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Generative AI in your assignments

Can I use generative AI tools in my assignments?

Some subject coordinators may explicitly include information in your assessment guidance as to whether these kinds of tools may be used and how.  You must comply with the requirements of the assessment task – if you are unsure, check with your lecturer.


Tools such as AI chatbots can be helpful to explain concepts in different ways – this may help you to understand difficult concepts in your course.  Tools like ChatGPT can also potentially help you to think about an initial structure for an assignment: for example you might ask for section headings for a document based on your own notes, as a way to get started. 


In some cases, your lecturer may ask you to use ChatGPT or other generative AI tools as part of the assessment.  If this is the case, make sure that you understand how you are expected to use the tool and which parts of the work are expected to be your own original work.  If you are unsure, ask you tutor or lecturer for clarification. 


It is important to remember that when you submit an assignment or other assessment, you are taking responsibility for the content, and claiming it as your own work.  Whilst generative AI tools can be useful for helping you to understand a topic or structure your thinking, using them to write substantial parts of your work for you (where this is not explicitly required as part of the assessment) is academic misconduct and may have serious consequences for you.