft.com/.
Other sources of Help
See Also:
Remember that other resources are available to help with your studies, so you don’t need to rely on generative AI. It’s just one tool in your toolbox! Manchester Met has loads of options for getting help with your studies. The following pages are a good place to start: