AI at UMFK: Syllabus Help

AI Policy Examples 

The following are examples of AI Policies to insert into your Syllabus depending on your stance on AI in your courses. 

You can modify these policies to meet your specific needs.

The UMFK Generative AI Guidance Working Group, created these policies from samples found at various institutions and based on common criteria found among them. The institutions are referenced at the bottom of this page and have coinciding numbers to those within the content.

If you would like to see further guidance in creating policy around AI, see "Additional Policy Creation Information" further down.

Full or Partial Use

The emergence of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT and DALL-E) has sparked interest among many students in [your discipline]. The use of these tools for brainstorming ideas, exploring possible responses to questions or problems, and creative engagement with the materials may be useful for you as you craft responses to class assignments (2). However, this course also expects you to complete various assignments that assess your understanding and application of the course content (3). It is important to remember that AI is a tool not a replacement for individual thought.

If using AI, students shall give credit to AI tools whenever used, even if only to generate ideas rather than usable text or illustrations.

When using AI tools on assignments, add an appendix showing (2):

1. The entire exchange, highlighting the most relevant sections
2. A description of precisely which AI tools were used (e.g. ChatGPT private subscription version or DALL-E free version)
3. An explanation of how the AI tools were used (e.g. to generate ideas, turns of phrase, elements of text, long stretches of text, lines of argument, pieces of evidence, maps of the conceptual territory, illustrations of key concepts, etc.)
4. An account of why AI tools were used (e.g. to save time, to surmount writer’s block, to stimulate thinking, to handle mounting stress, to clarify prose, to translate text, to experiment for fun, etc.).

If you include material and/or ideas generated by an AI program, you must appropriately acknowledge and cite it as you would any other resource. It is also each student’s responsibility to assess the validity and applicability of any generative AI output that is submitted since AI-generated content can be biased and inaccurate; you bear the final responsibility of the content’s accuracy. Violations of this policy will be considered academic misconduct (1). To avoid plagiarism, you may use Purdue's Guide: How to Cite AI Generated Content or other reputable tool or resource to cite your AI content.

Finally, if you use Generative AI as described herein, it is important to pay attention to the privacy of your data. Many AI tools will incorporate and use any content you share, so be careful not to unintentionally share copyrighted materials, original work, or personal information (4). Refer to the Privacy & Data Security section of the UMFK AI Guidelines found on the main page of this guide.

No Use

This course assumes that work submitted by students – all process work, drafts, brainstorming artifacts, final works – will be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups as directed by class assignment instructions (2) and without the assistance of AI-generated content.

Students are not allowed to use any artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as chatbots, text generators, paraphrasers, summarizers, or solvers, to complete any part of your assignments. Any attempt to use these tools will be considered academic misconduct and will be dealt with according to UMFK’s Academic Integrity Policy (3).

If you have any questions about what constitutes acceptable use of AI tools, please consult with the instructor before submitting your work.

Questions to Consider When Developing Your Own AI Syllabus Statement (3)

• Does your statement cover different types of assignments, i.e., tests, essays, presentations, group work, etc.? Or, do you want to have discussions with students and separate policies/guidelines for individual assignments and group assignments?
• Do you want to ask students to verify or check sources of information used by an AI tool when possible?
• Do you want to ask students to consider representation in any AI responses that they use in their work?
• Do you want students to cite or share AI use and how/when should they do that?
• Do you need a full statement for only AI use or can it be wrapped into an academic integrity policy?
   

Common items found throughout the sample policies referenced

Allowing AI, whether fully or partially:

• Stipulate In-class and/or out of class use
• What type of assignments
• Check reliability of content
  • Explain content problems with AI
• Explain citing AI content
• Have students include raw data with assignment
• Permission for use from professor prior to use
• Give examples of AI tools
• Explain Security of personal data
• Refer to appropriate policies and guidelines

Not allowing AI:

• Explain why
• Give examples of AI tools
• Explain what will happen if used
• Refer to appropriate policies and guidelines