The below form example statements that provide an initial introduction to the use of generative AI by students. Statements should be discussed, refined and agreed at a School level in conjunction with your Head of Education. They should be complemented by a School-level Canvas page describing generative AI, how it is used to support student learning, and its limitations.
Within this programme there might be modules where you are permitted to use generative AI tools for specific assignments or teaching and learning activities. Where such use is allowable, it will be clearly identified at the start of the assessment or assignment specification and your module lecturer will also alert you to this in different ways. However, any assignments or assessments created with AI should not exceed [x]% of the total work submitted, and must clearly identify any AI generated sections in the manner described within the assessment or assignment. Presenting work that has been generated by AI tools as your own is academic misconduct as per the University’s Code of Practice on Academic Integrity.
Whilst AI tools, including ChatGPT, can assist you with idea generation and research, it is important you are aware of their limitations. AI generated material may contain a number of inaccuracies, mis-representations, and biases. It may also include plagiarised or copyright material without appropriate citation. All students take full responsibility for any material, AI-generated or otherwise, that they submit as part of their assessments or assignments.
You can find out more about the ethical use of generative AI to support your learning here [Insert link to a School-level Canvas page].
Using AI tools successfully, and in an ethical manner, is likely to become an important skill within many careers in the future. Within this programme there will be opportunities for you to utilise generative AI tools and develop this skill. However, the widescale use of generative AI is relatively new, and society is currently exploring when the use of such tools is/is not acceptable. There are several known current issues which all users of generative AI need to be aware of:
- AI tools can present information with inaccuracies or mis-represent ideas.
- AI tools may have in-built biases that, by reproducing information rather than challenging it, allow these biases to propagate.
- Material generated by AI tools often draws upon underlying text and other sources upon which it was trained without citation. Therefore, generative AI tools may plagiarise or breach copyright.
- Once material is uploaded to a generative AI tool, it is currently unclear who owns the resulting copyright. As such, there are risks to the intellectual property of generative AI users.
Whilst there might be occasions within this programme where generative AI can be used to support your learning, it is important you note the above and use such tools in a responsible and ethical manner. We have agreed the following principles for the use of generative AI within the School of [Insert School Name]:
- You must not present the outputs from generative AI tools as your own as part of your assessments and assignments.
- Generative AI tools must not be used to plagiarise without citation.
- You are responsible for ensuring that your use of generative AI tools does not plagiarise without citation or violate copyright or intellectual property laws.
- Where AI tools are used within your work, this should be clearly cited. This includes identifying the tool that you have used, the input prompts, and any output that you have included. Further guidance on how to do this can be found here [Insert link to School-based Canvas page].
All students take full responsibility for the work that they submit and in ensuring that their use of generative AI is compatible with the above policy. Any violations will be considered as academic misconduct as per the University’s Code of Practice on Academic Integrity and will be dealt with accordingly.
Should you have any concerns as to whether your use of generative AI is in line with this policy, it is important you speak with your module lecturer first.
Module-level Statements Relating to the use of Generative AI Tools
A module-level example statement where the use of generative AI is allowed by students:
Within this module you are permitted to use generative AI to support your learning experience. You may use it for the following activities:
- Researching and refining your ideas.
- Information retrieval or background research.
- Drafting an outline to organise or summarise your thoughts.
- Refining research questions.
- Checking spelling and grammar.
You may not submit any work generated by an AI tool as your own. Where you include any material generated by an AI program, it should be cited just like any other reference material. Alongside your assignment you should also upload a commentary detailing how generative AI has been used to develop your submission. If you have not used generative AI tools, you should clearly state so. Further guidance on how to do this can be found here [Insert link to School-based Canvas page].
Plagiarism, including that which results from using generative AI, is a form of academic misconduct that will be dealt with under the University’s Code of Practice on Academic Integrity.
Module-level example statement where the use of generative AI is not allowed by students:
Within this module the use of generative AI, including ChatGPT or similar, is not allowed. This applies to all assignments and assessments that contribute towards your overall module mark. It includes, but is not limited to essays, reports, and projects.
Using generative AI to contribute to your assignments and assessments within this module will result in you being in violation of the University’s Code of Practice on Academic Integrity which may have implications for your future studies.