8 Modules · 50+ Hours
Curriculum
From foundations to capstone: a complete practicum in Gen AI for research.
Modules 1–4
Building the Foundation
Module 1
Foundations of Gen AI
4 Hours
- ›Explain how Gen AI models work and where their fundamental limitations lie
- ›Distinguish Gen AI from traditional machine learning and other AI approaches
- ›Use core Gen AI terminology accurately and consistently in a research context
- ›Describe how context, role, and constraints shape model output quality
Builds the conceptual vocabulary and mental model you will apply across every subsequent module.
Module 2
Prompt Engineering Fundamentals
7 Hours
- ›Identify and apply the structural components of a well-formed prompt
- ›Write effective prompts for summarization, analysis, classification, and question generation
- ›Use positive and negative examples within prompts to sharpen output quality
- ›Diagnose underperforming prompts and identify the structural root cause
Includes the Broken Prompt Set — intentionally flawed prompts for hands-on diagnostic practice.
Module 3
Advanced Prompting Techniques
7 Hours
- ›Apply chain-of-thought prompting to complex, multi-step research reasoning tasks
- ›Construct few-shot prompts with carefully chosen disciplinary examples
- ›Use role and persona framing to generate expert-level research outputs
- ›Apply meta-prompting to continuously refine and iterate your own prompt designs
Includes the Technique Combination Reference and Precision Role Framing Guide.
Module 4
Projects & Skills — Organizing Research Workflows
7 Hours
- ›Configure a Gen AI Project with instructions, context, and scope for a sustained research task
- ›Use the 26 Article Organization Prompts to structure and analyze scholarly literature
- ›Build workflows using the Article Presentation Builder and Research Presentation Builder
- ›Explain why Projects outperform one-off prompting for complex, sustained research workflows
26 Article Organization Prompts · Article Presentation Builder · Research Presentation Builder
Modules 5–8
Application, Evaluation & Capstone
Module 5
MCP — Connecting Gen AI to Research Tools & Data
7.5 Hours
- ›Explain how MCP servers extend Gen AI capabilities to external tools and live databases
- ›Connect and use OpenAlex and Semantic Scholar MCP tools within a research workflow
- ›Integrate MCP into literature search, citation validation, and reference cross-checking tasks
- ›Make informed decisions about when MCP tool use adds value versus when it is unnecessary
OpenAlex MCP · Semantic Scholar MCP · Dual-MCP Workflow Template · Reference Accuracy Validator
Module 6
Discipline-Specific Research Application
9 Hours
- ›Apply the full 91-asset library to authentic research tasks within your own discipline
- ›Use the Research Proposal Evaluators to assess theoretical and methodological soundness
- ›Evaluate manuscripts against elite journal standards using the Elite Journal Style Evaluator
- ›Validate and cross-check references against live OpenAlex data using the Reference Accuracy Validator
20 assets including 5 discipline-specific journal examples: AMJ · ASR · AERJ · PLOS ONE · AHR
Module 7
Critical Evaluation & Responsible Use
5 Hours
- ›Critically evaluate AI-generated research content for hallucination, bias, and disciplinary relevance
- ›Assess evidence strength across empirical, theoretical, and citation dimensions
- ›Apply ethical and institutional frameworks to Gen AI use in scholarly research
- ›Articulate precisely where Gen AI adds value and where human scholarly judgment is irreplaceable
Includes Hallucinated Literature Review — a case study with intentional errors embedded for detection practice.
Module 8
Capstone & Competency Assessment
4 hrs formal · 6–10 hrs independent
- ›Design a complete Gen AI research workflow integrating prompting, Projects, Skills, and MCP
- ›Produce a full manuscript or proposal evaluation using the complete asset library
- ›Present and defend your workflow and all tool selection decisions to peers
- ›Leave with a personal Gen AI research toolkit that is immediately usable in your research practice
Certificate of Competency in Gen AI Mastery for Research Amplification awarded on completion.