Policy on the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT
This is my policy on the use of AI in my classes.
Types of AI use and when it is allowed, forbidden, or required.
- It is impossible to avoid all use of AI because of its ubiquity: it is built into every search engine, word processor, spreadsheet, and so on. The only way of avoiding this use is through hand-written assignments or special software. In this policy, this is known as incidental use and it is normally not forbidden in my classes.
- Beyond this unavoidable incidental use, it is also possible to use AI purposefully as a research, writing, and editing tool: e.g. via an AI chatbot (such as ChatGPT) or coding agent (e.g. Claude Code). Most of this policy refers to that kind of purposeful use.
- You are allowed to use AI purposefully on most assignments in my classes unless told otherwise or its use is prevented by circumstances (e.g. on closed browsers in the Testing Centre).
- In some cases, I may forbid you from using AI for an assignment or give you specific instructions on how it can be used. For example, I might say you may not use it for bibliographic work, or for first drafts, or for proofing. In such cases a failure to follow my instructions represents an academic offence similar to plagiarism.
- In most cases, you will not be required to use AI for anything, though I may suggest places where it could be useful (or less useful). Sometimes I may give an assignment where AI use is required (e.g. for exploring how AI can be used in humanities work). In such cases, AI is part of the assignment and you will be expected to use it as instructed.
How I expect you to use AI
- All AI use must be documented. This means:
- You must preserve records of your actual use on a given assignment. These may be preserved in the form of chat records or a detailed diary. They do not need to be handed in with your assignment, but should be available should I have questions about your use of AI.
- You must indicate in the assignment itself the nature of your AI use and the steps you took to ensure the integrity of the work as a whole. This is usually done as a note at the beginning or end of your work. This statement should indicate the vendor, model, and surface. You should say what it was used for. And you should say how you took responsibility for and ensured the integrity of this use. See example statements below.
- Your use of AI should be in good-faith. This means you should not use AI as a tool rather than a replacement and you should not misrepresent what AI did for you. For example, submitting an essay written by a bot would be a bad-faith use: the assignment was for you to write the essay. Documenting that you used AI to help restructure your paper is (depending on the circumstances) probably a good faith use. If you have any doubts about whether your use is good or bad faith, feel free to ask me.
Examples of an AI statement
- AI (ChatGPT 3.0) was used to assist in bibliographic research for this project and to proof the final copy. All references were checked by hand for relevance and accuracy and changes to the text were made by the author. I am responsible for the accuracy of all statements in this paper.
- Claude Code (various models) was used in developing my ideas for this paper, finding relevant sources, editing and organising my drafts, and proofing the final copy. All sources were reviewed by me for accuracy and relevance. All edits were reviewed by me and made by hand in my text.
