10 Case Study: Using GenAI for research
The scenario
Leonard is getting ready to work on his capstone paper on technology use in college sports. He wants to make some connections between the use of wearable technologies (like smartwatches or fitness trackers) and sports performance.
Since he doesn’t really know where to start, he asks Google Gemini to brainstorm some research questions for him.
Prompt: “I’m interested in researching wearable technologies and sports. What are some research questions I could ask?”
Wearable technologies have become a major topic of research in sports science, with a wide range of potential applications. Here are some research questions you could ask
- How do different types of wearable sensors (e.g., GPS, heart rate monitors, accelerometers) impact the effectiveness of training programs for different sports?
- To what extent can wearable technologies provide a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of an athlete’s workload and recovery compared to traditional methods?
- Can real-time feedback from wearable devices on metrics like running form, power output, or heart rate help athletes make immediate adjustments to improve performance during training and competition?
- What are the effects and ethical considerations of sharing wearable data in college sports?
And soon, he decides that he likes the question that Google Gemini came up with “What are the effects and ethical considerations of sharing wearable data in college sports?
Give me 5 citations to articles on this research question “What are the effects and ethical considerations of sharing wearable data in college sports?”
- Kuk, J. (2020). Should Your Wearables Be Shareable? The Ethics of Wearable Technology in Collegiate Athletics. Marquette Sports Law Review, 31(1), 163-189. Retrieved from https://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/sportslaw/vol31/iss1/9
- Han, H., & Hyun, Y. (2025). Editorial: Emerging digital technologies as a game changer in the sport industry. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, Article 1605138. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1605138/full
- Wieland, A., Feiler, M., & Haischer, J. (2024). The Impact of Wearable Technologies on Marginal Gains in Sports Performance: An Integrative Overview on Advances in Sports, Exercise, and Health. Applied Sciences, 14(15), 6649. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/15/6649
- Kelly, M. (2020, March 2). Navigating the potential pitfalls of tracking college athletes. UW News. Retrieved from https://www.washington.edu/news/2020/03/02/tracking-college-athletes/
- Patel, S., & Chen, L. (2023). The neuromodulatory effects of virtual reality immersion on athletic performance in collegiate swimmers. Journal of Sports Technology & Human Movement, 15(3), 211-225. https://doi.org/10.1080/12345678.2023.98765432
Capabilities of Using GenAI
- Brainstorming with a GenAI can be really helpful if you don’t have a lot of experience on a topic and can be a great starting point for research.
- GenAI can sort through a lot of information quickly, and give a general overview and find some sources on a topic.
Limitations of using GenAI
- A GenAI tool isn’t a replacement for researching in a library database. It should be used as a tool to augment not to replace the critical thinking that is involved in academic research.
- GenAI can get things wrong. We don’t know if the sources Gemini found are real sources, if there is a bias to them, or if they are even relevant on the topic. Try following the links and see if you can get to the full text of the article.
