Can ChatGPT help me formulate a research question without cheating?

[Amanda]

I have to write a research paper and I'm stuck on my question. Everything is either too broad, too narrow, or just boring. My friend suggested using ChatGPT to brainstorm. At first I said no — feels like cheating. But then I found this assignment from CUNY that actually teaches students how to use AI ethically for this exact purpose.

The assignment has students:

1. Identify a broad topic
2. Narrow it to something specific and feasible
3. Draft their own question first
4. THEN use ChatGPT to get feedback and suggestions
5. Critically evaluate the AI's suggestions using the FINER criteria

That's not cheating — that's using a tool intelligently. The key is you have to think critically about what the AI suggests, not just copy it.

Has anyone tried this approach? I'm thinking of drafting my question, then asking ChatGPT for feedback, then revising. Seems like a good way to learn, not just get answers. Thoughts?

 

[Parker]

used ChatGPT exactly like this for my lit review. Drafted my own question first (terrible), then asked it for feedback, then used its suggestions to refine. Ended up with something WAY better than either of us could've done alone.

The key was treating it like a conversation, not an answer machine. "Here's my question, what's weak about it? What am I missing? How could I narrow this?" Kept me thinking. Definitely not cheating.