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Saybrook University Guidelines and Procedures on Academic Integrity Relating to Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Saybrook University Guidelines and Procedures on Academic Integrity Relating to Artificial Intelligence (AI)

I.  Purpose and Application

According to AI For Education, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning as we know it.” AI technology offers limitless opportunities for the comprehension of complex concepts and the generation of new ideas through its instant access and seamless integration of vast quantities of information. With this technological expansion, AI is quickly becoming a critical tool for writing, research, collaboration, and creativity in higher education. However, there remains the potential for misuse of AI in academic pursuits.  

Saybrook faculty and staff recognize the beneficial capacity of AI for research, learning, and innovation and are committed to ensuring the ethical use of AI in alignment with academic integrity. This document outlines the definitions, guidelines, boundaries, and considerations for utilizing AI within our programs.

II.  Definitions

  • ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI). The following definition is from the IEEE-USA Board of Directors: “The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence such as, visual perception, speech recognition, learning, decision-making, and natural language processing.”

  • ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOL (AI Tool). Any platform (i.e., any computer [hardware] or program [software], or any part of a piece of hardware or software), in which artificial intelligence is leveraged to assist the user of the platform with a user-specified task. It is recognized that this definition is broad in scope; the justification for this breadth is the fact that many platforms already incorporate artificial intelligence, and it is anticipated that this breadth of adoption will only grow in the future.

  • AI DETECTION TOOL. Any platform (i.e., any computer [hardware] or program [software], or any part of a piece of hardware or software) intended to assess whether or not AI or an AI Tool has been used to create a digital object (e.g., text, audio, image, video).

  • AUTOMATIC WRITING EVALUATION. AI-driven systems that use natural language processing to automatically provide feedback on written text submitted to the system.


III.  Student Use of AI

A graduate education provides students the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills, assimilate knowledge, enhance creativity, master subject matter, and identify a unique voice. These skills are reflected in one’s academic endeavors and developed throughout the Saybrook graduate journey. AI can be a valuable ally in this process but should not replace active participation or authentic contribution.

General Guidelines:

  • Research and Writing: Use AI technology solely as a supplement to research and writing. AI can help inspire ideas and gather information resources, but should not replace original thinking, ideas, or exploration. Treat AI tools as steppingstones to initiate or perpetuate the research and writing processes.

  • Engage in Critical Analysis: When reviewing AI generated information, critically evaluate its credibility, relevance, and accuracy. Misinformation is a concern with this developing technology that necessitates human verification.

  • Authenticity: Incorporate an original perspective, insight, and interpretation in all assignments. AI provides a wealth of information, but it is a student’s unique view and originality that strengthens their unique personal voice, facilitating growth as a lifelong learner. This mindset aligns with the humanistically informed programs at Saybrook, emphasizing the central themes of authenticity and person-centeredness.

  • Maintain Academic Integrity: Plagiarism and the submission of misattributed work are serious academic offenses. Credit all sources and accurately cite information or ideas that are derived from outside sources as with any scholarly work. Students can consult APA’s How to cite ChatGPT site for guidance on citing AI tools. Strive to be honest and responsible in all academic endeavors.

Student Responsibilities:

In all courses and academic work, it is the responsibility of the student to adhere to the guidelines for AI use established in this document and any guidelines articulated by the faculty. AI use by students should abide by copyright laws, respect data privacy, and follow the terms of use for AI tools and datasets. Unauthorized access, manipulation, or other misuse of AI systems and data is strictly prohibited.

If AI use is not otherwise specified as acceptable by the course instructor or in the assignment instructions or syllabus, students should consult their instructor before using AI generated text or media of any amount in their work.  If in doubt, students should always ask the instructor.

  • Supervision and Approval: The use of AI in academic projects should be supervised and approved by faculty or designated advisors. Adequate guidance and support should be provided by faculty and advisors to ensure appropriate usage, methodology, and interpretation of AI-generated results.

