1. Do not paste private student information
Do not enter student names, grades, attendance, accommodation or disability information, identifiable student work, or other private or sensitive information.
Using AI · Quick Guide
You Can Use the Promptbook Without Learning AI First.
Choose a task, fill in only what matters, copy the prepared prompt into the AI tool you use, and review the result.
AI helps with the first pass. Important verification and academic judgment stay human.
The One-Minute Version
If you have used an AI chat tool before, this is probably all you need.
- Choose one Promptbook task.Find, evaluate, fill a gap, plan, explore ZTC, or compare.
- Fill in the minimum information.Optional fields are there only when they help.
- Copy, paste, and check.Use the AI response as a first pass, then verify the claims that matter.
That is enough to start. A prompt is simply an instruction to an AI tool. The Promptbook writes the instruction for you.
Four labels to know
How to Read a Promptbook Page
QuickThe default. Start here.
Go DeeperUse only when the Quick result leaves an important question unresolved.
Human CheckSomething you should inspect, verify, or decide yourself.
Needs verificationThe AI could not reliably confirm the claim. Treat it as unresolved.
Safe defaults
Four Rules Cover Most Situations
2. Open the real source
Verify important titles, links, licenses, access conditions, accessibility information, and current details at the original or authoritative source.
3. Free does not automatically mean OER
A resource can be free to read or available through a library without giving you permission to revise, remix, or redistribute it.
4. Keep decisions human
AI can organize evidence and tradeoffs. Faculty and the appropriate campus professionals make curricular, licensing, accessibility, and adoption decisions.
Useful rule: The more important the claim is to your decision, the closer you should get to the original source before acting on it.
Only if you need it
Match the AI Tool to the Task
You do not need a particular brand. You only need a tool that can work with the information the task requires.
If you paste the text
A general AI chat tool can usually help organize, compare, summarize, or analyze what you provide.
If you want current links or web research
Use a tool with current web access. If it cannot open the source page, it should not describe the source as verified.
If you have a COR, syllabus, or long document
A COR is a Course Outline of Record. File upload can save time with a COR, syllabus, or other long document. Otherwise, paste only the sections relevant to the task.
If the answer depends on your college
Use current institutional sources or the appropriate person. AI should not guess local library holdings, approved tools, ZTC designation rules, adoption procedures, or policy. If you are unsure who handles the question, use AI to help you draft the question, not to invent the local answer.
California Community College faculty: The statewide Google partnership makes Gemini and NotebookLM available to all 116 California community colleges at no cost under the systemwide agreement, with institutional data protections. Local activation and guidance can still vary by college. NotebookLM can be especially useful when you want the AI to work from a COR, syllabus, or other documents you provide. Read the Chancellor’s Office Google Tools and Certifications Rollout information.
When the answer is not useful
Try the Smallest Fix First
| What happened | What to try |
|---|---|
| The answer is too generic. | Add one useful detail, such as the topic, learning goal, or most important constraint. |
| The AI gives too many resources. | Ask for the 3 strongest candidates and direct original-source links. |
| The links look suspicious or do not work. | Stop. Verify the candidate list before evaluating anything. |
| The tool cannot access the page or file. | Paste the relevant text, upload the document if permitted, or use a tool with the needed access. |
| The answer sounds confident but has no evidence. | Ask for the source for each important claim and label unsupported claims “Needs verification.” |
| The response is much longer than you need. | Ask for a short table, the top 3 findings, or the next 2 things to check yourself. |
Still not working? The Advanced Workflows page has optional troubleshooting prompts. You do not need them unless the simple fix fails.
Who confirms what?
Some Questions Belong With People or Original Sources
Library access
Your librarian or library system confirms local holdings, subscriptions, concurrent-user limits, off-campus access, and stable linking.
Accessibility
AI can surface documented information. It cannot certify that a resource meets your institution's accessibility obligations.
Official course requirements
Your Course Outline of Record (COR), Common Course Numbering (CCN) or C-ID requirements, syllabus, and current local curriculum documents remain authoritative.
Can I change the course materials?
If your department uses a common text, coordinated course, required materials, or a local adoption process, confirm what you can change before doing substantial replacement work. Your chair, program lead, department, or local policy may be the right source.
Local AI rules
Follow your college or district's current guidance about approved tools, protected information, and institutional use.
Next step
You Are Ready to Use a Regular Promptbook Task
You do not need to read more about AI before you begin. Start with Quick and verify what matters.