The thoughtful and appropriate use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) can enrich your learning experience at Oregon State. OSU is committed to preparing you for a future where artificial intelligence use is commonplace. Because of this, your faculty are at the forefront of the AI conversation, exploring ways to integrate Artificial Intelligence into the university’s curriculum. Though advanced, artificial intelligence has limitations, including hallucinations and bias. It is important to understand those shortcomings and the continued value of human creation.
The misuse of artificial intelligence on an assignment could violate the university's Academic Misconduct Policy. Relevant provisions that AI misuse could violate include:
- Plagiarism: directly copying AI-generated material without a citation or reference is considered plagiarism
- Cheating: using AI to complete an assignment without prior authorization from your instructor
- Fabrication: using AI to create counterfeit citations, interview responses, or research results
At OSU, individual faculty have the freedom to set course-specific expectations for artificial intelligence use. It is important to recognize that different classes may have widely varying or even contradictory expectations. You must follow the specific expectations for each course. Always begin the term by carefully reading your syllabus to understand your instructor's expectations regarding AI usage. In order to use generative AI on an assignment, you must be able to answer “yes” to two questions:
1. Has your instructor provided expectations on how AI can be used on this assignment?
2. Do you understand what your instructor’s expectations are?
Potential uses of AI within course settings could include the following:
- Idea generation: Brainstorming research topics, thesis statements, or outlines.
- Clarification: Explaining difficult concepts or assignment prompts.
- Editing and proofreading: Checking grammar, tone, and clarity in writing.
- Coding assistance: Debugging, explaining algorithms, or generating sample code for learning.
- Formatting help: Creating citations, tables, or properly formatted documents.
- Practice and feedback: Simulating exam questions or providing feedback on drafts.
- Summarization: Condensing readings or lecture notes to highlight key points.
- Translation or accessibility: Translating text or converting it into plain language or alternate formats.
You should always seek clarification on what type of use is permitted and what is prohibited. It is ok to ask questions about AI!
Whenever generative AI usage is allowed, make sure to cite how you employed it in your work. The following decision tree will help walk you through whether or not you should use AI on a particular assignment.
Citing Generative Artificial Intelligence
Citing generative artificial intelligence (AI) in an academic setting is critical, as it reflects both the rigorous scholarly approach to research and the ethical considerations surrounding AI technology. When incorporating AI-generated content, such as text or art, into academic work, proper citation not only gives credit to the underlying algorithms and data sources but also acknowledges the human input in training and fine-tuning these models. Additionally, citing AI sources helps maintain transparency and integrity in academic discourse, allowing readers to trace the origins and authenticity of the information presented.
However, the nuances of citing generative AI lie in the evolving landscape of AI capabilities and the ethical complexities involved. The MLA Style Center and the American Psychological Association (APA), among others, have provided guidelines on how to cite AI in your work. Links to these resources are linked below.
You should always check your syllabus to confirm your instructor’s expectations for AI citations. If you have questions, ask!
How to Cite AI
AI-generated content should be cited much like content used from journals, books, and websites, with the company used as the author. Examples provided by common academic style guides are below.
- Modern Language Association (MLA Style)
Format: “Title of Source” prompt. Title of Container/AI Tool, Day Month version, Publisher, Date, URL.
Example of Works-Cited citation:
“How to cite in MLA” prompt. ChatGPT, 17 Mar. version, OpenAI, 27 Mar. 2024, https://chat.openai.com/chat
- American Psychological Association (APA Style)
Format: Author. (Date). Title (Version) [Large language model]. URL
Example of Works-Cited citation:
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Glossary of Important AI Terms
Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI): artificial intelligence that is capable of generating new content (such as images or text) in response to a submitted prompt (such as a query) by learning from a large reference database of examples
Machine Learning: a computational method that is a subfield of artificial intelligence and that enables a computer to learn to perform tasks by analyzing a large dataset without being explicitly programmed
Deep Learning: a form machine learning in which the computer network rapidly teaches itself to understand a concept without human intervention by performing a large number of iterative calculations on an extremely large dataset
Neural Network: a computer architecture in which a number of processors are interconnected in a manner suggestive of the connections between neurons in a human brain and which is able to learn by a process of trial and error
Hallucination: a plausible but false or misleading response generated by an artificial intelligence algorithm
Definitions provided by Meriam-Webster Dictionary
Library Resources
OSU's Library provides a helpful primer on generative AI. You can access it at this link.
Academic Integrity
If an instructor has alleged that you may have misused an AI tool, please visit this page.