  • Disclosure: Students and researchers must disclose the use of AI in their academic work, whether it involves content generation, data analysis, or other applications. Proper disclosure includes details about the AI tools, algorithms, and datasets used, following processes outlined in APA’s How to cite ChatGPT site.
  • Attribution: When utilizing AI tools to generate content, students must differentiate between their original work produced by human effort and work generated by AI algorithms. AI-generated content should be appropriately labeled and attributed to maintain transparency and academic integrity.


IV.  Faculty Responsibility for Guiding Student Use of AI

Faculty should endeavor to become informed about the evolving uses of AI and the ethical implications of AI use in academia. It is the prerogative of the course instructor to decide whether AI tools are permitted in the course and on which assignments they may be used. Faculty can describe precisely the conditions and criteria for the use of AI tools based on the nature of their courses and their individual pedagogical discretion.

It is the responsibility of the instructor to include in the course syllabus a clearly written description of the permitted use of AI tools. The instructor should clearly communicate these course-specific and any assignment-specific guidelines for AI use to students at the beginning of the course.

 

V. Misuse of AI

Plagiarism Considerations

Saybrook strives to create a learning environment that embraces the responsible use of AI and upholds the principles of academic integrity. By establishing clear boundaries, following procedures, and addressing plagiarism considerations, Saybrook fosters an atmosphere of ethical AI usage, authenticity, and intellectual growth within its graduate academic program. All members of Saybrook’s graduate academic community are expected to adhere to these principles. By upholding these standards, Saybrook promotes an environment of trust and mutual respect.

In the event that unauthorized use of AI in submitted assignments is identified, students will be subject to the Saybrook University Policy on Authentic Writing and Plagiarism and the Saybrook University Policy on Academic Performance, Professionalism, and Remediation. The following are two instances of AI plagiarism.

  • Attribution of AI Contributions: Inaccurately or failing to attribute AI when AI tools or algorithms contribute to published research results can constitute plagiarism. AI contributions such as models, datasets, or algorithms should be acknowledged and cited appropriately.


Use of AI Detection Tools

When not properly cited, AI usage may be challenging to distinguish in student’s work. Several AI detection and plagiarism software programs incorporate the detection of AI use and are beneficial tools for faculty. The following are guidelines for the use of AI detection tools.

  • Licensed AI Detection Software: Faculty may freely use institutionally-licensed plagiarism or AI detection software to evaluate student work. If using AI detection tools, faculty should use only those tools that are licensed to Saybrook University/The Community Solution. Use of detection software not licensed by the institution may create FERPA and copyright concerns.  
  • AI Detection Accuracy: As has always been the case with plagiarism detection tools, false positives or misleading reports regarding AI use may result from limitations in the efficacy of this type of software to detect plagiarism. Thus, this detection software should not be considered infallible or be used as the only source of determination for improper use of AI. Faculty judgement, experience, and discretion must also be utilized in these cases. 
  • Faculty-Student Communication: If faculty are concerned about a student’s academic integrity in the use of AI, they should communicate with the student to discuss the issue. Faculty should engage with the student to explore their verbal understanding of the topic and decide upon appropriate courses of action, if any.

 

VI.  Related Policies and Resources

Policies

Resources

 

VI.  References

ChatGPT was used to draft some parts of this document on June 14, 2023.

AI For Education. (2023). Dedicated to AI literacy for 1 million educators. https://www.aiforeducation.io/

Drexel University. (2023). Academic integrity pertaining to artificial intelligence. Office Of The Provost. https://drexel.edu/provost/policies-calendars/policies/academic_integrity_artificial_intelligence/

Educating All Learners. (2024, April 24). AI for education series. https://educatingalllearners.org/ai-for-education-series/

McAdoo, T. (2024, February 23). How to cite ChatGPT. APA Style. https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt

Monash University. (2024). Find, express, and maintain your writing voice. Student Academic Success. https://www.monash.edu/student-academic-success/excel-at-writing/improve-your-writing/find-express-and-maintain-your-writing-voice#:~:text=In%20academic%20writing%2C%20your%20'voice,a%20result%20of%20your%20research.

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Jun 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat