Syllabus Language in the Age of Gen AI

Let’s consider the Gen AI Assistant vs Creator argument. We expect our students to become experts in their fields on their own, but not without a full chest of tools that they know how to use. Calculators, Google, even Grammarly are common tools at our disposal. Add Gen AI to that list of assistants to help us build up our expertise, being careful not to use it to fully replace our own ideas, analysis, verification, and implementation.

ChatGPT Response
“AI tools should be used to augment your understanding and support your own analysis, not to replace it. Your work should reflect your individual insights and critical thinking. Directly copying or overly relying on AI-generated content without proper attribution is considered a violation of academic integrity.”

Recommendations
The Gen AI response is missing one key point we’d recommend adding: We want to emphasize the need for assignments to reflect personal and critical analysis expected of graduate students at this level of education. Remind students that blind reliance on AI may result in less critical analysis as well as inaccuracies that simple checks could avoid. Anything sourced with Gen AI should be checked and verified with at least one other source of not more.

Students must get it into the habit of acknowledging their use of Gen AI, whether in coursework, personal projects, or their respective fields. This ensures elevated levels of respect and integrity across all facets of their life. Our role as educators includes building up students as professionals with high esteem, knowledge, and expertise in various areas of their lives starting with how they got to those positions.

ChatGPT Response
“If you use AI tools (e.g., language models, data analysis software) in your assignments, you must clearly disclose their use. This includes specifying the nature of the tool and how it was employed in your work. Transparency is essential for maintaining academic integrity and ensuring that your work is assessed fairly.”

Recommendations
In general, the Gen AI response is good, but one vital element is missing and needs to be added: Be specific in what you expect students to disclose when using Gen AI in their work. Share several examples so that there is no room for error.

Let’s consider the Gen AI Assistant vs Creator argument. We expect our students to become experts in their fields on their own, but not without a full chest of tools that they know how to use. Calculators, Google, even Grammarly are common tools at our disposal. Add Gen AI to that list of assistants to help us build up our expertise, being careful not to use it to fully replace our own ideas, analysis, verification, and implementation.

ChatGPT Response
“AI tools should be used to augment your understanding and support your own analysis, not to replace it. Your work should reflect your individual insights and critical thinking. Directly copying or overly relying on AI-generated content without proper attribution is considered a violation of academic integrity.”

Recommendations
The Gen AI response is missing one key point we’d recommend adding: We want to emphasize the need for assignments to reflect personal and critical analysis expected of graduate students at this level of education. Remind students that blind reliance on AI may result in less critical analysis as well as inaccuracies that simple checks could avoid. Anything sourced with Gen AI should be checked and verified with at least one other source of not more.

Provide guidelines and sources for when and how you prefer attributions of Gen AI in assignments. This might include a link to an APA format for citing Gen AI in their work, or it might include your preference for an appendix that includes a list of the tool used, the prompt submitted as well as the full response from the tool. This latter approach allows you the opportunity to see how students analyzed and implemented Gen AI into their work.

ChatGPT Response
“When AI tools contribute significantly to your assignment, provide appropriate attribution. For example, if you use an AI tool to generate data, provide an acknowledgment of the tool and describe its role in your research. Follow the citation style appropriate for your discipline to ensure proper acknowledgment.”

Recommendations
Consider including this enhanced suggestion in your syllabus: “In this course, we recognize the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. While harnessing these powerful tools can significantly enhance your work, it is essential to apply them responsibly and ethically in all assignments. Emphasizing ethical considerations ensures that we leverage AI’s capabilities while maintaining academic integrity and respect for originality.” When available, we suggest linking to the school’s guidelines.

There needs to be a clear acknowledgment that there are ethical considerations surrounding the use and the responses generated from this tool. Do not leave this out of your syllabus language. Include reminders that certain data should never be submitted to any Gen AI tool, (e.g., patient, student or other personally identifying data) and that a critical analysis and verification steps are vital when using Gen AI responsibly. Adding inaccuracies to work could be more detrimental than not submitting any work at all.

ChatGPT Response
“Ensure that the use of AI aligns with ethical standards and does not perpetuate biases or inaccuracies. Always critically evaluate the output generated by AI tools and verify its validity against reliable sources.”

Recommendations
The Gen AI response falls a little short on the topic of ethics. Here’s a suggested rewrite: “Ensure that your use of AI tools adheres to the highest ethical standards and aligns with the school’s guidelines on academic integrity. This includes critically evaluating the output generated by AI for biases or inaccuracies and verifying its validity against reliable sources. Your commitment to ethical practices helps maintain the integrity of your work and supports a fair and accurate assessment of your contributions.”

For most students, the bottom line is how their grade could be impacted by your GenAI policies. If allowed in your course, state if and how you will consider assignments that were submitted using Gen AI. The ChatGPT produced statement might suffice but adding “Use of Gen AI” to the grading rubric could benefit everyone detailing the importance of originality and attribution when using Gen AI responsibly.

ChatGPT Response
“Assignments will be evaluated based on your understanding, application, and critical analysis rather than the tools you use. Emphasis will be placed on your ability to synthesize information, present well-reasoned arguments, and demonstrate mastery of the course material.”

Recommendations
Highlight the use of a rubric for grading and stating that use of AI will, or will not, be a part of the rubric. Consider rewriting as: “Assignments will be assessed using a detailed rubric that emphasizes your understanding, application, and critical analysis of the course material, rather than the specific tools employed. Evaluation criteria will focus on your ability to synthesize information, construct well-reasoned arguments, and demonstrate a thorough mastery of the subject. The rubric is designed to ensure that your work is judged fairly and consistently based on your intellectual engagement and analytical skills.”

Openness to critically discuss the use of Gen AI in your course is vital. Whether you allow the widespread use of Gen AI in your course or not, the discussions and considerations of students’ thoughts are important. This is your opportunity to hear from students how they would like to plan to use it and adjust your decisions based innovative thinking or on upgrades in the technologies.

ChatGPT Response
“If you are unsure about how to use AI tools ethically or how to attribute their use, seek guidance from your instructor or academic advisor. We are here to support your learning and help you navigate the integration of AI into your work responsibly.”

Recommendations
Consider including the Gen AI response in your syllabus. The Gen AI response is a great way to say what is necessary for collaborating and supporting students in the Gen AI adventure we find ourselves in today.

By including language about Gen AI in your syllabus, it acknowledges the impact the technologies have had, and will continue to have, on all areas of students’ lives, especially academically. A closing statement reiterates your understanding of the rapidly changing technology itself. Keeping up with the pace of upgrades in the Gen AI field is challenging. Leave some room in your syllabus to be flexible to these changes.

ChatGPT Response
“By adhering to these guidelines, you will ensure that your use of AI tools enhances your learning experience while upholding the principles of academic integrity and originality. Specific tools or platforms may have additional guidelines, and it is your responsibility to stay informed about the relevant policies in your field of study.”

Recommendations
Consider including the ChatGPT response in your syllabus and no enhancement is needed. The response addresses the main point of including this “Closing” section about use of AI in your syllabus. It not only does the job that’s needed, it also puts the onus back on students to be responsible for the evolving landscape of Gen AI in their education.