The GSLS has developed these guidelines to ensure that your utilisation of GenAI aligns with our core values of integrity and transparency while advancing toward academic excellence and meeting our learning goals. At the GSLS, we approach the utilisation of Generative AI (GenAI) tools with cautious optimism, recognising their potential to enhance your educational experience. We encourage you to explore and familiarise yourself with different tools, considering their technical, ethical, and creative opportunities as well as their limitations.
Central to the use of GenAI tools is fostering a mindset of critical assessment, vital for maintaining scientific integrity. You are encouraged to approach these tools with a healthy skepticism. Recognizing the possibility of inaccuracies or fabrications is important, especially when original sources are not easily identifiable. This approach reiterates that GenAI should enhance, not replace, traditional academic skills, promoting a balance between technological assistance and critical academic inquiry.
What you can do:
1. Use GenAI as a Learning Aid:
You can utilise GenAI to assist in understanding course material, generating ideas, seeking feedback, or providing suggestions.
For example, in ChatGPT 3.5 you can ask:
- Please can you help me think about different types of research questions I could ask in [specific field] for a short paper.
- Please can you quiz me about the contents of molecular biology of the cell by Alberts?
More information about prompt engineering will be provided in the open-access tutorials.
2. Improve Writing Clarity and Grammar:
You can use GenAI for grammar checking, as a translation tool, and for improving the clarity of your writing. GenAI tools such as DeepL, Wordtune, QuillBot, ChatGPT-3.5, and Google Bard would be appropriate for this.
For example, in ChatGPT 3.5 you can ask:
- Please can you help provide feedback on my abstract, considering sentence structure and grammar.
3. Image Creation:
You can use GenAI to help assist in designing your images and illustrated abstracts.
For example, in Microsoft Bing Image Creator you could ask:
- Can you please help create the cover for my thesis on one health?
4. Coding and Programming:
Use of GenAI in coding is at the discretion of your teacher. This should be tailored to your skill level and educational objectives. Beginners should prioritize hands-on coding to grasp the basics, while more advanced students may be able to use GenAI for code review and optimization.
For example, with your teacher's permission, you might use ChatGPT-3.5 to ask:
- Can you check this Python code for any errors or inefficiencies and suggest improvements?
What you must do:
1. Consider whether GenAI is the right tool to use:
Evaluate GenAI capabilities, limitations, ethical considerations, responsible usage, inherent biases, and data security before using these tools. See Considerations for the Ethical and Responsible Use of GenAI (below the guidelines) for more information.
2. Evaluate GenAI Responses Critically:
You should interact with AI-generated text critically, analysing and reflecting on its responses. GenAI can produce hallucinations, which are imaginative and nonsensical outputs. The data used to train these tools predominantly comes from western internet sources, which can not only be outdated but also perpetuate biases and false information.
3. Acknowledge and Reference GenAI-Generated Usage:
If you utilize generative AI (GenAI) tools in your work, you must disclose this at the beginning or end of your assignment, project, or written piece, clearly outlining how the tool was employed. Include full transcripts of prompts and responses, along with an explanation of the tool's role, in an appendix or supplementary materials. This disclosure is crucial for courses or assignments that lack a specific GenAI agreement, ensuring transparency and upholding academic integrity.
Example:
- In this research project, I utilised GenAI, specifically ChatGPT 4.0, to assist in the literature review and drafting phases. The AI tool was used to generate initial summaries of existing studies on CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology and to provide suggestions for structuring the methodology section and enhancing my writing skills. I critically reviewed all AI-generated content and I assure that the text is accurate and of high academic integrity. Using GenAI improved my efficiency, but I remained vigilant to validate all information to maintain the rigour and originality of the work.
A disclosure statement is part of the GSLS rubrics.
4. Use mandatory references:
For content generated by AI, such as images, proper citation and reference is mandatory. The full transcript of prompts and responses should be included in an appendix or other supplementary materials.
Example APA referencing:
- Author of AI model used. (year of AI model used), name of AI model used ( version of AI model used) [Type or description of AI model used]. Web address of AI model used.
- OpenAI. (2022). ChatGPT (Dec 20 version) [Large language model]. chat.openai.com/
What you cannot do:
1. Do Not Complete Assignments Entirely with GenAI:
Assignments should reflect your own critical thinking and learning experiences. GenAI tools can be used as complimentary aids and not substitutes in this process.
2. Do Not Use GenAI for Fraud or Unethical Practices:
You cannot use GenAI to engage in any form of academic dishonesty. GenAI should be seen as a tool and not an author. In the EER article, 5.14 lists the definition of fraud.
3. Do Not Input Sensitive Information into Unsecure GenAI Systems:
You must avoid entering any sensitive or personal information into GenAI tools that may not have secure data protection measures. In an unsecured system, be aware that all input can be used to train the programmes and be given as a response to others.
4. Do Not Assume GenAI Is Always Accurate:
You should not blindly trust GenAI-generated content. Be aware of AI hallucinations and always verify their accuracy and relevance.
5. Do Not Neglect Your Responsibility for Proper Citations:
You cannot disregard the need for accurate citations, even when using GenAI.
6. Do Not Depend Solely on GenAI for Learning:
You should not replace human engagement and critical thinking with GenAI. It should complement your learning experience.