Establishing AI Policies for Your Course

Let’s face it: Our students are using generative AI tools (whether we think they should or not!). How we respond to that use in our classrooms is up to instructors on an individual basis and will vary based on course goals and disciplinary norms. We recommend taking some time to think about what your approach to students using AI will be. When and how will students be allowed to use AI? Are you asking students to use an AI tool to complete a particular assignment? Should they cite it? Why? Outline your policy on AI in a syllabus statement that includes:

your expectations for student work as it relates to ND’s guidance on academic integrity
authorized and unauthorized use of AI
appropriate acknowledgement of AI use
consequences for violating the policy

Policies on emerging technologies are also good places to get students’ opinions—how are they already using AI in the classroom and their lives, and why? How do they understand the role of AI in their own learning? Using students’ voices to shape your policy on AI communicates respect for their agency and experiences, and can lead to greater overall compliance with the policy.

What are my options?

Prohibit in all contexts.

Depending on your disciplinary context, it may be appropriate to disallow generative AI tools from idea to finished product. Be mindful, however, that such policies can be difficult to enforce and will need a clear explanation for how suspected AI use will be handled. (Refer to the Office of Academic Standards’ guidelines for instructors.) Common red flags for AI use include irrelevant or nonexistent sources, the inclusion of material not covered in class and/or that is too advanced for the level of student work, and information that makes reference to details that are otherwise not present in the work (e.g., a paper that includes the phrase “In the previous chapter ...”). In addition, remember that generative AI can “hallucinate”—that is, it can produce factually inaccurate information and present it as truth.

Sample language:
Students are not allowed to use advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course. Each student is expected to complete each assignment without substantive assistance from others, including automated tools.

Use only with prior permission.

If you are experimenting with generative AI assignments, clearly distinguishing between when students are and are not allowed to use AI will help eliminate confusion and make it easier for students to complete all course assignments without issue. For such assignments, outline what the authorized uses are—brainstorming, fact-checking, editing, etc.—and provide examples for how to do those tasks with AI.

Sample language:
Students are allowed to use advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course if instructor permission is obtained in advance. Unless given permission to use those tools, each student is expected to complete each assignment without substantive assistance from others, including automated tools.

Use only with acknowledgement.

Especially when accompanied by instruction in how to use AI tools effectively, you may find that using AI can actually improve student learning. Adopting an approach that allows students to use AI-generated content while being able to distinguish between their work and the tool’s through proper citation enables instructors to see and assess students’ learning.

Sample language:
Students are allowed to use advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course if that use is properly documented and credited. For example, text generated using ChatGPT-3.5 should include a citation such as: “Chat-GPT-3.5. (YYYY, Month DD of query). “Text of your query.” Generated using OpenAI. https://chat.openai.com/” Material generated using other tools should follow a similar citation convention.

Use is freely permitted with no acknowledgement.

It’s the wild, wild, west, and students are free to use AI however they’d like. This approach won’t work for every course, but in some disciplines, using AI to complete tasks is becoming increasingly normalized. Even if you take this approach, however, it’s important to build AI literacy into your course. You might want to discuss the ethical considerations and learning implications of using AI to aid their work and include other modes of assessment to ensure students are meeting your learning goals.

Whatever you decide, be transparent about your approach with your students to:

create clear pathways to success
mitigate disputes
improve understanding of teaching and learning processes

Check it out: You can consult this repository of sample syllabus statements from instructors in a range of disciplinary contexts.

For further guidance on generative AI and academic integrity, see the following resources from the Office of Academic Standards:

If you suspect that the Honor Code has been violated because of the inappropriate use of generative AI, you can find information on the Honor Code site about managing alleged violations.