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Academic Integrity for Georgian Students

line drawing of a simple robotWhat are artificial intelligence tools?

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are a set of tools intended to automate and improve day-to-day tasks.

Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are just one example of an AI tool. Some other examples of Generative AI tools include (but are not limited to):

  • Quillbot, Wordtune, Paraphraser
  • Resoomer, Editpad
  • ChatAI, ChatGPT, ChatGPT.ai and other tools based on similar generative AI tools
  • Midjourney, Dall-E 2

Each of these tools aims to assist with common daily tasks such as writing, summarizing, paraphrasing and even image generation. Using these tools without permission may:

  • constitute cheating and result in a breach of academic integrity
  • introduce fabricated, incorrect or biased information into your research and writing
  • cause integrity and ethical issues in work related settings
  • cause you to miss out on significant learning opportunities
🎯Integrity Tip: Using AI tools instead of developing the skills needed to meet course learning outcomes can be detrimental to your progress both in college and in your career. Learn more about academic integrity AND Generative AI tools, and don't forget to ASK if you need more info or help!

Image source: Chatbot robot by James Royal-Lawson, CC BY-SA 2.0

What should students know about GenAI & ChatGPT?

While Generative Artificial Intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT) have many useful purposes, there are also a significant number of ethical issues surrounding their use in academic work.  Georgian has many services to help you complete your academic work WITHOUT the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence.

Review the following overview of concerns about GenAI use and check in with your professor, the Research Help team, Writing Centre or Language Help Centre for more information.

Misinformation

ChatGPT uses information from the internet. There is good information online, but there is also discriminatory, outdated and incorrect information as well. ChatGPT is also known to incorrectly explain ideas and misquote sources. ChatGPT will make errors, just as humans do!

Privacy

Students must create an account to use ChatGPT, which enables the collection of data, which is a privacy concern. Some AI tools will require students to provide a phone number or other personal information. Students should be mindful of the information they share when creating an account. Please check out the privacy policy and terms of use for ChatGPT. Keep in mind that while using the tools, your conversations are typically recorded and stored by the tool and used for their purposes.

Research skills

AI tools like ChatGPT do not necessarily report the sources they use, and may not use sources that satisfy your assignment requirements. In testing, the sources that ChatGPT produces when prompted have frequently shown to be non-existent or inaccurate at best. ChatGPT may appear to conduct research on behalf of students, and this could mean that important skills -- researching, critically evaluating information, and problem-solving -- will not be learned by students.

Copyright

ChatGPT uses material taken from the internet, generally without the permission of the authors. It has been argued that ChatGPT is " 'copyright laundering' -- making works derivative of existing material without breaking copyright" (Hern, 2022, para. 11). Copyright compliance is part of academic integrity, making it very important to be critical about the use of such tools in your academic work.

Is the use of ChatGPT in school considered cheating?

The answer is, "it depends". Watch the following video for a brief discussion of some of the issues and concerns around the use of AI tools in education.

Problems viewing? Watch or read the transcript for Is the use of ChatGPT in schools considered cheating? (2:14 mins) on YouTube

🎯Integrity Tip:  As of Fall 2024, Georgian's Academic Integrity Regulations have been updated to include artificial intelligence.Some assignments and courses may permit the use of artificial intelligence in your work, but in some cases, this may be considered cheating. Check out our advice for students and review the Generative AI Literacy Guide to ensure you avoid breaches of Academic Integrity when using GenAI tools.

Advice for Students about the use of GenAI Tools:

Consider the following advice as you think about the use of GenAI in your college work.

Ask your Professor before using AI Tools

  • Check your syllabus, assignment outline(s), and Blackboard shell for specific permission to use Artificial Intelligence tools.
  • If you do not see permission, do not use tools such as ChatGPT, Quillbot, Textsummarizer, etc.
  • Contact your professor and ask about a specific tool you'd like to use before you start
If your professor has not given permission to use these tools:

Learn Academic Integrity Policies and Complete the Academic Integrity Module

Review Georgian's Academic Integrity Regulations and complete the Academic Integrity module (found in Blackboard for first semester students) to learn more about how to work with integrity, with or without AI tools.

Experiment with GenAI tools

Experiment with AI tools and learn about their strengths and weaknesses. Think critically about the ethical concerns that they introduce if used in academic work. Consider what opportunities AI tools may present for your future work environment, and discuss these with your professors to learn more.

Critically Evaluate Information from AI Sources

Like any source you use in your assignments, make sure you critically evaluate anything that comes from a generative artificial intelligence source.

Cite or Acknowledge GenAI tools

To avoid plagiarism and breaches of academic integrity, any information that you use that is not your own (ideas, text, images, more) must be cited. Learn how to cite ChatGPT and other AI tools on the Library's citation guide. Your professors may also ask you to write an AI disclosure statement.

Seek Help

If you are struggling with your school work, there are many sources of help at Georgian. Virtual and in-person appointments are available.

Attribution

Except where otherwise noted, this page is adapted from "Academic Integrity for Students" by Centennial College Libraries, licensed under a CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0. / Content has been updated and modified to meet Georgian College context.

References

Georgian College. (n.d.). 8. Academic integrity. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://cat.georgiancollege.ca/academic-regulations/integrity/

Hern, A. (2022, December 4). AI bot ChatGPT stuns academics with essay-writing skills and usability. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/dec/04/ai-bot-chatgpt-stuns-academics-with-essay-writing-skills-and-usability