Generative Artificial Intelligence – a quick student guide for assessment integrity

1. Introduction

1.1 This guidance is a supporting document to both the Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy and the Supporting Good Academic Practice Policy. It should be understood in conjunction with these, not in isolation.

1.2 Please refer to the Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy for information on:

1.2.1 academic misconduct stages
1.2.2 academic misconduct process.

1.3 Please refer to the Supporting Good Academic Practice Policy for information on:

1.3.1 examples of good academic practice
1.3.2 examples of poor academic practice.

2. Guidance on when to use AI

2.1 ��logo�� recognises that AI tools including generative AI can in some contexts support and assist the learning and development process in constructive ways. There may be legitimate uses of AI depending on your discipline, for example, in the preparatory stages of your work, helping you to carry out surveys of the literature and find new potential sources for research, as a sounding-board for early-stage ideas, or, later in the writing process, using it to highlight grammatical errors.

2.2 However, indiscriminate or inappropriate use of generative AI tools does not support good learning and carries risks. You are here to develop your own knowledge and critical thinking skills. Research shows that relying on generative AI tools can be . Outsourcing tasks to AI can lead to a , and generative AI tools are designed to draw you in and do the work for you, whereas you need to do the work yourself to learn. Therefore, you are encouraged to be cautious and think carefully before using AI tools in your studies. At worst, use of generative AI tools to plagiarise or cheat undermines confidence in our qualifications and the integrity of your degree.[

3. AI and academic integrity and misconduct

3.1 It is your responsibility to maintain your own academic integrity whilst using AI tools including generative AI tools. By being aware of the nature of generative AI tools, informing yourself of the risks and opportunities, and using AI tools responsibly, you can maintain the principles of academic integrity set out in the Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy and the Supporting Good Academic Practice Policy to ensure you avoid potential disciplinary action.

3.2 You should only use generative AI tools to the extent that has been outlined in the assessment brief. Some assessments will permit the use of AI tools for some aspects of your work, while others will not permit any use of AI tools at all. You should pay close attention to the assessment brief as this will state what level and type of AI usage is permitted for that particular assessment. It will also specify if there are any particular AI tools you should use.

3.3 If the use of generative AI tools is explicitly not permitted, then you should not use AI tools when completing your work. You may only use AI tools to the extent that they have been clearly permitted.

3.4 If the assessment brief does not explicitly mention the use of generative AI tools, you should adhere to the Supporting Good Academic Practice Policy.

3.5 If you are unclear or have queries about whether the use of any generative AI tools may or may not be permitted for a particular assessment, please contact the Module Convenor in the first instance.

3.6 Where the use of generative AI tools is permitted you must:

3.6.1 reference the use in your work (see section 4 below)
3.6.2 rriefly outline your AI use in the AI Declaration (see section 5 below)
3.6.3 keep a record of the tools, prompts and outputs (see section 6 below).

4. Referencing the use of AI tools in your work

4.1 It is expected that references to AI outputs will include: (i) the name of the AI platform, (ii) the date of use, (iii) the person who input the prompt.

4.2 Advice on how to cite private correspondence within the various referencing styles is available from the Library. E.g. for Harvard referencing the in-text citation might look like this (OpenAI ChatGPT, 2024) and the corresponding reference might look like this:

OpenAI ChatGPT (2024). ChatGPT response to YOUR NAME, 1 January 2024.

4.3 For other forms of AI use It is recommended that you use the ‘database’ format, with the addition of information about the specifics of the use. For example:

OpenAI (2024). ChatGPT. Version X. [Online]. Available at: URL [Accessed 9 April 2024]. To translate poem Xyzzarg (out of copyright) into English.

5. The AI declaration

5.1 The AI Declaration is intended to support students in ensuring their use of generative AI tools meets the permitted use outlined in the Assessment Brief, and to support staff in understanding how students are using generative AI tools. The AI Declaration is an important resource in ensuring the integrity not only of the work you submit but of all qualifications awarded by ��logo��, for which the whole ��logo�� community, including staff and students, is responsible. An offline copy of the AI Declaration is included in Appendix 1 for reference; please do not use this version when submitting your work.

