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Student Conduct and Academic Integrity

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is an evolving technology that is being used in a variety of ways across numerous disciplines and industries. There are countless uses for artificial intelligence and as our community becomes more familiar with this technology this office seeks to help educate Gamecocks on how artificial intelligence impacts our standards of Academic Integrity as defined by the Honor Code.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends... The use of Artificial Intelligence websites and bots like ChatGPT may be a violation of the Cheating - Unauthorized Aid, Cheating - Improper Collaboration, Plagiarism - Copying Work, or Falsification - Violation of Classroom Rules policies. This is dependent on the nature of how the Artificial Intelligence service was used. Much like any technology used to aid in the completion of academic work, it is the user's responsibility to ensure that the use of that technology is both permitted to be used by the course instructor and that the use is clearly cited and/or documented in some way so that it clear what work was created by the user of the service and what portion of the work was created by the technology.

For example, a student may be inclined to use ChatGPT to help brainstorm ideas for a topic of a research essay. In most cases, proper use of ChatGPT or other Artificial Intelligence services in this scenario would consist of the student first asking their professor if they were allowed to use ChatGPT to assist in the brainstorming process. If permitted by the instructor, the student could then use the service to brainstorm ideas. If at any point in this process, the student decides to use the service beyond this brainstorming process they would need to cite all statements or claims generated by the service so that it is clear what material in the final assignment submission was created by the student and what was created by the service much like citing any other source in a research essay.

Note: Professors have the right to not allow students to use Artificial Intelligence services in the completion of their assignments no differently than how professors often restrict access to other technologies such as calculators for certain examinations and homework assignments. In the same course, a calculator may be permitted for one assignment and not another. We encourage professors to make it clear if Artificial Intelligence was allowed on one assignment and not a following assignment but, ultimately, the student is responsible for asking if they plan to use Artificial Intelligence. Not knowing is not an excuse for a violation of the Honor Code if a student is found to be using unauthorized aid in the submission of an assignment of any kind.

Ask your course instructor. They will decide if you can use Artificial Intelligence to help you complete your homework. When you ask be sure to explain exactly how you plan to use the service. The professor may restrict the use of Artificial Intelligence services much like how in some cases a professor may restrict certain sources like Wikipedia when completing research assignments or scientific calculators when completing certain math and science assignments. If you do use an Artificial Intelligence service, be sure to cite your work if you take statements from the service and plan to use them in your assignment submission.

Yes. When using Artificial Intelligence services to generate statements, figures, images, etc. be sure to cite the work both in text (if applicable) and in a works cited page. Remember that Artificial Intelligence is a new technology so citation guidelines are currently being developed and are subject to change.

Find out how here:  MLA Style Center

Find out how here:  APA Style

Find out how here:  Chicago Manual of Style Online

The Center for Teaching Excellence has compiled a number of resources for faculty including best practices involving the inclusion of a syllabus statement that establish's the expectations that govern the use of artificial intelligence in a classroom.

Below is information provided by CTE as well as an adaptation of ChatGPT and Generative AI Tools: Sample Syllabus Policy Statements by UT Austin’s Center for Teaching and Learning

Find all this information as well as additional resources from CTE directly hereEach section contains several possible ways of framing the instructor’s intent. Due to the nuance of generative artficial intelligence, the categories do not stand alone, so you may find areas of overlap. To that end, these statements are intended to spur your own thinking, and so you are welcome to use, edit, or adapt any of the selections below for your own purposes.

No use of generative Artificial Intelligence tools permitted

[4 Sample statements]

  1. This course assumes that work submitted by students – all process work, drafts, brainstorming artifacts, final works – will be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups as directed by class assignment instructions. This policy indicates the following constitute violations of academic honesty: a student has another person/entity do the work of any substantive portion of a graded assignment for them, which includes purchasing work from a company, hiring a person or company to complete an assignment or exam, and/or using generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT).

  2. In this course, every element of class assignments must be fully prepared by the student.  The use of generativeArtificial Intelligencetools for any part of your work will be treated as plagiarism. If you have questions, please contact me.

  3. All assignments should be fully prepared by the student. Developing strong competencies in the skills associated with this course, from student-based brainstorming to project development, will prepare you for success in your degree pathway and, ultimately, a competitive career. Therefore, the use of generativeArtificial Intelligencetools to complete any aspect of assignments for this course is not permitted and will be treated as plagiarism. If you have questions about what constitutes a violation of this statement, please contact me.

  4. This course assumes that work submitted for a grade by students – all process work, drafts, brainstorming artifacts, final works – will be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups as directed by class assignment instructions. This policy indicates the following constitute violations of academic honesty: a student has another person/entity do the work of any substantive portion of a graded assignment for them, which includes purchasing work from a company, hiring a person or company to complete an assignment or exam, and/or using generativeArtificial Intelligencetools (such as ChatGPT).

