BIOL 263 F23
Policy for the use of Artifical Intelligence (AI) tools
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT have exploded in popularity in recent months. Many academics are suspicious of the potential for students to misuse AI, presenting its work as their own. This is antithetical to the learning process.
On the other hand, this emerging technological tool will undoubtedly be useful in ways big and small, many of which we cannot yet foresee. As scientists, we seek to explore and harness potential uses of new technologies. A broad ban on the use of AI in academic work is antithetical to the learning process.
While the representation of generative AI outputs as your own work is tantamount to plagiarism for writing assignments and exams, AI tools may be extremely useful for some tasks, from brainstorming to learning technical vocabulary to data analysis to troubleshooting code.
I suspect that AI might be useful for coding in the course of the JMOL molecular tutorials. I welcome our collective opportunity to learn how. If you choose to make use of any AI tools, you must follow these guidelines for transparency and proper acknowledgement to be in compliance with the course and the Kenyon College academic integrity policies.
*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 describing (a) the entire exchange, highlighting the most relevant sections; (b) a description of precisely which AI tools were used (e.g. ChatGPT private subscription version or DALL-E free version), (c) 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 code,, pieces of evidence, maps of conceptual territory, illustrations of key concepts, etc.); (d) an account of why AI tools were used (e.g. to save time, to overcome a technical roadblock, to stimulate thinking, to handle mounting stress, to clarify prose, to translate text, to experiment for fun, etc.).
*Do not use AI tools in any way for exams.
*Employ AI detection tools and originality checks prior to submission, ensuring that their submitted work is not mistakenly flagged.
*Use AI tools wisely and intelligently, aiming to deepen understanding of subject matter and to support learning.
[source: Boston University Department of Computer and Data Sciences]
Prof. Wade Powell
August 2023