Academic Integrity

I take academic integrity very seriously. As your professor, I pledge to be honest with you, and I hope that you will do the same for me as well as your peers.

For this course, academic dishonesty includes any violations covered by the University of Oklahoma policy (including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, submitting work produced by another source as your own, and lying to receive a higher grade), as well as submitting without permission one’s own prior work for a new assignment. (Specifically assigned revisions to assignments are exempt from this prohibition.)

I will refer any alleged or suspected violations to the Office of Academic Integrity Programs. Sanctions for academic misconduct can include expulsion from the University, an F in this course, and/or a zero on the relevant assignment.

On collaborating: you are welcome to work together in class and help each other solve problems with your assignments.  You may provide guidance to each other but do not complete the homework/assignments for each other.

On Generative AI such as ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Similar Apps

Buckle up this is going to take a minute…

“Generative AI refers to deep-learning models that can generate high-quality text, images, and other content based on the data they were trained on” (IBM).

These models are built on large datasets. For ChatGPT and other apps that create text, these large datasets are called LLMs—large language models. Current generative AI apps can create text, images, video, computer code. These apps slurp up other content and then reproduce text, images, etc., based on the content they have consumed.

My Academic Integrity Policy for AI

Your professors may all have different policies on the use of generative AI. I know, this kinda sucks for you the student, but keep in mind that different fields of study (and even individual professors) have different goals for your learning. Think about this as an opportunity to learn in many ways.

OU has produced a sample policy, which we will use in this class:

The overall goal of this course is your learning. In order to demonstrate that you have reached this goal, the work you turn in needs to be your own. This includes writing work in your own words and citing your sources, as appropriate to avoid plagiarism. If you work in a group, seek assistance from a tutor, use a resource on campus, and/or use online resources (including generative AI), the work you turn in must be your own, demonstrating your own understanding of the material that you have gained through the learning process.

If you have questions about academic integrity or plagiarism, please ask: my aim is to foster an environment where you can learn and grow, while also maintaining academic honesty and a clear representation of your learning and ideas. Penalties for violations of the Integrity Code can include grade penalties, which can result in up to an “F” in the course, and sanctions which can include expulsion from the University, so it is important to understand expectations. Visit the OU Integrity Office for more information on what constitutes plagiarism.

A note from The Office of Academic Integrity Programs and Integrity Council: We would like to remind the OU community that no resource should ever be used to replace original thought or effort. Therefore, all academic work submitted by a student should be the product of the student’s own understanding and effort. Unless specifically permitted by the professor, and clearly indicated by the student through proper attribution, it is cheating to submit any academic work that originates from another source.

What does this mean in a practical sense?

  • Using generative AI to generate an outline, draft, final version of an assignment is a violation of this policy
  • Using generative AI to aid with grammar and sentence clarity (such as Grammarly) is acceptable.
  • If generative AI produces any sentences, phrases, images, video clips, ideas, or citations you use in an assignment, include the app you used and the prompt in your citations (works cited list, bibligraphy, etc.).
  • Any sentences, phrases, and ideas generated by AI should be minimal to nonexistent in order to comply with the above policy
  • You are responsible for all content you turn in: any misinformation, made up information (including made up sources), offensive content created by generative AI is on you if you turn it in
  • It is possible that I will ask you to create an assignment using generative AI this semester. If I do, I will make a note about whether this policy still applies.

Why do I care? And why I think you should care

I care about your learning and your development as a person. I care that you are learning in an environment that is not deliberately exploitative (see below on dangers of generative AI). I want you to develop your own ideas, even if they are not “perfect” or not fully formed yet.

What you can expect if I think there may be a violation of this policy

  • Before assigning a grade, I may ask you to meet with me to discuss the assignment
  • I may refer the case to the OU Office of Academic Integrity

What are dangers of using generative AI?

  • Generative AI will give you misinformation and inaccurate content
  • It will make up citations and sources
  • It can produce offensive and biased content
  • The technology has a negative impact on the environment, requiring high energy usage and water usage
  • Generative AI is built on the creative artistry of humans who are not credited by the app and do not earn money when the app is monetized. (See for example this lawsuit by authors whose work is in the model without authorization or compensation.)
  • The models and datasets and technology underlying these apps often rely on exploitative labor practices

For further reading/viewing/listening:

I encourage any student with questions about academic integrity, plagiarism, or the OU Academic Integrity Policies to ask me for clarifications.

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