University and District Library
AI and Scientific Work
What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
AI in studies and scientific work
The development of AI offers many opportunities in studies and scientific work, but it also brings with it many uncertainties. To what extent and for what purpose AI can be used in studies is often still a big question mark for many students. H-BRS has published a resolution on scientific work with AI. The most important points from the resolution are summarized here. If in doubt, you should always speak to contact persons in your department and ask to what extent AI may be used for your studies.
AI-Resolution at H-BRS - AI and Scientific Work
In 2024, the H-BRS published a “Resolution on good scientific practice in student work and the use of AI”. The H-BRS takes a positive view of developments in artificial intelligence and describes that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools as an aid does not fundamentally contradict the standards of good scientific practice. According to the provisions of the H-BRS, the use of AI tools in the preparation of student work is therefore permitted under the following basic conditions:
- The support provided by artificial intelligence tools, is to be indicated as an aid in the preparation of written work. Use may be restricted for certain examinations. Further details are determined by the responsible examination board.
- Regardless of the AI support, the work must represent an individual, independent achievement by the student.
- AI information requires critical review by the authors. Direct, unchecked copying of texts contradicts the standards of good scientific practice and is therefore not permitted.
AI can be used as an aid and to support scientific work. However, it is important to note that an entire scientific paper should not be written by an AI, as this no longer constitutes independent work. In addition, answers from an AI should always be critically assessed and checked. This also applies to literature research with an AI tool. Many chatbots (e.g. Chat GPT) hallucinate and provide incorrect information, such as titles or authors of scientific articles that do not actually exist. Always remain critical when working with AI and question the information. Ask your lecturers to what extent you are allowed to use AI for academic work and how you should identify it.
H-BRS also provides a checklist for the permitted use of AI systems, which indicates the legally compliant use of AI.
Academic Cloud
There are a large number of different AI tools that are suitable for different purposes. We have compiled a few tools for scientific work here.
Text generators
ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/
LeChat: https://mistral.ai/news/le-chat-mistral
Gemini (Google): https://gemini.google.com/
Microsoft Copilot: https://copilot.microsoft.com
Claude: https://claude.ai/login
Literature research for scientific work
ResearchRabbit: https://www.researchrabbit.ai/
Consensus: https://consensus.app/
Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/
Scispace: https://typeset.io/
NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google/
Scientific work
ChatPDF: https://www.chatpdf.com/de
Jenni.ai: https://jenni.ai/
Course in LEA
The training is structured as a modular basic course. It provides practical content, increases awareness of ethical and legal issues and helps to use AI tools effectively and responsibly.
FAQ on scientific work with AI
How do I indicate in my scientific paper that I have used an AI as an aid?
If you have used AI tools as an aid in the creation of a scientific paper, you must identify them. Otherwise, your work may be assessed as an attempt to commit fraud. The H-BRS does not have a standardized guideline for marking work in which AI tools were used as an aid. Please discuss the type of labeling with the supervisor of your academic work.
For which tasks in scientific work can I use AI?
An AI tool should only ever be used as an aid and for supporting work in the creation of a scientific paper. A paper written entirely by an AI is not considered your own work! Always bear in mind that an AI can hallucinate and can, for example, provide incorrect literature references during a literature search. We recommend using an AI as an aid for brainstorming (for example, when creating a list of terms for literature research) or when creating a timetable for your academic work. AI can also help with rewording and improving the grammar of texts. AI can also be used to create images and illustrations.
Can I trust the statements of an AI?
You should always critically analyze the answers provided by an AI. AI systems can exhibit distortions if they draw answers from previously incorrectly entered data. Hallucinations also occur with AI tools. This is false, invented or unverifiable information.
Are there guidelines from the H-BRS on the use of AI?
H-BRS has published an AI resolution explaining the compatibility of working with AI and students' academic work. There is also an H-BRS checklist on the permitted use of AI systems.
If you are unsure about the use of AI-supported applications, please ask your supervisor and/or your department explicitly.
What is a prompt?
A prompt is a request/instruction to an AI that can be used to communicate with and control the AI. The type and scope of the prompt has an impact on the result that the AI produces.
How do I create a good prompt?
Correct prompting is key to success when using AI. By defining the framework, formulating the task precisely, providing the necessary context and specifying the response format, you can significantly improve the quality of the responses. Examples and clear requirements help the AI to respond faster and more accurately. Unspecific or vague prompts should be avoided to prevent misinterpretation.
→ Tell the AI “who” it should be, what it should specialize in, what role it should play.
→ Tell the AI who it is writing for: Are you part of the student body or teaching staff, for example? Always keep your personal details confidential - who are you, what are you working on, what problem do you want the AI to help you with, what level of knowledge do you have and what expectations do you have of the result?
→ Ask counter questions: If you put a phrase like “Ask me any important questions to customize the planning to my needs” at the end of your prompt, you will end up with much more detailed results.
Can I get help with questions about AI at the university library?
At the H-BRS university library, we are happy to support you with basic questions about academic work with AI. For example, we can give you tips on suitable AI tools for various purposes and critically evaluate AI answers with you.
Is my data protected when I enter it into an AI?
The AI saves all information and data that you enter there in order to communicate with the AI. So be careful when entering personal and personal data and anonymize it before entering it.
How can I use AI-generated images or graphics correctly in a scientific paper?
If you use images created with AI, you should clearly indicate this, e.g. in the caption:
“Created with the AI tool DALL-E / Midjourney (as at: MM/YYYY)”
When creating the images, ensure that the prompt is worded correctly (see copyright).
What copyright challenges do I need to consider when formulating my prompts?
In principle: Although the style of an artist or genre is not protected, specific content (e.g. Harry Potter characters, song lyrics, Walt Disney characters) is generally protected.
The AI could therefore reproduce copyright-protected elements even if use is permitted in principle, for which users may be responsible under certain circumstances.
Contacts
Library Sankt Augustin Campus
Campus
Sankt Augustin
Room
A105
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Saturday: 10 am - 7 pm (from 3 pm: security staff)