MSI Press Blog

  As artificial intelligence becomes a more ubiquitously used -- and accepted -- tool, authors need to consider how to use the tool responsibly. Here are some guidelines that can help. 1. AI as a Tool, Not a Source AI can help brainstorm, summarize, or reframe—but it’s not an original authority. Treat AI outputs as draft material that must be verified against trusted sources before inclusion. 2. Disclosure & Transparency Many publishers now require authors to disclose AI assistance in research or drafting. Transparency protects credibility and avoids accusations of hidden reliance. 3. Fact-Checking AI Outputs AI can produce plausible but inaccurate information. Always cross-check facts with primary sources (documents, data, expert publications). Never cite AI as the source—cite the verified material it points you to. 4. Copyright & Originality AI-generated text is generally not copyrightable. If you need to use AI content verbatim, treat it as your own wr...

  Authors of non-fiction (and even fiction) books depend on other sources for expanded information about their content and for self-informing. In today's media environment, this kind of research can be fraught with missteps, especially gathering information that turns out to be erroneous, fake, and misleading. The first misstep often occurs in scanning headlines to know whether to keep on reading. A lot of time can be lost in following rabbit holes into the ground where headlines are misleading. Here are some ways to save that time, to know whether to click on a headline or not. 1. Spot the Signal vs. the Story Headlines are designed to grab attention, not to tell the whole truth. Treat them as teasers —always read the full article and check the original source before citing. 2. Check the “Five W’s” Who is actually involved? (politicians, corporations, regulators?) What is the evidence? (lawsuit, report, poll, or just speculation?) When did it happen? (under which administra...