爆料社区

Academic Integrity and AI

As generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, and Microsoft Copilot become more available, it's more important than ever to understand how to use them responsibly. Their use may cross the line into misuse or even academic dishonesty. LTS encourages you to make informed, ethical choices about AI in your coursework. 

Understand Instructor Expectations 

Why AI Policies Vary by Course and Professor 

There is no single university-wide policy about using generative AI in your coursework. That鈥檚 because: 

• Assignments have unique goals (e.g., practicing argumentation, demonstrating research, sharing personal insight) for which AI use is counter-productive or unethical
• Different courses lend themselves differently to due to subject-specific traditions and processes
• Faculty have different levels of comfort and expertise with AI tools 

Bottom line: Always assume AI use is not allowed unless your instructor explicitly grants you permission. 

How to Ask Your Instructor About Their AI Policy 

It鈥檚 smart and respectful to clarify expectations early. Try asking: 

鈥淚鈥檓 curious if we鈥檙e allowed to use tools like ChatGPT or Grammarly for this assignment. Do you have a preferred policy about using AI?鈥� 

Being specific about your proposed use can help clarify your intentions: 

鈥淲ould it be acceptable to use AI for brainstorming topics or editing the grammar, as long as I disclose that I did?鈥� 

This kind of transparency builds trust, and it protects you from unintentional violations. 

Examples of AI Language in Syllabi 

You may find your instructor鈥檚 policy on AI use in their syllabus. These will range from permissive to prohibitive. Here are examples of the kinds of statements you might see in course syllabi: 

Permissive  
鈥淪tudents may use generative AI tools at any stage of your coursework; however, you must include a brief note at the end of your assignments that discloses how you used it." 

Conditional 
鈥淎I tools may be used for brainstorming or grammar support only. Using AI to write any portion of the final submission is not permitted.鈥� 

 Prohibited 
鈥淣o AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, or Copilot) may be used for any part of this course鈥檚 assignments.鈥� 

 If that policy is not listed in the course syllabus and you would like to use AI, you should ask the instructor direcly what their policy is.

How to Cite and Disclose AI

You should only cite and dislose using AI if your instructor explicitly allows it. If you have not been granted permission, then you should not have used AI in the first place and no citation or disclosure is needed.

AI is no replacement for a credible, peer-reviewed academic source. ChatGPT is not a peer-reviewed or verifiable source, and it can generate false or misleading information ("hallucinations"). Additionally, AI responses are not retrievable unlike other, more acceptible sources.

Citing in APA Style (7th edition)

Reference Entry:

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model].

In-Text Citation (parenthetical):

According to my AI review, the results of the model should be evaluated critically by users(OpenAI, 2023).

According to OpenAI (2023), the results of the model should be evaluated critically by users.

Usage Note:
APA recommends also describing how the tool was used in your methods or as a footnote. Since ChatGPT responses aren鈥檛 retrievable or reproducible, citing them is closer to citing personal communication.

Citing in MLA Style (9th edition)

Works Cited Entry:

OpenAI. ChatGPT, Mar. 14 version, OpenAI, 2023, .

In-Text Citation:

The model suggested several revision strategies for academic writing (OpenAI).

Disclosing When AI was Used

Disclose at the end of your paper or a footnote when AI assisted you with brainstorming, revising, or formatting. 

鈥淚 used ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) to help brainstorm examples and identify sentences that needed clarity in this paper. All final wording and analysis are my own.鈥�

Saying 鈥淎I helped me鈥� isn鈥檛 enough. You will want to be clear about how it helped. Did it give feedback? Suggest changes? Point out unclear parts? There鈥檚 also a difference between reviewing (identifying areas for improvement), revising (actively changing ideas, structure, or clarity) and editing (fixing grammar and punctuation).

Academic Integrity & AI 

爆料社区鈥檚 Academic Honesty Policy 

爆料社区鈥檚 Academic Honesty Policy prohibits: 

鈥淯sing unauthorized assistance in completing assignments or assessments, including technological tools that substitute for original thinking or learning.鈥� 

In other words: if you let AI do the work you were assigned to do, that鈥檚 a violation even if you didn鈥檛 mean to cheat. 

See the . 

Where鈥檚 the Line? 

Ask yourself the question: 鈥淒oes using generative AI in this given way circumvent the intent of the assignment, the course, or the University?鈥� 

If the answer is yes, you are likely misusing AI. 

Risks to Avoid 

• Plagiarism

  Plagiarism has always included copying from another person and passing it off as your own. It now includes passing off AI-generated work as your own. For example: 

  • Copy-pasting a ChatGPT answer into your assignment without citation
  • Asking an AI to rephrase a paragraph and submitting it without acknowledging its role
  • Using an AI-generated essay as a "template" but keeping its structure and key ideas 

  Even if you rephrase the words, the thinking is not yours and you still violate academic honesty policies. 

• Unoriginality

  AI tools are designed to generate plausible, generalized responses based on patterns. If you rely on them too heavily: 

  • Your writing may sound generic or formulaic
  • Your ideas may lack depth or personal insight
  • Worst of all, you might miss opportunities to take academic risks or grow as a thinker.

  Trust your voice, and trust your ability do the work. AI tools can be helpful, but they cannot replace you and your unique contributions.

• Automation Bias

  Automation bias happens when users trust AI tools too much, believing their output is correct simply because a machine generated it. This includes:

  • Accepting AI鈥檚 explanation of a theory without double-checking sources
  • Letting AI feedback override your understanding of a topic
  • Submitting answers generated by AI without verifying facts or accuracy 

  AI is great at sounding confident. Unfortunately, it still sounds confident when it is wrong. Always double-check and always think for yourself. 

• Overreliance

  Even among competent power users of AI tools, overreliance occurs for those who use AI out of unchecked habit. 

  • They neglect opportunities to work out problems for themselves
  • They ignore other useful resources like library databases and human experts
  • They avoid sitting in a challenge and consequently miss opportunities for growth
  • They allow once practiced skills to atrophy instead of honing them 

  Overreliance comes at an expensive price: ability and confidence. Put in some effort before consulting AI. 

• Data Privacy Violations

  Data privacy concerns arise when users upload personal, confidential, or proprietary content into AI tools without realizing how that information may be stored, used, or exposed. Example of data privacy issues include: 

  • Uploading drafts that include your student ID number, health information, or financial information
  • Sharing research data you鈥檙e assisting with that has not yet been published or approved for release
  • Using AI to summarize or rewrite faculty-owned instructional content or grant proposals without permission
  • Copying and pasting sensitive emails or meeting notes into ChatGPT or other tools 

  Even tools that offer privacy assurances may retain user input temporarily or use it to improve their models (unless explicitly stated otherwise, like ChatGPT EDU). Once something is entered into a public AI system, you can鈥檛 control where it goes or who might access it. 

  Respect your own privacy as well as your the privacy of your classmates and instructors. When in doubt, don鈥檛 upload it.