Start Here

This guide teaches you how to use NotebookLM and Gemini Gems to research and write peer-response blog posts for ENGL 170.

What You'll Learn

Every post you write in this course responds to other writers in the network. That means you need to:

Understand your peer's argument — summarize it fairly before you respond
Find supporting research — claims need evidence
Draft and revise — turn your ideas into polished prose
Verify everything — AI can help, but you own the accuracy

Two Google AI tools can help with this workflow: NotebookLM and Gemini Gems. They work differently, and this guide will show you when to use each.

Two Tools, Two Strengths

Tool	Best For	How It Works
NotebookLM	Source-grounded research	Add sources (peer posts, articles, PDFs) to a notebook. Ask questions. Answers cite your sources.
Gemini Gems	Repeatable drafting workflows	Create a custom AI assistant with standing instructions. Same process every time.

The Bridge: Gemini can now attach NotebookLM notebooks as sources. This means you can combine grounded research (NotebookLM) with flexible drafting (Gems) in one workflow.

What's In This Guide

Core Workflows

Choose a Tool — Decision tree for when to use NotebookLM vs. Gems
NotebookLM Workflow — Step-by-step instructions for source-based research
Gems Workflow — Step-by-step instructions for structured drafting
Combined Workflow — Using both tools together

Examples with Real Student Posts

NotebookLM Example — Using Gabriel Bell's "The Silicon Mirage"
Gems Example — Using Zay Amaro's "Markets, Metrics, and the Myth of Certainty"

Reference

Templates — Copy/paste prompts, Gem instructions, checklists
Verification — How to fact-check AI-assisted work
Glossary — Key terms defined
Troubleshooting — Common problems and fixes

Before You Start

You'll need:

A Google account (for NotebookLM and Gemini)
Access to the class dashboard to find peer posts
A peer post to respond to

Ready? Start with the tool chooser to figure out which workflow fits your current task.