Set Clear AI Policies in Your Syllabus
- Clearly state whether AI use is prohibited, permitted with attribution, or encouraged for specific tasks (e.g., brainstorming)
- Provide definitions and examples of appropriate vs. inappropriate AI use
- Address academic integrity concerns, such as plagiarism and unauthorized AI assistance
Have a discussion!
Helpful links:
AI Policies – Guidelines (Duke U)
Sample Syllabus Policy (shared by Dr. Torrey Trust)
| Example of an Allowable Use | Why is this Allowed? | Things to Keep in Mind |
| Prompting GenAI technologies to generate ideas for a class project. | This might enhance your creative thinking by exposing you to different ideas compared to what you might come up with on your own (GenAI technologies, like ChatGPT, draw from a massive dataset of billions of parameters, which means these tools can introduce you to ideas and concepts from various fields that you might not be familiar with). GenAI writing technologies are also helpful for idea iteration – you can prompt these technologies to give you 50 different iterations of the same idea in less than a few seconds. | It is important to start with brainstorming your own ideas first (to aid your creative thinking), rather than letting GenAI do that initial work for you. Also, beware that GenAI might introduce biases into the topic when prompted to generate ideas. |
Acknowledging AI use in your work (Unity Environmental University):
For any work you submit that involves the use of AI, you must include an acknowledgment somewhere in your work that includes the following:
- Specify the AI tool(s) you used
- Provide a brief explanation of how and for what purpose you used them.
This can appear in the footnotes of your paper or after the References Section (if there is one).
Example: ChatGPT was used to brainstorm ideas and revise grammar.
•Ideas brainstormed with ChatGPT’s assistance appear in the introduction paragraph of this paper.
•Grammar throughout the entire paper was revised using ChatGPT.
Why we should normalize open disclosure of AI use (Chronicle of Higher Ed)
Sample template:
AI Usage Disclosure: This document [include title] was created with assistance from [specify the AI tool]. The content can be viewed here [add link] and has been reviewed and edited by [author’s full name]. For more information on the extent and nature of AI usage, please contact the author.
Tips for AI-Resistant Assignments:
Personalized prompts: Ask students to relate material to personal experiences or recent events
Process-based assessments: Require drafts, revisions, and reflections on their work
Oral or interactive elements: Use presentations, discussions, or in-class writing tasks
Higher-order thinking questions: Ask students to critique, synthesize, or evaluate AI-generated content
Helpful links:
Strategies for designing AI-resistant assignments (U of Chicago)
Ideas for AI-Enhanced Assignments:
Coding and data exploration: Use AI tools to assist in programming or data analysis.
AI as a brainstorming tool: Have students use AI to generate ideas, then refine and critique them.
AI-assisted research: Teach students how to verify AI-generated information and cite sources responsibly.
Comparative analysis: Have students analyze AI-written responses alongside human-written work.