Use AI to assist you, not to replace you
BACK
Listen to this articleAs further support to guide you in your use of AI during your learning journey, consider the following advice. If you have any questions or need more support, please contact Library / Learning Support library@glion.edu
DO
Use AI to assist you in creating assessed work, not to replace you.
Read carefully the instructions on each project outline about AI usage for the assessment.
Always check with your faculty what you are allowed to use AI for and what you are not allowed to use AI for.
Reference GPT generated text using APA7:
https://library.glion.edu/learning-support/apa_formatting_style_guides/chatgpt/
Include an appendix with the prompts and GPT replies in case of substantial use for assessed work.
DON’T
Ask GPT to write a whole paper or whole paragraphs for you. If you do this, you are not the author of the work submitted for assessment. If you submit GPT produced text and you do not reference it using APA7, you may face sanctions for academic misconduct.
What is AI GPT useful for?
Getting a general overview of a topic.
Summarizing source text.
Simplifying source text.
Generating ideas.
Drafting, planning, and structuring written materials.
Creating graphics, images, and visuals.
Helping to improve your grammar and sentence structure.
Translating from one language to another.
What is AI GPT not so good at?
GPT tools align words according to probability, they are “parrots”. This will have a negative impact on work you submit for assessment, unless you work to improve GPT generated text:
No understanding
GPT tools have no embodied, lived experience of the real world. They do not “understand” the world, or words, in the way that we do. They may produce text which is factually incorrect.
Advice
Use your experience, your knowledge of the real world, to think critically about GPT produced text – Are the ideas expressed realistic? feasible?
Generic ideas
The information contained in GPT produced text tends to be generic, aggregated. The text is often a summary of “what everybody knows” about a topic. You will be downgraded if you submit generic text and be rewarded if you present a fresh point of view supported by real world evidence.
Advice
Continue prompting the AI tool to produce more detailed, specific text. Use GPT generated text as a basis which you enhance by including details, specific examples, elements you have seen in your course, information from expert sources and so on.
Generic language
The language produced by GPT tends to be generic. Paraphrasing tools (e.g. Quill Bot, Grammarly) and translation tools (e.g. Google Translate, DeepL) will produce poor quality text that is inappropriate if you rely on their “academic” or “professional” styles. If you submit this type of poor quality inappropriate language, you will be downgraded.
Advice
Express your individual “voice”, by using your own words. Read critically the text produced by translation and paraphrasing tools “Does this sound like something I would say / write?”. Rework the text to replace abstract, heightened language with more simple, everyday concrete terms. Using simple, transparent language to express sophisticated, complex ideas is a key leadership communication skill.
Bias, stereotypes
GPT tools do not understand anything they produce, nor do they understand what the words they produce mean when applied to the real world. GPT produced text may contain biases, stereotypes and harmful information.
Advice
Read critically – identify and delete bias, stereotypes, assumptions from your text.
Ethical issues
Widespread use of AI GPT raises many ethical issues.
If you are interested in learning about these ethical issues, consult chapter 2, pp.14-17 of:
UNESCO. (2023). Guidance for generative AI in education and research. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/guidance-generative-ai-education-and-research