What are Generative AI tools?
Generative AI tools are a type of software that automatically generate content based on questions or prompts input by the user. They include ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, among many others. Tools can generate text, code, images, and other types of content. Generative AI tools that deal with text are also called Large Language Models, or LLMs and continuously build a ‘knowledge base’ of information by collecting users’ previous questions or prompts as its base of data. Generative AI tools can be appealing to use in that they can provide or create content quickly but have limitations for use in any academic work in that that the outputs may not be wholly reliable.
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Acknowledging and referencing and generative AI tools
Acknowledging
You should include a statement to acknowledge your use of generative AI tools for all assessed work, in accordance with guidelines from your department or course team.
This statement should be written in complete sentences and include the following information:
- Name and version of the generative AI tool used e.g. ChatGPT-3.5
- Publisher (name of company that provides the AI system) e.g. OpenAI
- URL of the AI tool
- Brief description (single sentence) of the way in which the tool was used
- Confirmation the work is your own
For example:
I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT 3.5 (OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com/) to generate an outline for background study. I confirm that no content generated by AI has been presented as my own work.
Further requirements may be stipulated for a particular piece of assessed work and must be made clear to students when it is set. Additional requirements may include expanded description in the ‘Acknowledgements’ or ‘Methods’ section, such as:
- If relevant, the prompt(s) used to generate a response in the AI system.
- The date the output was generated.
- The output obtained (e.g. a ‘link to chat’ if ChatGPT, or a compilation of all output generated as an appendix).
- How the output was changed for use or incorporation into a piece of work (e.g. a tracked-changes document or a descriptive paragraph).
Adapted from: References, citations and avoiding plagiarism by UCL Library Services, used under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Referencing
Referencing guidance is provided for Harvard and Vancouver referencing styles on the following pages:
Your reference list and bibliography – Harvard
Your reference list and bibliography – Vancouver
Considerations for use of generative AI tools
There is no agreed AI Literacy framework yet in the Higher Education sector to outline necessary skills and competencies for students and academics when using these tools. Library Services has compiled a list of considerations below for the use of generative AI tools.
These considerations are organised according to the continuum of information use and management the library supports. They are not intended to be exhaustive. For further information consult your course team or tutor and your Subject Librarian. Imperial's Academic Misconduct Policy and Procedure addresses the use of generative AI tools and academic integrity should be understood to encompass appropriate use of these tools.
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- Searching for information
- Critical evaluation of information
- Ethical use of information
- Creating and communicating information