Library Class and Subject Guides: Artificial Intelligence Resources for Instructors: Academic Honesty

AI Detection Tips--Elements to Watch for in Student Writing

Unfortunately, automated AI detection tools are unreliable and can falsely accuse students of academic dishonesty. Here are some tips for manually detecting AI use in writing:

Are most or all sentences unusually long and about 19-24 words?
Do many sentences use adjectives like "important," "crucial," "significant," or "interesting"?
Does the writing contain imaginary people, places, things, ideas, or events?
Are there no mentions of people at all?
Is there a perfect use of diacritical marks?
Are words that are usually abbreviated fully spelled out every time, like "Artificial Intelligence" instead of "AI"?
Are there no grammatical errors, especially with commas?
Does the writing contain an unusually high number of definitions within the sentences?
Does the writing seem to use formulaic patterns?
Does the writing appear very different from other samples of the student’s work (like in class writing)?

The following sites provide additional tips to manually detect AI use.

7 Ways to Detect AI Writing Without Technology
Offers tips for instructors to detect AI use in student writing
Detecting AI-Generated Text: 12 Things to Watch For | East Central College
Offers tips for instructors to detect AI use in student writing

AI and Academic Honesty Philosophy

Use of Generative AI in Academic Work

Generative AI can be a helpful tool in your studies, but it comes with important limitations and ethical considerations. Follow these principles and guidelines to use AI responsibly and maintain academic honesty.

Guidelines for Using Generative AI in Coursework

1. Be Transparent About AI Use

Declare Use: Always state if you used AI in your work.
Explain: Describe how you used it in your submission.
Cite Properly: Acknowledge AI contributions with proper citation.

2. AI Should Assist, Not Replace, Your Thinking

Idea Generation: Use AI to brainstorm and get ideas.
Research Help: Let AI guide your research, but don’t copy its answers.
Think Critically: Evaluate content created by AI and edit it to make it your own. Make sure the content contains your own voice, is something you have worked to create, and is a product you are proud to submit.

3. Be Responsible and Ethical

Check for Biases: Critically evaluate AI output.
Respect Privacy and Rights: Use AI ethically, ensuring data privacy and intellectual property rights.

4. Take Responsibility for Your Work

Verify Facts: Make sure all information is accurate. If unsure, research further or omit it questionable “facts.”

By following these steps, you can use AI tools while maintaining academic integrity.

Adapted with permission from the University of North Carolina's Generative AI Usage Guidance.