Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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Using AI Ethically: A Student Guide
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a valuable tool for learning, brainstorming, and problem-solving. This guide outlines how to use AI responsibly while maintaining academic integrity and ensuring your work reflects your own learning.
1. Follow Assignment-Specific AI Guidelines
Your instructor may set AI policies for specific assignments or apply a general guideline across the entire course.
- Different assignments may allow different levels of AI use.
- Check your syllabus or assignment instructions for specific rules.
- If you are unsure whether AI use is permitted, ask your instructor before using it.
2. Use AI as a Support, Not a Substitute
- AI can help you generate ideas, explore topics, or organize information.
- You are responsible for evaluating its output and making all final decisions.
- Always think critically! AI can make mistakes, provide incomplete information, or misrepresent facts.
3. Engage Critically and Carefully
- Review AI-generated content for accuracy, bias, and reliability.
- Consider ethical implications of AI suggestions or solutions.
- Avoid entering personal, confidential, or sensitive information into AI tools.
4. Be Transparent About AI Use
- If AI contributes to an assignment, clearly document and explain its role.
- Provide proper citations according to course or disciplinary standards (e.g., APA, MLA).
- Remember: you are fully responsible for the quality, originality, and accuracy of your work.
5. Maintain Academic Integrity
- Do not submit AI-generated work as if it were entirely your own.
- Avoid using AI to bypass learning objectives, such as solving problems you are expected to work through manually.
- Treat AI as a tool to enhance your understanding, not to replace your learning.
6. Best Practices for Ethical AI Use
- Use AI for brainstorming, drafting, summarizing, or clarifying ideas, not for writing your entire assignment.
- Keep a record of your process, including notes, drafts, and sources.
- Reflect on how AI influenced your work and include this in your submission if required.
Remember
AI is a powerful tool, but your learning and integrity matter most. Using AI ethically means enhancing your skills without compromising your responsibility for your work.