LibGuides: Home: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Academic Honesty Policy

Our University’s mission assumes the highest principles of virtue and ethics in the intellectual life. Plagiarism, cheating, and any other form of academic dishonesty are not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

(Bushnell 2022-2023 Academic Catalog, p. 60)

(See Bushnell's statement on using AI tools in academic writing below.)

AI and Information Literacy

As defined by the American Library Association, Information Literacy involves "the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning." This includes the use of emerging technologies such as ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools.

Citing generative AI

How to cite ChatGPT using the APA Style Manual

This was posted on the APA Style Blog by Timothy McAdoo, April 7, 2023

This post refers to quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper. It does not apply to an entire paper that was generated by AI.

APA recommends that when using AI tools in research, the writer should describe how the tool was used in the Method section or, in the case of a literature review, in the introduction. In the text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Like personal communication, AI “chat” is not retrievable by other readers. (Citations are generally intended to facilitate readers, including faculty and peer reviewers, to follow up on the works used in the research.)

However, since there is no person communicating, quoting a chat session is more like quoting an algorithm’s output. Therefore, the author of the algorithm should be credited.

EXAMPLE:

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brain’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenIA, 2023).

Reference

OpenAI. (2023). ChatCPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

In the case of long responses, the full text may be put in an appendix, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated.

The in-text citation in the above example is adapted from the reference template used for software in APA 7th ed., Section 10.10.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Author: Author of the model is OpenAI.
Date: The date is the year of the version used. The version number provides the specific date.
Title: The name of the model, ChatGPT is the title and should be italicized.
The version number is included after the title in parentheses. Use the version number in the format the publisher provides.
The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model used if needed to help readers understand what’s being cited. Use if the publisher uses these descriptors to differentiate the model used from others.
Source: When the publisher and author name are the same, do not repeat them. Use the URL to link the reader directly to the model rather than the publisher’s homepage.

From Bushnell University's Vice President for Academic Affairs (April 20, 2023):

Our University’s mission assumes the highest principles of virtue and ethics in the intellectual life. Given this, unauthorized use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT are prohibited in your coursework unless explicitly allowed by your instructor. Further, if use is allowed, the common practices for academic work are expected. Namely, appropriate citation(s) must be included for any use of such tools (e.g., used for brainstorming, outlining, background research, editing, or the generation of text).

Upon the foundation of these high principles, we strive for excellence in all scholarly pursuits, which results in the development of integrity, information literacy, intellectual abilities and associated skills, and the wisdom to faithfully apply what we have learned in service to friends, families, and communities. Emerging technologies provide an opportunity for the application of our vision of the intellectual life. If allowed by your instructor and in alignment with this vision, please note the following:

Wise use of these technologies requires thoughtful consideration of their limitations and associated concerns. These include, but are not limited to, ethical and methodological concerns about the dataset used by such technologies, conditions of privilege that afford some but not others access to such technologies, and the adequacy or inadequacy of pragmatic expressions of the output generated by such technologies.
Virtuous use of these technologies begins with explicit permission from your instructor and then only in the manner allowed. Further, if use is allowed, the common practices for academic work apply. Namely, appropriate citation(s) must be included for any use of such tools (e.g., used for brainstorming, outlining, background research, editing, or the generation of text).
Any misuse of such tools (e.g., use in a manner not allowed by an instructor in a whole course, portions of a course, single assignment, discussion post, or any other work product associated with a course) will fall under the Bushnell policy for academic dishonesty appended below.

We are in an exciting time with new and powerful tools at our disposal. Our desire is to help you learn to use those tools wisely and in such ways that support your development as critical thinkers who are prepared for a life of service beyond our campus.

Dr. Mueller