June 2024
Guidance for students on the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence
1. What is Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)?
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) can generate new content based on prompts, like text and
images. Examples include ChatGPT for text and DALL-E for images. GenAI can be standalone (e.g.,
ChatGPT) or integrated into standard software like Microsoft Office or Google Apps.
At the University of Westminster, students can access AI-enabled tools like the Adobe suite, the
browser-based Microsoft copilot and GrammarlyGO. Many other GenAI tools are available publicly.
However, while these tools offer benefits, they also pose risks. As a student, you must differentiate
between the exploratory use of generative for non-assessed tasks and using them for marked
assessments. This is essential for maintaining academic integrity in your work.
2. Issues and risks of using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)
Current GenAI systems pose several significant risks and limitations, especially in academic contexts,
necessitating ethical use and scrutiny. Trust and accuracy are paramount concerns as these models
may generate false information confidently. Independent verification against reliable sources is
crucial. The lack of cited sources and explainability raises questions about research integrity.
Ethical debates revolve around copyright and plagiarism when individuals' creative work has been
used to train GenAI models. Given unpredictable disclosures, privacy is also at risk, while inherent
biases in training data can reinforce societal stereotypes. Structural concerns include sustainability,
resource demands, unequal access, and potential hindrances to independent learning. Issues of
accountability and oversight remain unresolved, as systems making mistakes lack liability.
Integrating AI into daily life demands ongoing scrutiny, user caution, and verification for ethical,
responsible use centred on human agency. The academic community you are a part of is crucial in
uncovering and addressing risks, establishing standards, and overseeing the public good.
3. Using Generative AI in any formally assessed work.
In general, when using a GenAI tool or system, an excellent question to ask yourself is:
“Is this something I would ask a member of the academic staff (e.g. module leader, personal tutor,
language support staff) and expect them to help me with?”
- If you answer “no”, then this is likely an improper use of the technology.
- If you answer “yes”, it will likely be considered an acceptable use. However, the university
requires that you acknowledge the use of any such tools in writing.
- If unsure, you should ask your module leader or personal tutor.
You should also consider the three points below, which we are sure you will understand and agree
with.
Academic Responsibility: Just as you wouldn't ask a friend, relative, or other individual to write your
essay or to share their work with you, entrusting GenAI to generate content for an assessment is
academically irresponsible and is therefore considered cheating. Your degree's value lies in your
ability to demonstrate your knowledge and application of skills, not in outsourcing work to an AI-driven
system.
Attribution and Trust: GenAI cannot provide rigorously researched, accurately cited, and well-
thought-out analysis. Proper attribution is paramount in academic work, and AI-driven systems
generally fall short of this. They also cannot think critically and evaluate information as a human
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would. They can't assess the quality of sources or provide nuanced interpretations that human
researchers can.
Learning Process: Higher education's essence is the learning journey, not just the end product.
Relying solely on AI for content generation deprives you of the opportunity to grow and develop your
critical thinking and research skills and can limit your learning.
3.1 What must I do if I use a Generative AI to help generate or improve content for an
assignment that will be marked?
When GenAI are used in assessed work, it is essential to be transparent about their use. Remember
that you must refer to your tutor’s instructions that set the ground rules for the use of AI
sources.
Ultimately, if you have made use of ANY AI-driven support tools in producing your
assessment, you MUST include the following statement at the top or bottom of your
submission:
“In this assessment, I used
[list tools – see section 3.1.1 below for examples]
for the purpose of
[state usage – see section 3.1.2 below for examples].” Please indicate in what parts/sections of
your work you have used AI tools.
3.1.1 Such tools include (but are not limited to):
AI text: Bard, Bing Chat, ChatGPT, Claude, Ernie, LLaMA, Quillbot, Tongyi Qianwen
AI images: DALL-E, Midjourney, Tongyi Wanxiang
Translation: DeepL, Google Translate, YouDao
3.1.2 Some possible legitimate use cases for GenAI to help you with assignments that will be marked
are:
• Utilising Generative AI to identify internet keywords for an internet search.
• Aiding in the planning and developing an outline structure for a written assessment.
• Generating ideas for graphics, images, and visuals.
• Obtaining explanations of concepts.
• Assisting in debugging code.
• Helping to inspire your writing (sometimes referred to as ‘overcoming ‘writer’s block’)
Please see Table 1 at the end of this document for some examples of use cases for GenAI.
You must be accountable for the assignment submission content and how it was produced. Before
submitting, you should reflect and satisfy yourself that if an interview was held with you to discuss
your work, you could explain and justify your work in developing and constructing the assignment.
You should be able to answer yes to the following questions:
• Can you be truthful about which ideas are your own and which are derived from other sources
that use AI to generate responses?
• Are you sure you are not trying to gain an advantage by unfair means, for instance, by
passing off content generated by a GenAI as your own?
• Are you confident that you are responsible for the content of your assignment and how this
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content was derived?
4. Using Generative AI for non-assessed tasks and independent learning.
GenAI, while not infallible, can be harnessed responsibly for non-assessed tasks and as a learning
aid. Below are some examples of acceptable use for non-assessed tasks and independent learning.
4.1 Conceptual Companions or Study Buddy: Imagine researching a complex topic; your initial
reading on the subject leaves you bewildered. A GenAI tool or system can serve as your ‘virtual
companion’, offering simplified explanations to ‘kickstart’ your journey of understanding. The insights
that the GenAI provides may then further guide your research.
4.2 Idea Incubators: When faced with a brainstorming exercise, perhaps for a project, GenAI can act
as an idea incubator. It can generate diverse suggestions you can consider and build upon, helping
you explore new angles and possibilities for an assignment.
4.3 Grammar Guardians: Correct spelling and grammar are important in academic writing. GenAI
and other tools like Grammarly can be preliminary tools for proofreading and ensuring your work
adheres to good linguistic standards
In drafting questions or prompts to GenAI, with the acceptable uses above in mind, the university has
published a prompt guide that you may find helpful. You can access the guide via this page.
However, before employing generative AI, even for non-assessed tasks or independent
learning, you should consider the following questions:
• Can a GenAI enhance my understanding, considering my main learning objective(s)?
• Am I confident I can accurately check any GenAI response?
• Are my questions or prompts to the GenAI well-informed and aligned with my learning objectives?
• Does the GenAI aid your understanding and ability to ask further meaningful questions?
• Are you in control and able to act independently and ultimately make your own decisions?
• Are you responsible for your work and your decisions rather than simply passively relying on the
GenAI to lead on your academic endeavours?
GenAI should augment your learning experience, not replace it. The real educational value lies
in the process of your personal exploration, discovery, reflection and critical analysis.
5. In summary
Using a GenAI as a complementary tool to enhance your understanding and generate ideas early in
your academic journey is ethically acceptable. However, it is unequivocally unethical and against the
principles of academic integrity to use GenAI to produce content for assessed assignments. Doing
this is effectively cheating.
However, please remember that your pursuit of knowledge and skills is the goal of your university
experience, and GenAI tools should be seen as supportive allies, not replacements for your capability
and efforts.
If you use a Generative AI tool to help you with an assessment/assignment, then:
➢ Using Generative AI to produce original content and claiming it as your work is strictly
prohibited. Your assignments and exams should demonstrate reflection and critical analysis
generated by your thinking.
➢ It is unacceptable to submit a draft essay or other written output to a GenAI and request the
system to rephrase it in proper English or restructure it unless it is part of the assessment
brief.
➢ Including outputs from GenAI systems, such as passages of text or images, in an assessment
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submission without disclosing what tool you have used and where you have used it is not
permitted (see section 3 above).
Please be aware that misusing GenAI (as outlined in section 3 above) constitutes academic
misconduct.
The University of Westminster defines academic misconduct as:
“Academic misconduct is where a student gains, or seeks, attempts or intends to gain, advantage in
relation to assessment, either for themself or for another person, by unfair or improper means”.
The list of offences that can be considered as academic misconduct includes:
Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, plagiarism commissioning and collusion (please see our guidance).
Presenting the output of tools that write for you as your work is academic misconduct. The University
of Westminster may impose a penalty on the assessments of those found in breach of academic
integrity. Part 3 of Section 10 of the University’s academic regulations outlines the procedures and
penalties for academic misconduct.
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Table 1 Some examples of acceptable and unacceptable use cases for GenAI
Proposed Use Acceptable/Unacceptable Explanation
Having GenAI Unacceptable Using generative AI to create research
generate research findings and conclusions misrepresents your
findings and own analysis and interpretation abilities and
conclusions. violates academic integrity.
Employing AI to write Unacceptable Using generative AI to generate letters of
letters of recommendation is unethical and presents
recommendation or a qualifications and abilities inaccurately.
reference.
Submitting an AI- Unacceptable This practice is academically dishonest, as it
generated essay as involves presenting someone else's work as
your own work. your own, violating academic integrity.
Drafting an initial Acceptable but…. While using GenAI to generate an outline for
outline (structure) for an essay or report is generally acceptable,
an essay or report. students must maintain academic integrity.
The final essay/report must reflect your
understanding and analysis and MUST be
in the student’s own words. In addition. If you
use GenAI to help produce an outline for an
essay/report, you must include this in the
declaration appended to your coursework
submission (see section 3 above).
Creating code Unacceptable Relying solely on generative AI to produce
entirely with GenAI complete code for programming assignments
for programming will undermine the assessment of your coding
assignments. skills and violate the academic integrity of
your work.
Summarising articles Acceptable GenAI can assist in condensing lengthy
articles and may help with comprehension
and note-taking.
Generating topic- Acceptable GenAI can help create insightful questions to
related questions explore a subject or research area further.
(e.g. as an aid to However, you should be wary of depending
revision). on the GenAI for answers or evaluations
without further checking these.
Using GenAI to Acceptable Flashcards can help promote active recall.
create flashcards to Seeing a term or phrase on a flashcard and
support your then trying to recall the meaning helps to
study/engagement move it from short-term to long-term memory.
with a topic.
Using GenAI to Acceptable GenAI can provide a starting point for finding
generate a list of credible resources, but further evaluation of
relevant sources for any resources identified is needed. GenAI
research. should not be used to generate a list of
references that are then included with the
assignment submission.
Using GenAI to Acceptable GenAI can provide helpful suggestions for
generate search research search terms using more standard
terms to use for search engines or library catalogues.
researching into a
specific topic.
Using GenAI to Acceptable GenAI can help generate visual aids for
create mind maps for studying and organising information
visualising complex effectively.
concepts.
