Key Components of an AI Syllabus Policy
Be familiar with your college or university's academic integrity policy.
Many institutions don't yet have a specific academic integrity policy on the use of AI. In those situations, AI use could fall under a policy prohibiting the use of unapproved tools. Make it clear to your students when and in what way AI use might constitute a violation of your institutions policy.
Identify Acceptable and Unacceptable Uses of AI
Define the scope of acceptable AI use in your course. Clearly outline situations where AI tools may or may not be used. For instance, specify if AI is allowed for brainstorming or research but not for writing assignments or code generation.
Require Students to Read and Agree to Your AI Policy
Make it a requirement for students to read and acknowledge the AI usage policy. This can be done through an initial syllabus quiz or an academic integrity agreement at the start of the course.
Academic Integrity Expectations for Assessments
Tailor Integrity Statements per Assessment
Each assessment should include a specific academic integrity statement detailing whether AI tools are permissible. For example, include a note that states, "For this exam, no AI tools may be used," or "You may use AI for proofreading but not for content generation."
Emphasize Consequences and Expectations
Clearly state the consequences of violating the AI policy and explain how such actions will impact the student’s academic record. Remind students of the importance of original work and how misuse of AI affects their learning experience.
Example AI Policy and Integrity Statements
Example AI Policy
Here is my current revised syllabus statement in which I try to focus primarily on transparency and critique:
Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models Policy and Transparency Requirement
The following policy outlines the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Large Language Model (LLM) assistance in this class. Adherence to this policy is mandatory for all students.
100% Transparency Requirement:
- Clearly state the name of the AI tool used for assistance.
- Provide a detailed account of the exact prompt you input into the AI tool and the output it generated. This is required even if just using AI for a grammar, style, or translation check.
- Demonstrate that you have critically evaluated the AI's response against course materials and verified its accuracy.
- Your final submission must be composed in your own words, reflecting your understanding and analysis. Use of AI as a reference requires that you cite it as a source. (How to properly cite AI)
Prohibited Uses:
- Plagiarism: Never, ever, ever submit text directly copied from AI tools as your own work. Such actions constitute academic misconduct and will be referred to Student Conduct.
- Misuse of Copyrighted Material: Never input or copy/paste any copyrighted material into AI tools. This violates copyright law. Copyright infringement is a serious matter and could subject you to legal liability (up to $30,000 per violation) .
This prohibition includes the 📝 homework, 📄 quiz, and 💻 exam questions in this class. Assessments are copyrighted materials and your instructor's intellectual property.
ASK if you need help with prompting to better understand concepts from this class.
Consequences for violating this policy:
Failure to adhere to this policy will be considered a violation of academic integrity and may result in disciplinary actions as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. It is your responsibility to ensure that your use of AI tools aligns with these guidelines and to seek clarification when in doubt
- First violation: Two-letter grade reduction in work.
- Second violation: No credit on the question/post
- Third violation: No credit on the assignment and referral to Student Code of Conduct for violating CSCC's academic integrity policy.
TLDR:
Any time you use AI in this class, you must include in your assignment submission comprehensive documentation that covers
- The AI tool used,
- The prompt and output,
- Evidence of fact-checking, and
- Proper citations
Any failure to follow this requirement will negatively impact your grade, will be reported to Student Conduct, and could subject you to legal liability.
Example AI Statements for Each Assignment
I also include specific academic integrity statements for each assignment. Here is an example of how I've added AI expectations to those statements:
Syllabi Resources
Links to sample syllabi statements
- OSU's AI: Considerations for Teaching and Learning
- U of Maine's Learn with AI
- The Sentient Syllabus Project (Very useful and comprehensive guide. See also sentientsyllabus.org)
- College Unbound - AI Generative Tools Policy Development Plan (includes temporary policy statements)
- A Toolkit for Addressing AI Plagiarism in the Classroom (via Quill.org and Commonlit.org which has a AI detection tool)
- Classroom Policies for AI Generative Tools (crowdsourced)
- Update Your Syllabus for ChatGPT (Medium)
- Rules for Tools (from Padagogische Hochschule Heidelberg)