The following prompt template has been designed as a discovery tool that produces consistent results and apply across disciplines for educators seeking OER for course design. It does require responsible input relevant to your course/desired outputs. It has been edited and refined by Copilot.
Prompt template
I am a [your role] at a [type of institution], designing or updating a course in [subject area] for [academic level] students.
The course covers topics such as: [brief description].
It supports the following learning outcomes:
I need a list of live, direct links to open educational resources (OER) that meet the following criteria:
Group the resources by learning outcome or keyword.
Do not include course design tips or general advice.
Example
I am a professor at a public university, updating a course in International Humanitarian Law for Junior-level students.
The course covers topics such as: introduces students to the legal frameworks governing armed conflict, the protection of civilians, and the responsibilities of state and non-state actors under international law.
It supports the following learning outcomes:
Explain the principles and sources of International Humanitarian Law, including the Geneva Conventions
Analyze real-world cases involving violations of IHL and international legal responses
Evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of enforcement mechanisms within international institutions.
I need a list of live, direct links to open educational resources (OER) that meet the following criteria:
Focused on foundational and advanced topics in IHL, including legal statutes, case law, and contemporary applications
Preferably published within the last 10 years
Format: textbooks, legal commentaries, case studies, or multimedia (e.g., lecture videos or interactive simulations)
Suitable for undergraduate students at the Junior-level that have a background in political science
Relevant keywords: international humanitarian law, laws of armed conflict, Geneva Conventions, war crimes, international legal frameworks
Accessibility: mobile-friendly
License: Any that allow reuse at minimum
Group the resources by learning outcome or keyword.
Do not include course design tips or general advice.
Microsoft. (2025). Template prompt for locating OER scholarly sources across disciplines (September 7 version) [Large language model response]. Retrieved from Copilot. https://copilot.microsoft.com/chats/
The following prompt template has been designed to produce consistent results and apply across disciplines for students seeking OER to use in their research. It does require responsible input relevant to your course/desired outputs. It has been edited and refined by ChatGPT.
Prompt template
I am working on a [type of assignment] (e.g., research paper, literature review, annotated bibliography) for my [subject or field of study] course. My topic focuses on [brief description of your topic or research question], specifically exploring [key concepts, themes, or issues].
Please help me locate open educational resources (OER)—such as scholarly articles, peer-reviewed papers, eBooks, or academic chapters—that are relevant to this topic. Ideally, these sources should:
Be published by reputable academic or educational institutions
Be freely accessible and openly licensed for educational use
Address or support [your topic or research question plus unique perspectives]
Be appropriate for a [undergraduate/graduate/introductory/advanced] academic level
I need sources that are [include any special parameters: recent (e.g., post-2015), include case studies, have data or empirical evidence, come from interdisciplinary perspectives, etc.]
Example
I am working on a research paper for my Sociology course. My topic focuses on digital inequality, specifically exploring the impact of internet access on education outcomes.
Please help me locate open educational resources—such as scholarly articles or eBooks—that are relevant to this topic. Ideally, these sources should:
Be published by reputable academic or educational institutions
Be freely accessible and openly licensed for educational use
Address or support the connection between socioeconomic status and digital access in urban areas
Be appropriate for an undergraduate academic level
Optional: I would prefer sources that include case studies or recent U.S.-based research.
OpenAI. (2025). Template prompt for locating OER scholarly sources across disciplines (May 21 version) [Large language model response]. Retrieved from ChatGPT. https://chat.openai.com/
