Welcome back to the Simplify Channel. This video explores the use of GPT and whether an essay written by an artificial intelligence tool like it is likely to be identified by your university.
The pressure of assignment deadlines, alongside other commitments and unexpected events, can get to anyone. Some students who are curious about the development of AI have seen the capabilities and benefits of utilizing tools to make certain tasks easier.
In 2023, AI tools have become a major topic of conversation in education as institutions adapt and create policies on their usage. These tools are available anywhere and often require minimal effort to access and use. Some students think that because they are so prevalent, everyone else must be using them and want to know how to effectively make use of the developing technology.
If you are struggling to manage your studies and feel concerned about meeting deadlines, it’s understandable to want to consider the options available. There is nothing wrong with needing a helping hand to make progress. We know that technology is changing rapidly, and AI tools are capable of writing answers to a range of complicated questions, and the results are fast. When your deadline is fast approaching, it is understandable that the lack of time can become a major pressure that causes panic and stress. That essay due tomorrow isn’t going to write itself. But what if ChatGPT is the answer? It’s accessible, easy to use, and saves time.
But hold that thought. Time to take a breather. Although ChatGPT and similar tools are impressive and useful for supporting you in your studies, resist the temptation to ask it to write an answer to your essay question to copy and paste. You will be unable to develop your skills in incorporating information and showing your understanding and creativity by over-relying on generated text. Your university is also likely to be aware of your unique writing style, and your course tutor wants to read and mark your work, not work written by AI.
Many universities and other educational institutions are using similarity matching tools, which scan large databases to locate any significant matches. These tools, such as Turnitin, citation assist, and Grammarly plagiarism checker, help to identify where there are a lot of matches in an assignment, which can be investigated further if plagiarism is suspected. There have been an increased number of student papers flagged up by these tools at online universities over the last few months.
Additionally, it is recommended that you are wary of what you input into certain tools, as it is not always clear what happens to any data and whether it is adequately stored and protected. Your university may be concerned about what is being shared in an AI database. If you enter a lot of information, always be mindful of what you share online. For best practice, reach out to your course tutor or student support team. They will be able to advise on your institution’s AI policies and provide helpful guidance specific to your university.
So think carefully about how AI can be an effective tool for your studies. It can help you look up definitions and provide context around an idea or theory. You can ask grammar questions, find other sources to search, and summarize information into short form or bullet points that are easier to understand. But resist the temptation to take a lot of generated text from AI into your own work. Some universities require you to cite text that has come from an AI tool, and others are less lenient about using them at all. It’s getting easier for institutions to identify when AI has been used, resulting in increased penalties for students who take the risk. It is important to use these tools responsibly and ensure that your own creativity, vocabulary, and voice are the priority.
Artificial intelligence is certainly an exciting area in education, and as it grows and develops so quickly, it is something to be mindful of. Look up related policies at your university to learn more about its acceptable usage in your studies. Thank you for listening. Stay academically honest, and see you in the next video.
