Project Description
By Dr. Alice Lee (FAH-ELC) and Prof. Katrine Wong (CTLE/FAH)
UM students can ‘use ChatGPT or other generative-AI systems to enhance their learning’ and that they ‘should be aware that they must be authors of their own work’ (email ‘Notes on the use of generative-AI systems’, 11 April 2023). Here are a few FAQs for all UM students when it comes to questions regarding the use of generative AI tools in learning activities.
Language editing
I used an online editing tool to help me edit my written assignment. Will I get in trouble for this?
You must declare your use of any editing aids (including generative AI tools that revise text, and/or any text editors, translation tools, etc.) to your instructor, even if your instructor gives you permission to use them. Declaration means that you tell your instructor what tool you have used, and if appropriate, the exact instructions you have given that tool. You should be aware that depending on the intended learning outcomes of a course, different instructors will have different policies on the use of editing tools to enhance your assignment. Remember, you should always adhere to the corresponding course policy on the use of generative AI. Consult your instructor before you submit your assignment if you have any questions.
Paraphrasing ideas
I used a generative AI tool to help me paraphrase ideas from my sources and included the paraphrasing in my written assignment. Will I get in trouble for this?
Different from using a tool to help you edit, when you use any generative AI tool to paraphrase others’ ideas and then include the paraphrasing in your written assignment, it means that you have not produced the work yourself, even if it is only a few words. You should acknowledge the use of generative AI in your assignments and other work (written, spoken or otherwise). On this page, you can find out more about how to cite and acknowledge generative AI tools in your academic work. You should also verify the accuracy of the generated information, as you will need to take full responsibility for it. Remember, you should always adhere to the corresponding course policy on the use of generative AI. Consult your instructor before you submit your assignment if you have any questions.
Generating ideas for presentations
I used AI to help me generate a script for my presentation, but I delivered the presentation by myself. Is this acceptable?
Whether an assignment is spoken or written should not make a difference. What is important is who created the idea and what words were used to express the idea. Your instructor is more interested in knowing what you can do rather than what AI can do. In other words, it would not be acceptable for you to use AI to generate content for your presentation even though you presented the content. If you are unsure, you should ask your instructor to clarify or refer to the assignment instructions and/or rubric. As a general rule of thumb, all of the elements listed in any assignment are expected to be completed by a human but might be enhanced by AI (permission or restriction may vary from one course policy to another), and due citation and acknowledgement should be indicated.
My instructor told me that my presentation was too technical and that I needed to use more commonly understandable language, so I put the script that I wrote into an AI tool and asked it to simplify my script. Is this acceptable?
Instructors may not all handle a situation like this in the same manner. It depends on the intended learning outcomes of the course, the purposes of the assignment and other considerations. If you say that you wrote your script but used too many technical words, your instructor might ask you where those technical words came from. Might they have come from a translator tool? In general, you should know all of the words (what they mean, how to say them, how to use them in different contexts) that you are using in a presentation. Whatever tools you use to help you refine your language to your audience, you should document them in case your instructor asks you to show proof of your work.
Similarity percentage
Before submitting my assignment, I checked my similarity percentage in Turnitin, and my number was low (as in ‘safe’). However, I still got a 0 on my assignment. Why?
You should not rely only on numbers for your similarity report. Even if you just copied a phrase, word-for-word, without proper citation, your assignment could receive a 0. Similarly, if you used generative AI to help you with your assignment and you didn’t indicate this fact, you could also receive a 0. Your instructor will receive an AI percentage report, which you may not have access to. You should always adhere to the course policy on the use of generative AI and consult your instructor before you submit your assignment if you have any questions.
