Responsible and Ethical use of AI

Generative AI text tools are good at summarising text, providing basic introductions or presenting information in a different way, such as simplifying a concept to explain it to a non-expert. Using prompts that take on a different persona, you might ask an AI tool to explain a difficult concept from a lecture in a way that you find more accessible.

There are lots of ways that you could use generative AI to help you prepare for an exam and for revision. You could prompt the tool to generate multiple choice or practice questions or revise a topic by having a questioning or interview conversation where the tool tests your knowledge recall. You could also use generative AI to create a summary of a topic for you, which you then critically evaluate for accuracy, based on your module learning.

While studying, you might use many different types of information, including books, journal articles, newspapers, online sources or more specialist and technical information relevant to your subject. Generative AI outputs could be another type of information to add to this jigsaw and have the potential to be a good background source or way into a topic. However, you should be cautious about using responses generated by AI as a referenced source of information and take time to think about whether it is appropriate for the task you have been given. Is it good enough, or is your marker expecting you to use academic sources?

One of the strengths of generative AI is to help you get started on a task or inspiring you to get your ideas on paper. Using AI at an early stage of planning to generate ideas, suggest topics for further investigation or provide examples is acceptable use where you

While at University, you might be given tasks that require you to write in different styles: reflective writing, technical writing or the most common style at university, academic writing. It can be quite a challenge to adapt the tone and style of your writing for these different needs, and this is where generative AI can help, by modelling how the styles differ. For example, it is hard to describe exactly what is meant by academic writing because it isn’t a single style, varying by subject, level of study and assignment type. You might ask an AI tool to provide examples of writing in a specific style, describe the difference between two styles, or provide a draft paragraph with a prompt that asks the tool to express your ideas in a more reflective style. Be sure to acknowledge any AI generated text you include in your final assessment and avoid over relying on AI to edit the flow, clarity and tone of your written work, but using generated examples as a model rather than replacement for your own writing.

Sometimes you know what you want to say but aren't sure how to phrase it in a message or email. AI can help with this. Try creating a prompt where you describe the points you want to make in a natural tone and ask the tool to phrase it as a more professional and concise email.

Do be cautious though, as Generative AI tends to create verbose text, in an overly flowery way. Remember that the recipient is expecting a message from you, as a form of personal communication, so do not lose your own voice in AI generated messages which come across as fake.

If you are studying at Newcastle as a student with English as a second language, you may find translation tools helpful to explain unfamiliar words or turn of phrase, especially in our colourful North East dialect. However, be mindful of the fact that the language of assessment is English, so avoid using AI tools to translate sentences, paragraphs or your whole assignment from your native language into English.

Your programme and modules have been designed to ensure that you are able to achieve the intended learning outcomes. This may include core competencies associated with your discipline or perhaps an accrediting body. There will be times where your module leader expressly tells you not to use AI tools in the study of the whole module, or for a particular assessment or task, and at these times it would be academic misconduct to make use of the technology.

The language of assessment at Newcastle University is English. If you have written your assignment in your native language and use AI, or any other tool, to translate the content into English, the submission would not be your own work, and therefore may be considered academic misconduct. 

AI tools can be a useful way to generate text quickly, but you should be open and transparent about when you are using AI to write personal communications for you. When having a conversation with your module leader or peers in email, on Teams, or a discussion board for example, there is an expectation that you are on the other side of the communication, not an impersonal, computer-generated response. 

Any work that you submit for assessment must be your own. Submitting work that has been generated wholly or in part by an AI tool or another person would be considered academic misconduct.

Reading and synthesising sources to create your work is time consuming so it might be tempting to use AI tools to read and create your evidence base and information sources for you. However, Generative AI generates text which may be factually incorrect, misrepresent the source material or be entirely fabricated or made up. The tools are people pleasers, giving you the information it thinks you want, rather than accurately representing the source materials, or creating an academically rigorous output. Doing your own research, seeking information and reading critically, are vital academic and professional skills. Relying on AI tools to do this for you is inappropriate because it negatively affects your own learning.

Basic AI tools such as spell checkers, grammar checkers, text prediction or design suggestions are built into many of the apps you have available to you, such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. However, when you begin to use tools that edit and change your work to the extent that is not your own anymore, this may be considered academic misconduct. Be especially cautious about using AI tools as a proofreader or to edit your work to fit a word count, whether this is to re-write content to be longer or more concise. Ask yourself if the output can be described as your work.