Citation Habits for AI-Assisted Research
Practical citation habits that help students keep sources accurate when using AI support during research.
Record sources before drafting
When research moves quickly, citations can become disconnected from the ideas they support. Before drafting, create a simple source list with the author, title, link or publication details, and the specific idea you expect to use.
Do not cite a source you have not checked
AI-assisted research can surface plausible claims, but a plausible claim is not the same as a verified source. Open the source, read the relevant section, and confirm that it supports the sentence you plan to write.
Attach citations to notes
Instead of keeping citations in a separate list only, attach them to the notes they support. This makes it easier to build paragraphs later without guessing where an idea came from.
Recheck citations during final revision
Before submitting, scan each paragraph and ask whether every borrowed idea has a source. Then check the reverse: every source in the bibliography should appear meaningfully in the paper.