Writing & research
Working with the AI agent
The assistant reads the current essay before it responds, so it is most useful when you give it a clear job. Use it for structure, evidence, phrasing, source use, and review, not just generic "help me write" prompts.
Open the assistant
Open the panel from the header or with the keyboard shortcut. The panel stays tied to the current essay, so its answers change as your draft changes.
Start with a quick action when possible
The assistant surface is contextual. Depending on where you are in the essay, you may see a recommended next action, stage-aware suggestions, section launchers, source or note chips, and a composer for your own message. These are faster than a generic prompt because they already frame the task with the current essay state.
Use these suggestions when they match your next move. If they do not, type the task directly and reference the section, source, note, or passage you want the assistant to consider.
Ask free-form questions when the job is specific
Good prompts tell the assistant what part of the essay matters, what standard to judge by, and what kind of output you want back. For example:
- "Challenge my thesis like a skeptical grader."
- "Use only my saved sources to draft a stronger second body paragraph."
- "Which claims in this essay still need citations?"
- "Rewrite this passage to match my voice without softening the claim."
Review before you keep anything
Assistant output is always a suggestion. It can summarize, critique, propose rewrites, or draft text, but it does not silently change the essay for you. Read it critically, check the source support, and revise further if needed.
Use the right level of help. Some courses allow editing support but not drafted prose. Because the assistant can do both, you should stay inside the rules that apply to your assignment and disclose your use when required.