5.2 The AI Declaration must be submitted with all assessments submitted to, or completed on, Moodle, including those where no AI use is permitted by the Assessment Brief.

5.3 In-person assessments such as exams, in-class tests and purely practical assessments do not require an AI Declaration to be submitted. Some observed remote assessments may not require you to submit one either. The Module Convenor will clearly communicate where an AI Declaration must be submitted. If you are unclear whether or not an AI Declaration is necessary for the assessment you are completing, please contact the Module Convenor in the first instance.

5.4 You should complete and submit the form on Moodle, following the instructions given online. You are encouraged to complete the form and submit your AI Declaration immediately after submitting your assignment, but you will have up to 24 hours after the submission to complete and submit the AI Declaration. You will also have the option to edit or update your declaration after submitting if you have made any errors or left out any relevant information about your use of AI tools.

5.5 The University’s Late Submission of Work for Assessment Policy will apply to all assessments.

5.6 Staff will review the AI Declaration when marking work to ensure you have complied with the permitted use of AI tools including generative AI. Failure to submit a completed Declaration with your work may be taken into account during an investigation if your work is subsequently flagged for possible academic misconduct (see section 7).

5.7 If you have queries on completing the AI Declaration or require any support, please contact your Module Convenor or Learning Development Tutor.

6. Retaining evidence of AI use

6.1 You should retain evidence of your use of generative AI toolsI. This could be in the form of transcripts or screenshots of prompts and outputs.

6.2 You do not have to submit evidence of prompts and outputs with the AI Declaration, however if your work is flagged for possible academic misconduct, you may be asked to provide evidence to show that your use was in line with the permitted parameters of the Assessment Brief. If you are not able to provide this evidence, that may at best be seen as poor academic practice and at worst may be taken as a lack of evidence that your work followed good academic practice and therefore could be investigated for academic misconduct (see section 7).

7. Suspected AI misconduct

7.1 ��logo�� is committed to upholding academic integrity and this includes the ethical and responsible use of generative AI tools. If a summative assessment is suspected of academic misconduct, through the inappropriate use of AI tools, it will be progressed in accordance with the University’s Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy.

7.2 Academic staff use the Turnitin originality (AI) checker which flags AI use in an assessment. They then check this against the permitted use outlined in the assessment brief as well as your statement in the AI Declaration. If the flag does not match the permitted use they may then refer your work to the Academic Integrity and Misconduct process. All referrals are considered in line with the University’s Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy.

7.3 We encourage an open environment in which students can ask questions about the specific use and permissibility of generative AI tools, discuss the potential benefits, risks and challenges, and can then take responsibility for the choices you make in completing your assessments.

8. Key points to remember

8.1 Below are some key points that you should keep in mind when considering the use of generative AI tools to support your learning or for an assessment where the use of generative AI tools has been permitted.

Consider why you need to use AI. Is there an opportunity to self-develop your learning and research skills without it?
Prioritise any AI use for thinking, drafting and reflection, not to replace personal judgement or learning.
Follow the stated boundaries for AI use that a module/assessment provides.
Declare AI use where required and keep a record of prompts, outputs and edits.
Critically review AI outputs for accuracy, fairness and relevance for subject discipline.
Protect personal, confidential and identifiable information when using AI tools.
Ask for clarification where expectations, permissions or boundaries are unclear.

