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Acknowledging Use of Generative AI

Why acknowledge the use of AI?

Acknowledging the use of AI tools in coursework is crucial for transparency and integrity. It helps to build trust and sets expectations, which can demonstrate your learning and avoid academic misconduct.

When to Acknowledge the use of an AI tool

Incorporating AI tools into assignments always requires a clear acknowledgment of their use. Include an acknowledgment or citation (check with your instructor to see if they have a preference) when you have used an AI tool to generate ideas, edit text, paraphrase text, process data, or any other time you have used an AI tool in an assignment.

Verify with your instructor before using AI tools on assignments, as policies differ among instructors.

How to Acknowledge the use of AI

Regardless of which type of AI tool you use, you should acknowledge its use somewhere on your works cited page or another location as specified by your instructor.

Your acknowledgement statement should cover:

  • The AI tool you used
  • A description of the task you used the AI tool for (e.g., generating an outline, reviewing your own writing)
  • The prompt(s) you provided

  • How the AI's output contributed to your work

Formatting your Acknowledgement

Here is a basic template for formatting your AI acknowledgement:

I acknowledge the use of [insert AI system(s) and link] to [specific purpose of generative artificial intelligence]. The prompts used include [list of prompts]. The output from these prompts was used to [explain use].

Examples

Here are examples of the template applied to various AI use cases.

I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT 4o mini (https://chatgpt.com/) to generate a case study about the challenges of sustainability and labor ethics in the chocolate industry. I entered the following prompt on July 31, 2024:

  • "Create a case study over the operations of a chocolate company detailing the challenges of managing chocolate supply chains in both a sustainable and ethical manner. Identify key challenges. Propose potential solutions, but do not commit to any single approach. Conclude by with questions for students to consider about how they would proceed."

The output from these prompts was used as the case study for the assignment which was then analyzed in the remaining portion of the assignment.

I acknowledge the use of Image Creator in Bing (https://www.bing.com/images/create) to generate an image of an alien landscape. I entered the following prompt on August 2, 2023:

  • "Alien landscape with multiple suns on the horizon. Digital art."

The output from these prompts was used as a decorative image on my PowerPoint presentation.

I acknowledge the use of Claude 3 Opus (https://claude.ai/) to help with the organization and academic tone of my essay. I uploaded the text of my essay draft through Claude's attach a file feature and I entered the following prompts on August 3, 2023:

  • Original prompt: "For the attached document, suggest potential revisions to improve the organization of information and academic voice."
  • Follow-up prompt: "Please provide specific examples of corrections or improvements."

The output from these prompts was used to edit my draft essay. Some specific suggestions for rephrasing were adopted, but the output primarily was used to identify areas that could be strengthened from which I made original edits.

Citing AI

Generative AI tools can create inaccurate content and cite non-existent works. In most cases, it is better to cite other authoritative sources for factual information. If you are using a tool that links to its sources (like Copilot or Perplexity), you should follow the links and read the original pages. If your AI output does not include sources, fact-check claims with a quick web search.

If you are quoting or paraphrasing work generated by an AI tool or reproducing an AI-generated image, you need a more formal citation. Many major citation styles have provided guidance on formatting citations for AI generated content:

Always check with your instructor and follow their guidelines for citing or acknowledging AI generated content.

Credits

Information is adapted from Newman University LibGuides.

Newman University. (2023). AI-generated content: Student AI disclosures. Retrieved August 14, 2024. https://newmanu.libguides.com/ai-disclosure

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License