Knowledge Bases and Uploads

Knowledge bases let RoxWhy work with the notes, PDFs, readings, and source material a student is studying. A focused knowledge base makes answers more relevant and makes RoxBots easier to use.

What a knowledge base does

A knowledge base stores source material that RoxWhy can retrieve during tutoring, writing, research, quiz, and RoxBot workflows.

Use it when you want RoxWhy to answer from:

• Class notes.
• Teacher handouts.
• Worksheets.
• PDFs.
• Reading extracts.
• Slides.
• Draft outlines.
• Research notes.
• Revision packs.

Create focused source sets

Avoid one large mixed folder for everything. Create separate knowledge bases for separate learning contexts.

Good names:

• Year 9 Biology - Cells
• English Essay - Macbeth
• Algebra Revision
• History Source Analysis
• Programming Project Notes

Focused source sets help RoxWhy retrieve the right material and reduce confusing answers.

What to upload

Good uploads include:

• Notes written by the student.
• Class handouts.
• Readings the student is allowed to use.
• Worksheets and practice questions.
• Draft outlines or planning notes.
• Public references.
• Marking criteria or assignment instructions, if allowed.

What not to upload

Do not upload:

• Passwords, API keys, or full card numbers.
• Medical, legal, or identity documents unless absolutely necessary and permitted.
• Other students' private work.
• Documents the student is not allowed to process with AI.
• Large unrelated folders that mix many subjects.
• Files with unnecessary personal information.

For sensitive material, remove names, addresses, ID numbers, and unrelated personal details where practical.

How to ask RoxWhy to use a knowledge base

Be direct:

• "Use my biology knowledge base and explain this diagram."
• "Answer from the uploaded class notes first."
• "Quiz me only on the material in this knowledge base."
• "Turn this reading into a study outline."
• "Compare my draft with the assignment criteria."

If the answer looks generic, ask RoxWhy to use a specific document or upload a smaller, more focused set of sources.

Use with RoxBots

RoxBots work best when linked to a focused knowledge base. The knowledge base holds the sources; the RoxBot holds the teaching role.

Example:

• Knowledge base: Algebra Revision
• RoxBot: Socratic Algebra Coach
• Instruction: "Use the Algebra Revision knowledge base, ask me to try each step first, then explain mistakes."

Upload and retrieval problems

If an upload fails:

• Try a smaller file.
• Rename the file with simple letters and numbers.
• Avoid password-protected or corrupted files.
• Check whether the file type is supported in the current workspace.
• Try uploading fewer files at once.

If retrieval seems wrong:

• Split the knowledge base into smaller subject sets.
• Remove unrelated files.
• Ask for answers from a named document.
• Include page, section, or topic details in the prompt.

Plan limits

Plan limits can apply to knowledge bases, documents, storage, and AI-token usage. Check Pricing, the in-app plan screen, and AI Tokens and Top-Ups.

Contact support

Use Contact if uploads or retrieval do not work.

Include the account email, file type, file size if known, knowledge base name, what you expected, what happened, and any error text.