Before using GenAI in your academic work, always check your assessment brief to determine whether your assessment falls under one of the following categories:
AI-integrated – where the use of GenAI tools is required by the module’s Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) and included in the assessment brief. In AI-integrated assessments, you must include prompts and, where possible, hyperlinks to outputs as part of their list of references. The lecturer running your module will explain how AI should (and should not) be used and explain the ILOs in the assessment brief. If anything is not clear, please ask them for clarification.
AI-assisted - where you may use GenAI tools ethically and responsibly to assist in the development of an assessment. In AI-assisted assessments, you must include the prompts and, where possible, hyperlinks to their outputs in your list of references if you use GenAI tools. The assessment brief will include a checklist of the uses of AI allowed. If anything is not clear, please ask the lecturer running your module for clarification.
AI-minimal– where you may use AI tools for checking spelling and grammar mistakes only, with no other impact on the structure or content of the assessment.
AI-prohibited – you must not use GenAI tools as their use prevents achievement of the Intended Learning Outcomes.
For AI-integrated and AI-assisted assessments, you must include a list of all AI prompts and, where possible, hyperlinks to their output with your references, at the end of your work. If hyperlinks are not produced through the tools you use, save the AI-generated output in a document that you can easily access later (e.g. on OneDrive). Failure to declare usage, or using GenAI where prohibited, may be considered an offence under the University’s Academic Conduct and Practice Policy.
The University's guidelines on the use of GenAI in assessments do not override existing provisions for reasonable adjustments. If you have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) that includes the use of AI tools as part of your reasonable adjustments, you may continue to use them as outlined in your agreed support arrangements, even in AI-prohibited assignments.
Remember: If you are uncertain, consult your module convenor before using GenAI.
The table below gives some examples of appropriate and inappropriate use of AI for certain purposes, but is not a demonstration of how you can use AI for all assessments - you must check your assessment brief to know how you can and can't use AI.
|
Use Case |
Appropriate Use |
Inappropriate Use |
| Developing ideas | Using GenAI for idea mapping, concept development or exploring different perspectives and approaches to support your critical thinking. Leveraging AI’s reasoning functions can help you assess how a task is approached by AI, identify gaps in its logic and refine your own thought process. | ❗Relying solely on AI-generated ideas without critically engaging with them or adapting them based on your learning. |
|---|---|---|
| ✅"Suggest different perspectives on the impact of AI on university education" | ❌"Provide a full list of perspectives on the impact of AI on university education and generate written arguments both for and against that I can use in my assignment. | |
| Research and information gathering |
Using GenAI to suggest search terms, keywords, synonyms, summarise sources, and identify key concepts. Be aware: Some GenAI tools require you to upload full articles or large text sections for summarisation. Always check the platform’s privacy settings to prevent your data from being stored or used for AI training. This will help protect your information, and the copyright of authors and publishers. More information on GenAI and copyright. |
❗Relying only on GenAI summaries without reading original sources. GenAI summaries should not replace academic sources such as peer-reviewed journal articles or books. Always refer to discipline and module guidance on undertaking research, and use the relevant subject guides. |
| ✅ "Provide a brief summary of this paper which identifies and explains the key arguments" | ❌"Give me a definition of Keynesian economics that I can use in my assignment." | |
| Understanding key theories and concepts | Using GenAI to provide alternative explanations and perspectives to aid your understanding of key theories and concepts. Prompting GenAI to share multiple perspectives or sources. | ❗Copying AI-generated definitions or explanations into your work without proper citation. Not verifying information for accuracy or considering potential biases. |
| ✅ "Explain the key principles of Keynesian economics in simple terms" | ❌"Give me a definition of Keynesian economics that I can use in my assignment." | |
| Identify trends and themes as part of my data analysis |
Using GenAI to support understanding of data, such as summarising key features of a dataset, in order to critically evaluate the findings yourself. Be aware: If using GenAI for data analysis, ensure compliance with ethical research guidelines, including confidentiality and data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR). |
❗Relying on AI to conduct full data analysis or interpret results without independent verification, critical thinking, or ethical consideration. AI should not replace your analytical skills or decision making. |
|
✅"What are some key statistical patterns in this data set?" |
❌"Analyse this dataset, interpret the results and generate a full report of trends, that can be shared." |
|
| Planning and structuring assessments |
Using GenAI to suggest potential structures while critically assessing their suitability. Always check and follow any guidance on structure given in your assignment brief or by your module convenor.
|
❗Allowing GenAI to dictate the structure without adapting it to the assessment requirements or learning objectives. Using a structure suggested by GenAI may not allow you to develop your own argument, so you need to evaluate any suggestions to make them your own. |
|
✅"Can you suggest a structured outline for an essay on the effects of climate change on biodiversity?" |
❌"Generate a complete essay outline on the effects of climate changes on biodiversity, for the attached assignment, that I can use without modification." |
|
| Feedback on drafts |
Using GenAI to help identify areas for improvement in clarity, structure or coherence, whilst ensuring feedback is critically evaluated and revisions are made independently. You can enhance the quality of AI feedback by uploading additional information such as marking criteria to receive more tailored suggestions. |
❗Relying on AI to rewrite entire sections, make substantive changes to arguments, structure or style, and make suggested amends, without independently engaging in the revision process. |
|
✅ "Suggest ways to improve the clarity and flow of my introduction" |
❌" Suggest ways to improve the clarity and flow of my introduction and make the suggested amends." |
|
| Editing and proofreading |
Using GenAI for spelling and grammar checks while making independent corrections to maintain authorship and improve learning. |
Relying on AI to rewrite entire sections of your work, which may alter meaning, impact originality, or misrepresent your work. |
|
✅ "Can you check this paragraph for grammar errors and suggest improvements?" |
❌"Rewrite this paragraph in an academic style." |
|
| Translation |
Using GenAI to translate academic sources for better comprehension or to support paraphrasing in your own words. |
❗Using GenAI to directly translate and submit work without reviewing, adapting or critically engaging with the translation. |
|
✅ "Translate this academic article from English to Mandarin so I can check my understanding." |
❌"Translate this draft essay from Spanish to British English and format it so I can submit it without editing it." |
|
| Creating content |
Using AI-generated content as inspiration, to enhance understanding and support the creation process, before critically evaluating and adapting the output. While AI can assist in generating images, code, presentations etc, you must apply your own judgement about its suitability and content. Ensuring originality by amending and paraphrasing its output. You must also reference any output you have used to support your own work, as you would with any other source you use. |
❗Using AI to generate presentations, code, scripts, or other forms of academic content without engaging critically with the content. Submitting AI-generated content as original work without modification and appropriate referencing.
|
|
✅"Generate a visual representation of the greenhouse effect that I can use as a reference for my presentation." |
❌"Create a PowerPoint presentation and presenter script on climate change that I can present without changes." |
|
| Referencing and citations |
Using GenAI to suggest additional literature and sources. Ensuring all references suggested by GenAI are independently reviewed and comply with guidance for your department and Cite Them Right for referencing and citations. |
❗Generating references entirely through AI without verifying their accuracy. Many AI-generated citations may be incorrect or fabricated. |
|
✅"Find additional literature I should review for my attached assignment, grouping grey literature separately and including publication dates in the list ” |
❌"Based on my attached assignment draft, generate a final reference list, in the Harvard style." |
University of Exeter LibGuide is licensed under CC BY 4.0
