With the influx of AI (Artificial Intelligence) -generated programs aiding students in everything from creating an outline to forging a research paper, maintaining academic integrity and writer authenticity is becoming more challenging. Often, students become fixated on a project’s looming deadline or discouraged about the assigned topic, so they consider using AI to survive an incredibly daunting assignment. 

Baron (2013) rightfully pointed out that “the temptation to lean on editing and text generation tools like Grammarly and ChatGPT makes it all too easy for people to substitute ready-made technology results for opportunities to think and learn” (para. 16). But it doesn’t have to. Here, I discuss ways students can use these programs to their benefit during the drafting stage, making the assignment less intimidating—and less tempting to plagiarize.

AI’s Limitations

Readers may recall my last blog post that explained how students can incorporate their voices into their academic writing to make their work more authentic. ChatGPT omits any authentic voice. Professors can discern between a ChatGPT essay and a student’s original work because ChatGPT cannot generate the deep analysis an assignment calls for. OpenAI (2022), the company that created ChatGPT, posted a list of the application’s shortcomings, which warned that it could write “plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers” (para. 1). Its answers will also use grammar, diction, and style that veers away from the writer’s own, making it easily detectable as bot-generated. 

Another limitation to AI-generated content is the lack of inclusivity. The Federal Trade Commission (2022) released an 82-page report to Congress cautioning about the dangers of using AI due to its misuse of transmitting inaccurate, often biased information. In response, universities nationally have published guidance for students to follow when determining if it’s appropriate to use ChatGPT for their assignments. PG Global (2023) instituted an AI Task Force, providing students with practical resources (including articles, FAQs, and applications) to gain insight into ethically and responsibly using generative artificial intelligence. Students need to understand how to use these programs to avoid plagiarism. 

Brainstorming Phase

ChatGPT, or other generative AI platforms, are great resources to expand ideas, narrow a topic, or create research terms. Students can ask the program to provide a list of suggestions that can help them see the topic in a new way. An example prompt might look like this:

You are an expert in [TOPIC]. Please list as many different perspectives as there are on the topic. Think about it from the point of view of many different audiences interested in the topic. Write your response as a bullet-pointed list. (Birss, 2023, p. 26)

A clear prompt like this can generate new perspectives, helping the student see the topic in a way that’s more engaging and sparking interest to write about it. 

Biswas (2023) suggested that students provide prompts with crucial information (e.g., objectives, methodology, findings), allowing the program to suggest multiple titles for their research papers. The benefit is that AI programs provide “different perspectives and angles that researchers can consider,” which saves valuable time by “helping researchers refine their titles to accurately represent their work and engage potential readers” (p. 576). The important takeaway is that the student has completed all the work but is using ChatGPT to help eliminate the dreaded writer’s block that prohibits completing an assignment on time. 

Drafting Phase

ChatGPT and other AI programs have been proven to invent research, often inventing the References page citations. Students, though, can still utilize them to create and format citations in proper APA style, suggest additional section headings to assist with organization, and provide more reputable sources. Students should do their due diligence to verify any research these programs suggest actually exists.

Of course, if students decide to use AI-generated content within their assignments (if approved by their instructor), they will need to cite the material properly. McAdoo (2023) recommended calling attention to the usage of ChatGPT within the paper, either in the Methods section or in the introduction. “In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response” (para. 3). This type of transparency adds credibility to the researcher and proves the benefits of using bots as educational tools. 

Proofing Phase

Purdue Global permits students to use tools like Grammarly and Microsoft Editor to identify spelling and grammar errors. However, I always encourage students to ignore those squiggly red lines until the proofing stage so that the suggestions don’t stifle the student’s writing process. I expect students to review the suggestions and ensure they match the content’s meaning. The student, not the program, should always have the last say.

To be more actively engaged in the proofing process, students can instruct ChatGPT to make specific changes. For example, if an assignment calls for a PowerPoint, the presenter can ask AI to make a bulleted list on a slide be parallel in sentence structure and part of speech. Other instructions include having ChatCPT eliminate any redundancy or suggest improvements in writing style and diction to make the work more appealing to the intended audience. As always, students should determine whether the suggestions fit their voice. 

Final Thoughts

Since the increase of AI-generated technology, some universities have resorted to alternative assessment methods, such as in-class writing prompts, emphasis on class participation, and proctored exams. However, Villasenor (2023) recommended that instructors teach the benefits of using AI platforms ethically and productively. AI isn’t going anywhere, and companies are starting to use it to remain competitive in their field. Therefore, Villasenor (2023) cautioned that “students need to learn how to prompt an AI writing tool to elicit worthwhile output and know how to evaluate its quality, accuracy and originality” (para. 3). To learn how to ethically and responsibly use ChatGPT and other AI tools, check out the Student Resources for Generative Artificial Intelligence.  

References

Baron, N.S. (2023, January 19). How ChatGPT robs students of motivation to write and think for themselves. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/how-chatgpt-robs-students-of-motivation-to-write-and-think-for-themselves-197875 

Birss, D. (2023, March 15). How to research and write using generative AI tools. LinkedIn Learning. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/how-to-research-and-write-using-generative-ai-tools 

Biswas, S.S. (2023, October 28). ChatGPT for research and publication: A step-by-step guide. The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 28(6), 576–584.

Center for Teaching and Learning. (2024 August 22). Artificial intelligence at Purdue Global. Purdue University Global, Inc. https://sites.google.com/purdueglobal.edu/pgctl/purdue-global-ai-policy#h.998qjgz2j3vu 

McAdoo, T. (2023, April 7). How to cite ChatGPT. American Psychological Association. https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt 

OpenAI. (2022 November 30). Introducing ChatGPT. https://openai.com/index/chatgpt/#limitations 

PG AI Task Force (2023). Student resources. Purdue University Global, Inc. https://sites.google.com/purdueglobal.edu/pg-artificialintelligencetaskf/student-resources?authuser=0 

Villasenor, J. (2023, February 10). How ChatGPT can improve education, not threaten it. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-chatgpt-can-improve-education-not-threaten-it/