9. Useful resources

9.1 University policies, guidance and frameworks:

9.2 University advice and support services:

9.2.1 Student Learning Development
9.2.2

9.3. Other agencies and universities:

9.3.1 Quality Assurance Agency’s pages on and on
9.3.2 for approaching artificial intelligence generated text in the classroom
9.3.3 on artificial intelligence usage. This has some useful guidance at a general, a programme/module and an assessment level
9.3.4 The University of Melbourne

Policy review

Created: January 2023
Latest update: October 2026
Date of next review: 2026-27 academic year
Owner: Student Complaints, Conduct and Appeals Manager
SLT owner: DVC Education and Student Experience
Committee oversight: Education and Student Experience Committee for Academic Board

Appendix 1: Copy of the AI Declaration

Below is an offline copy of the AI Declaration form, presented for information only. Staff and students should not use this copy, and must make use of the Moodle version of the AI Declaration.

Guidance

Students must complete this form for all assessments. The purpose of this form is to declare the level of your use of AI tools including generative AI – did you use it, what purposes did you use it for, and how did you work with it?

Key requirements:

Review your assessment brief. This will include information on whether AI tools including generative AI are permitted or required for aspects of the assessment, how they should be used, and any restrictions on specific tools you can or cannot use.
Track your AI use as you work. As with referencing, you should collate the information as you progress through your assignment, so that you have it all ready for when you submit your finished work.
Complete the form for all assessments. This applies regardless of whether or not the assessment brief permits or requires the use of any AI tools including generative AI and whether or not you have used AI tools including generative AI. Make sure to plan ahead and allow time to complete the form before the submission deadline.
Keep evidence of your use of AI tools including generative AI. This could be in the form of screenshots or transcripts. It may be needed later as part of an Academic Integrity and Misconduct investigation.

Important notes

You must ensure you have complied with any restrictions stated in your assessment brief.
You must still ensure you reference any use of AI tools including generative AI in your work. If you complete this declaration and have not properly referenced AI in your work it will still be flagged for academic integrity.

Submission process

Read the instructions in the form carefully.
Complete all applicable sections of the form.
Click ‘Submit’ at the bottom of the page.

If you have questions about completing this form, please contact your Module Convenor or Learning Development Tutor.

Section 1: Declare

You must choose 'Yes' under one of the following statements (S1Q1 or S1Q2):

1) AI tools NOT used (This statement corresponds to the S1Q1 Declaration):

“I declare that I have not used any AI tools including generative AI in preparing this assessment.”

S1Q1 Declaration – please click ‘Yes’ if the statement above is true for this assessment (i.e. you have NOT used AI); otherwise click ‘No’ and move to the next statement.

[Choice of Yes or No]

If you choose ‘Yes’ for the S1Q1 Declaration you do not need to complete the rest of the form, but you must still click ‘Submit’ at the bottom of the page.

2) AI tools used (This statement corresponds to the S1Q2 Declaration):

“I declare that I have used AI tools including generative AI in line with the assessment brief for this specific assessment and with ��logo��’s Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy and guidance on AI. I have summarised the process I used to maintain transparency and academic integrity and I take full responsibility for the content submitted. I have retained evidence of my use of AI tools including generative AI for reference.”

S1Q2 Declaration – please click ‘Yes’ if the statement above is true for this assessment (i.e. you HAVE used AI in line with the assessment brief and ��logo��’s policies and guidance); otherwise click ‘No’.

[Choice of Yes or No]

If you choose ‘Yes’ for the S1Q2 Declaration you need to complete Section 2 of this form before clicking ’Submit’ at the bottom of the page.

Section 2: Describe

If you chose ‘Yes’ for the S1Q1 Declaration above, declaring that you have not used AI tools including generative AI, you do not need to complete this section of the form. Please go directly to the bottom of this page and click ‘Submit’.
If you chose ‘Yes’ for the S1Q2 Declaration above, declaring that you have used AI tools including generative AI, please complete this section of the form.

Provide a summary (up to 250 words) of how you used AI tools including generative AI in your work, in line with the assessment brief. You should cover the following information:

1. Which AI tool(s) you used.
2. A brief description of the prompts you used and the outputs that were generated.
3. How you used any material generated by AI tools including generative AI.
4. Which parts of the work were contributed by AI tools including generative AI, and which parts were contributed by you.

[A large text box where students can type out how they used AI]

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