Generative Articial Intelligence is permitted in specific contexts and with acknowledgment

[6 sample statements]

  1. The emergence of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT and DALL-E) has sparked interest among many students in our discipline. The use of these tools for brainstorming ideas, exploring possible responses to questions or problems, and creative engagement with the materials may be useful for you as you craft responses to class assignments. While there is no substitute for working directly with your instructor, the potential for generativeArtificial Intelligencetools to provide automatic feedback, assistive technology and language assistance is clearly developing. Please feel free to reach out to me well in advance of the due date of assignments for which you may be using generativeArtificial Intelligencetools and I will be happy to discuss what is acceptable.

  2. In this course, students shall give credit toArtificial Intelligencetools whenever used, even if only to generate ideas rather than usable text or illustrations. When usingArtificial Intelligencetools on assignments, add an appendix showing (a) the entire exchange, highlighting the most relevant sections; (b) a description of precisely whichArtificial Intelligencetools were used (e.g. ChatGPT private subscription version or DALL-E free version), (c) an explanation of how theArtificial Intelligencetools were used (e.g. to generate ideas, turns of phrase, elements of text, long stretches of text, lines of argument, pieces of evidence, maps of the conceptual territory, illustrations of key concepts, etc.); (d) an account of whyArtificial Intelligencetools were used (e.g. to save time, to surmount writer’s block, to stimulate thinking, to handle mounting stress, to clarify prose, to translate text, to experiment for fun, etc.). Students shall not use AI tools during in-class examinations, or assignments unless explicitly permitted and instructed. Overall, AI tools should be used wisely and reflectively with an aim to deepen understanding of subject matter.

  3. It is a violation of university policy to misrepresent work that you submit or exchange with your instructor by characterizing it as your own, such as submitting responses to assignments that do not acknowledge the use of generative AI tools. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have about the use of generative AI tools before submitting any content that has been substantially informed by these tools.

  4. In this course, we may use generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT) to examine the ways in which these kinds of tools may inform our exploration of the topics of the class. You will be informed as to when and how these tools will be used, along with guidance for attribution if/as needed. Any use of generative AI tools outside of these parameters constitutes plagiarism and will be treated as such.

  5. Understanding how and when to use generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, DALL-E) is quickly emerging as an important skill for future professions. To that end, you are welcome to use generative AI tools in this class as long as it aligns with the learning outcomes or goals associated with assignments. You are fully responsible for the information you submit based on a generative AI query (such that it does not violate academic honesty standards, intellectual property laws, or standards of non-public research you are conducting through coursework). Your use of generative AI tools must be properly documented and cited for any work submitted in this course.

  6. To ensure all students have an equal opportunity to succeed and to preserve the integrity of the course, students are not permitted to submit text that is generated by artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Claude, Google Bard, or any other automated assistance for any classwork or assessments. This includes using AI to generate answers to assignments, exams, or projects, or using AI to complete any other course-related tasks. Using AI in this way undermines your ability to develop critical thinking, writing, or research skills that are essential for this course and your academic success. Students may use AI as part of their research and preparation for assignments, or as a text editor, but text that is submitted must be written by the student. For example, students may use AI to generate ideas, questions, or summaries that they then revise, expand, or cite properly. Students should also be aware of the potential benefits and limitations of using AI as a tool for learning and research. AI systems can provide helpful information or suggestions, but they are not always reliable or accurate. Students should critically evaluate the sources, methods, and outputs of AI systems. Violations of this policy will be treated as academic misconduct. If you have any questions about this policy or if you are unsure whether a particular use of AI is acceptable, please do not hesitate to ask for clarification.

Students are encouraged to use generative Artificial Intelligence tools in coursework

[3 sample statements]

  1. The use of generative AI is encouraged with certain tasks and with attribution: You can choose to use AI tools to help brainstorm assignments or projects or to revise existing work you have written. When you submit your assignment, I expect you to clearly attribute what text was generated by the AI tool (e.g., AI-generated text appears in a different colored font, quoted directly in the text, or use an in-text parenthetical citation).

  2. Designers commonly use AI-content generation tools in their work. In this course, using AI-content generation tools is permitted and will be a normal and regular part of our creative process when it is used according to the below criteria. In this course, neglecting to follow these requirements may be considered academic dishonesty. (1) For each assignment, you are required to include a paragraph that explains what AI content- generation tool you used, the dates you used it, and the prompts you used to generate the content according to the MLA style guide. (2) During critique, it is important to describe the precedents you used and how any source content was transformed. When showing or presenting images or other content you generated using an AI-tool, cite that image or content following the MLA style guide. If you need help referencing your creative work, contact me to collaborate.

  3. Students are invited to use AI platforms to help prepare for assignments and projects (e.g., to help with brainstorming or to see what a completed essay might look like). I also welcome you to use AI tools to help revise and edit your work (e.g., to help identify flaws in reasoning, spot confusing or underdeveloped paragraphs, or to simply fix citations). When submitting work, students must clearly identify any writing, text, or media generated by AI. This can be done in a variety of ways. In this course, parts of essays generated by AI should appear in a different colored font, and the relationship between those sections and student contributions should be discussed in cover letters that accompany the essay submission.

