Using AI and avoiding plagiarism

Rules and methodological recommendations for students to use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools at the Prague University of Economics and Business

Introduction

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools have the potential to influence the way we work and study. Their use offers many opportunities, but also risks related to meeting learning objectives, ethics and data security. These guidelines and methodological recommendations focus on the use of GenAI at the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE).

Aim

The aim of these rules and guidelines is to ensure that:

• new technologies are accessible within study programmes and courses.
• their use does not hinder the achievement of the stated learning objectives.
• transparency and ethical use of GenAI tools is ensured.
• rules were set for students, teachers and and supervisors of study programmes.

In view of the differences that exist between the various faculties and study programmes and the different teaching objectives of the courses, these rules and methodological recommendations are based on the principle of subsidiarity. These rules and methodological recommendations apply unless the rules for the use of GenAI at a lower level (faculty, programme, subject) state otherwise. Any specific rules for the use of GenAI at the faculty and programme level will be laid down by the action of the Dean of the Faculty; any specific rules at the course level will be specified in the course syllabus.

These rules and methodological recommendations serve as an indicative framework for all members of the academic community The first part contains the rules for the use of GenAI by students of the VŠE, the second part contains the methodological guidelines, which are divided into guidelines for lecturers, for supervisors of study programmes and for students. The lists given in this document are not exhaustive. Given the dynamic development of the GenAI tools, we expect this material to be further developed and refined.

1. Rules for using GenAI for students

1. When using GenAI tools, it is essential to never insert personal, private, sensitive, or copyrighted material unless the tool provides a sufficient level of legal safeguards. Most current freely available tools lack these safeguards, and therefore careful consideration must be given to the choice of GenAI tools used.
2. All responsibility for the output of GenAI lies with the student.
3. The GenAI tools must be used in accordance with the applicable acts, regulations of the VŠE and the faculties, especially in accordance with the Code of Ethics, the Study and Examination Rules of the VŠE and the Dean’s measure on qualification papers.
4. It is not permissible to use GenAI tools for tests and oral exam preparation unless they are explicitly specified as open book.
5. Written work is the result of the student’s own creative work. Depending on the nature of the use of GenAI tools, their use must be transparently declared. a. If the outputs of GenAI are used in written work in the form of a quotation or paraphrase, it is necessary to cite them. Submission of unedited and uncited GenAI output in a written thesis will be treated as fraud. Current Centre of Information and Library Services guidelines and instructor guidelines should be followed when citing GenAI tools. The library recommendations can be found on the Centre of Information and Library Services website. If the GenAI tool used allows it, the entire chat (prompt file) with the GenAI tool must be cited.
   1. If the GenAI tools provide supporting evidence (e.g. summaries) and suggestions that are not used verbatim or paraphrased in the written work, it is essential to declare their use in an appropriate way so that the student’s use of the GenAI tools can be verified and evaluated. Appropriate ways include a description in an appendix, methodology or thesis statement.
   2. It is not necessary to declare the use of GenAI tools if they are only used for formal editing of the work. For formal editing, no new ideas and outputs are created and the meaning of the author’s text is not changed. Examples of such use include applications used to create bibliographic citations. In the case of academic papers, it is not necessary to declare the use of spelling, style and grammar checking applications (e.g. Grammarly). However, if grammar or stylistics is an essential part of the assessment of an assignment (especially for specified language learning tasks), such use of GenAI tools is not acceptable.
   3. It is not necessary to declare the use of GenAI tools for small tasks of up to 1000 characters, e.g. in forums or workshops, unless otherwise specified in the assignment.

2. Methodological recommendations

• GenAI tools are widely available and offer great potential, but their outputs must always be verified and critically evaluated.
• Familiarize yourself with current institutional rules and any specific rules for individual faculty, programmes, and courses.
• GenAI applications should be used as a tool to assist in fulfilling course requirements and should be combined with your own knowledge and that of other relevant sources.
• The aim of studying at the university is to acquire and develop knowledge and skills. Excessive and inappropriate use of GenAI can hinder the development of these skills.
• Proactively explore the possibilities of GenAI tools and contact the lecturer if something is not clear
• Be aware that GenAI tools do not have substantive knowledge of the subject matter and you are responsible for your output. Depending on the assignment and the tools used, GenAI outputs should be verified from relevant sources, critically evaluated and further developed independently.
• Use GenAI tools in accordance with the rules and always declare them openly.
• Use GenAI tools as a complementary means to develop your own creativity, knowledge, critical thinking and complex problem solving skills.
• If you are studying at a foreign institution, familiarize yourself with the rules of the host institution

Prepared by the Rector’s Advisory Group on AI.

These rules and methodological recommendations are based on the following documents:

1. National Academic Integrity Network (2023). Generative Artificial Intelligence: Guidelines for Educators. Quality and Qualifications Ireland.

2. prg.ai & CUNI (2023). Návody a doporučení. Retrieved from: https://ai.cuni.cz/

3. Australasian Academic Integrity Network (AAIN) (2023). Generative Artificial Intelligence Guidelines. Retrieved from: https://www.teqsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-04/aain-generative-ai-guidelines.pdf

4. MUNI (2023). Stanovisko k využívání umělé inteligence ve výuce na Masarykově univerzitě. Retrieved from: https://www.muni.cz/o-univerzite/uredni-deska/stanovisko-k-vyuzivani-ai