Asking AI for Sources (and Verifying Them)

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-builders-research-ai-sources

1. What does it mean when an AI 'hallucinates' a citation?

   1. The AI refuses to provide any sources for controversial topics
   2. The AI creates a fake but believable-looking source that doesn't actually exist
   3. The AI cites sources from languages the user cannot read
   4. The AI misreads the author name in a real publication

2. Why is verifying a source's existence before citing it considered 'non-negotiable'?

   1. Because verification is required by copyright law
   2. Because teachers will give you a failing grade
   3. Because citing fake sources can cause real professional problems
   4. Because AI is always wrong about sources

3. A student finds the exact title AI mentioned in Google Scholar. What is the next critical step?

   1. Submit the paper immediately as a source
   2. Copy the citation exactly as AI provided it
   3. Search for a different source since this one was easy to find
   4. Read the abstract to confirm the paper matches what AI claimed

4. Which of these is a sign that a citation might be fabricated?

   1. The journal name sounds made-up but is actually real
   2. The publication date is from this year
   3. The DOI leads to a working webpage
   4. The author is paired with a paper that doesn't match their expertise

5. If you cannot find a source after searching its title in Google Scholar and the author's name on university websites, what should you do?

   1. Ask the AI to provide a different source on the same topic
   2. Cite it anyway since AI seemed confident
   3. Assume the source doesn't exist and don't cite it
   4. Try searching for the DOI separately

6. What is the proper first action when AI mentions a source you want to use?

   1. Cite the source immediately
   2. Copy the full citation and search for it
   3. Trust AI since it has access to databases
   4. Ask a parent to verify it

7. Why might a fabricated citation include a real author's name?

   1. Real authors are always included in real citations
   2. AI only uses real author names to be helpful
   3. Real authors request AI to cite them
   4. To make the citation look more believable

8. A DOI resolves to a webpage. Does this guarantee the source is legitimate?

   1. Yes, only real sources have DOIs
   2. No, but it makes the source 50% more likely to be real
   3. Yes, DOIs are always accurate
   4. No, a DOI can point to a fabricated source

9. What is the 'big idea' of this lesson in one sentence?

   1. AI should never be used for research
   2. AI provides leads, but you must verify and cite only what you've read
   3. Never trust any AI-generated information
   4. All AI sources must be double-checked by a teacher

10. Why is it insufficient to only verify that a source exists?

    1. AI's summary of the source may be incorrect
    2. Verification is only for checking author names
    3. Sources disappear quickly
    4. All sources are free to use

11. Which verification step comes LAST in the recommended flow?

    1. Read the abstract to confirm it's the right paper
    2. Copy the full citation from AI
    3. Try searching the author's name on a university website
    4. Search the title in Google Scholar

12. What type of journal name should raise suspicion during verification?

    1. Open access journals
    2. Well-known journals like Nature or Science
    3. Names that sound plausible but don't actually exist
    4. University-affiliated journals

13. A lawyer was sanctioned for citing AI-invented court cases. What does this demonstrate?

    1. Court cases are harder to verify than academic papers
    2. Only lawyers need to verify AI sources
    3. Lawyers don't know how to use AI
    4. AI hallucinations can cause real professional consequences

14. What information should you read before quoting AI's interpretation of a source?

    1. At least the abstract
    2. Only the bibliography
    3. The entire paper
    4. Just the title

15. If you find a source in Google Scholar that matches the title AI provided, what should you check to ensure it's the right paper?

    1. Only the publication date
    2. Whether it was published on a Monday
    3. The number of citations it has received
    4. The author names and whether the content matches what AI claimed