Chatbots and Beyond: A Guide about AI Technologies

Using Copilot with Caution

Below you will find a set of videos that show suggestions for using CSULB's Copilot to help with developing ideas to do research for your assignments, drafting outlines, and reviewing your work.

These videos and information are available on Canvas Commons, if faculty would like to download them to add their Canvas courses. Search for Pavenick, to find Dr. Alexis Pavenick's modules about Using Copilot with Caution and contemplating AI & Ethics.

Instructors Make the Rules for Using AI in Class

Using chatbots or any version of artificial intelligence to support your work at CSULB is conditional. In classes, its use is dependent on your instructor's rules.

CSULB instructors each set their own AI policy for coursework, which students must follow accordingly.

• Always as your instructor about their rules for chatbot use/use of AI in your class and for your assignments. 
• Ask each instructor for each class, as each one may have a different policy about AI and chatbot use in their class.
• CSULB Policy about Cheating and Plagiarism
• CSULB AI Student Guidelines

What is Copilot?

CSULB's version of Microsoft's Copilot chatbot, is (at the time of this writing - 1.22.2025) at an equivalent level of Open AI's ChatGPT 4o subscription version. This CSULB version of Copilot, available through your CSULB apps, or via the MS Edge web browser, is included in your tuition and your employment at CSULB.

CSULB's Copilot does not use your questions or its answers for training the Chatbot. But the bot has been updated to remember your questions and answers, as well as offer you the option of sharing your experience with Microsoft so they can evaluate the bot's effectiveness. 

• PLEASE always ask each instructor of each class you take what their policy is for using Artificial Intelligence and chatbots in class.
• Each instructor has a different policy, unique to their teaching. Respect their policy and do the work as the class requires.

To learn more about Copilot from Microsoft, review their description of the tool.

For more information about AI and chatbots, review my research guide Chatbots and Beyond: A Guide about AI Technologies.

Description

This is an updated video that discusses using CSULB's Copilot with caution. Featured are lessons in how to locate Copilot in your CSULB Apps, and then use Copilot to help generate keywords for searching databases, brainstorming more detailed ideas for deeper research, creating an outline for a paper, and saving the information to share with your instructors or save for yourself.

Time Stamps
Keywords for a topical search in a database: 2:28
Brainstorming more complex ideas on a topic: 4:50
Share & Copy: 7:45
Create an Outline: 8:36

Description

This video shows how to ask Copilot to make an outline for an essay from a summary paragraph I wrote.

You can also ask Copilot to make an outline from a topic or an idea, which I illustrate in the video, Using Copilot - Keywords, Brainstorms, Outlines, Saving.

Description

This video demonstrates how to frame prompts to Copilot to ask it to help you understand where you can improve your essay draft without editing or rewriting it for you.

Using chatbots to help improve your grammar and phrasing can be tricky because the bot, even Copilot, will want to clean up your writing for you. However, when a bot writes or edits for you, that is plagiarism. It's the same as asking someone else to write your assignment for you. Don't do it. Instead, if your professor/instructor allows you to use AI chatbots to help you improve your writing, ask Copilot how you can make your draft better without letting it edit for you. Watch this video to see how that can work.

Use the University Library to Find Sources

Chatbots like Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Elicit offer to help you find resources for your assignments - like Google Scholar, they have links to journal articles. Yet, the best source for solid and reliable information is your University Library.. 

To learn more about how to use the Library to find resources like articles and books for your assignments, check out these easily accessible resources!

1. In your Canvas Course, look for Library Tools on the Left-Side navigation.
2. Check out the free Check Out the Library Course on your Dashboard.
3. Look at the Library/Research Guides built by your Librarian. Each major or discipline at CSULB has a Librarian subject expert and we have created Library/Research Guides to help you find resources for the assignments in all of your classes.. 
4. Dr. P. has also made short videos to help you use Library resources.

For in-person help, please email your major's Librarian.! We are happy to schedule a consultation with you!

And come see us at the Reference Desk on the main floor of the Library. For our hours, as well as the Library's hours, see the Library Homepage. "View all hours" link on the top-right.