 

1. Prompt Competition​
a. Identify a major question or challenge in your field or discipline that chatGPT could write about. Preferably a question with no clear single right answer.​
b. Have students collaborate (in pairs or small teams) on developing 5 to 10 criteria for assessing chatGPT responses to the major question. For example, chatGPT’s output references more than one theoretical perspective.​
c. Ask students to individually write a prompt for chatGPT to answer the major question.​
d. Have students use their criteria to judge the responses of other students (in the pair or small team), and rate the chatGPT prompts/responses from best to worst.​
2. Reflect and Improve​
a. Ask students to individually identify a major question or challenge in your field or discipline that chatGPT could write about.​
b. Have students use chatGPT to write a response to their question or challenge.​
c. Ask students to reflect on chatGPT’s output (e.g., what is correct, incorrect, what they don’t know if it is correct or incorrect, what should they look up elsewhere to verify, what should they ask chatGPT next).​
d. Using Track Changes in MS Word or Suggesting in Google Docs, have students improve the output of chatGPT (e.g., correcting errors or misinformation, expanding on shallow content).​
e. Have students submit their prompt and the improved chatGPT response with their added content highlighted.​
3. Re-vision​
a. Ask students to individually identify a major question or challenge in your field or discipline that chatGPT could write about.​
b. Have students use chatGPT to write a response to their question or challenge.​
c. George Heard is attributed with saying “The true meaning of the word revision is this: to see again.” Have students revise (write again) chatGPT’s output from a different angel. For instance, take a different perspective, apply a critical lens, expand on a particular concept, or correct aspects of the output that could cause their peers to misunderstand or misinterpret.​
4. Dual Assignments​
a. Give students a choice between two versions of the same assignment. One version for those that want to use chatGPT and one for those who don’t.​
b. For those who choose to use chatGPT, they have to submit their prompt(s) and the chatGPT output. Using Track Changes in MS Word or Suggesting in Google Docs, have students add depth, clarify misinformation, offer alternative perspectives, and make other improvements to the chatGPT output.​
c. For those who choose to complete the assignment without chatGPT, they should complete the assignment and sign a statement that chatGPT was not used.​
d. Grade both assignments on how well students illustrate their depth of knowledge through either (a) their changes to chatGPT’s output, or (b) their original writing.​
5. Mind Maps​
a. Since chatGPT can’t natively make visual representations of content (see note below), have students create mind maps (aka, associative maps, spider map, process maps) to illustrate the connections between ideas, concepts, approaches, or theories in your field or discipline.​
b. The more details or levels that students add to their mind minds, the easier it will be for them to demonstrate their newly acquired knowledge and skills.​
6. Debates​
a. Have students debate a major question or challenge in your field or discipline. Even short debates can deepen learning and get students to look at topics from varied perspectives.​
b. You can choose if students are allowed to use chatGPT in their preparation for the debate’s opening statements.​
c. Debates can be done in different formats, and the length of times for speeches can vary depending on how much time and how many students are in your course.​
7. Videos or Podcasts​
a. Rather than written essays, have students make videos or audio recordings as the medium for sharing their knowledge.​
b. Using a video-based tool (such as VoiceThread, FlipGrid, or Zoom) can make the process easier for students.​
c. Students can also record audio podcasts on their phone or computer if visuals are not required for the content of the assignment.​
8. Explain Your Thinking​
a. Give the assignment as usual, but in addition require that students use Using Track Changes in MS Word or Suggesting in Google Docs to explain at least 8 to 10 steps of their thinking as comments added to the text.​
b. Students can describe, for instance, the steps in their logic, their problem solving or writing process, or the development of their theoretical path.​
c. Students could also document their thinking with audio recordings or videos.​
9. 2x2 Matrix​
a. Have students create a 2x2 matrix relating two concepts covered in the course. For instance, what are shared and different defining characteristics of concepts or processes.​
b. A simpler version of this assignment is to have students develop Venn Diagrams for comparing important concepts or processes.​
10. Next Time
a. Ask students to use chatGPT to answer an essay question about a major question or challenge in your field or discipline.​
b. Have students reflect on their learning about the topic based on using chatGPT, and to write down 5 things they learned about the topic from chatGPT.​
c. Have students design a new assignment that doesn’t allow for the use of chatGPT but that would allow them (or other students) to demonstrate their learning. For example, they might suggest a group project, or mind map assignment.​

Watkins, R. (2022, December 18). Update Your Course Syllabus for chatGPT [web log]. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://medium.com/@rwatkins_7167/updating-your-course-syllabus-for-chatgpt-965f4b57b003.

As the course instructor you may restrict and use Artificial Intelligence as you deem fit based on the goals and objectives of your course. Artificial Intelligence is becoming exteremly intertwined with the technology we interact with every day so it may be difficult to completely eliminate its use by yourself and your students. 



Student Conduct and Academic Integrity


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