Policy Explainer
Translate a complex proposal into clear, sourced findings.
No coding requiredFree to start
Research a Question with AI
Turn a question into rigorous, cited research.
Use AI to plan an investigation, locate primary sources, test claims against evidence, and produce a research brief you can actually use.
No research software or coding experience required.
What you’ll build
A focused research brief grounded in traceable sources, explicit reasoning, and clearly labeled uncertainty.
A working example
See the workflow before you build it.
Try: “How could new AI data centers affect electricity costs and water use in my region?”
The workflow turns a broad question into subquestions, prioritizes primary evidence, and separates supported findings from open questions.
Community Policy Brief
Project previewHow could new AI data centers affect electricity costs and water use in my region?
Working through the project
Evidence table
8 primary sources organized
Research brief
Claims, citations, and limitations
What you can make
Start from the same foundation. Make it yours.
Use the project for your community, organization, business, research, or idea.
Program Landscape
Map organizations, programs, and gaps in a field.
Claim Checker
Test an important public claim against primary evidence.
Decision Memo
Compare options and document the evidence behind a choice.
What you’ll learn
Understand what is happening underneath.
Finish with a working project and a practical understanding of the choices behind it.
01
Turn a broad question into a researchable plan
02
Use AI to generate search terms without outsourcing judgment
03
Prioritize primary and authoritative sources
04
Create an evidence table and track citations
05
Challenge unsupported or contradictory claims
06
Label facts, inferences, forecasts, and unknowns
07
Write a useful brief with transparent limitations
What we’ll use
Open tools, explained as you go.
You do not need to know these tools beforehand. The guide introduces each one when you encounter it.
AI assistant
Plan, organize, and challenge the research
Primary sources
Ground the work in original evidence
Citation tracker
Keep claims connected to their sources
Document editor
Draft and revise the final brief
How the guide works
Learn by doing the real workflow.
Frame
Define the question and what a useful answer requires.
Investigate
Find, evaluate, and organize the strongest evidence.
Synthesize
Write a cited brief and pressure-test its conclusions.
Ready to build?
Turn your question into evidence.
60 minutes No coding required Practical project
Part of the AFAI AI Toolkit · Practical, open resources for everyone