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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Sample Syllabus Statements

Permissive Statement

This course acknowledges the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic and professional settings. Please be aware that materials generated by these programs may be inaccurate, incomplete, biased, or otherwise problematic, and relying on these tools may stifle independent thinking and creativity. Students are permitted to use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Bard, or similar technologies for brainstorming, drafting, editing, and research assistance, with the following guidelines:

  1. Transparency: Students must disclose when and how AI tools were used in their work, including which portions were AI-generated and which were created independently.
  2. Intellectual Engagement: AI should enhance, not replace, your own critical thinking and analysis. Your intellectual contribution must remain central to your work.
  3. Learning Objectives: Some assignments may specifically restrict AI use to emphasize particular skills development. These restrictions will be clearly indicated in assignment instructions.
  4. Citation: AI-generated content must be properly documented and credited, similar to other sources. The responsible use of AI tools can be valuable for your learning process and future career.

I encourage you to discuss any questions about appropriate AI use during office hours.

Balanced Approach

This course takes a nuanced approach to artificial intelligence (AI) tools and you may use generative AI tools to help develop ideas and brainstorm.

Learning Activities: You are encouraged to explore AI tools for learning purposes, including:

  • Brainstorming topics and ideas
  • Checking grammar and clarity
  • Generating practice questions
  • Understanding complex concepts

Assessments and Graded Work: Unless otherwise specified, all work submitted for grading must be completed without generative AI assistance. Specific guidelines:

  • Some assignments will explicitly prohibit AI use
  • Some assignments will require transparency about AI use
  • Some assignments will specifically incorporate AI as a learning tool

Each assignment will clearly state the AI policy that applies. When in doubt, ask before using AI tools.

The goal is to help you understand both the capabilities and limitations of AI while developing your own essential skills. We will discuss ethical AI use throughout the course.

Restrictive Statement

It is imperative that all work submitted for this course is your own. The use of generative artificial intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT, Claude, Bard, etc.) is not allowed for completing any assignments, essays, projects, or exams in this course. This policy aims to:

  1. Protect Academic Integrity: Ensure that submitted work represents your own knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  2. Develop Essential Skills: Foster critical thinking, writing, problem-solving, and research skills that AI cannot replace.
  3. Ensure Fair Assessment: Maintain equitable evaluation of student work.

Unauthorized use of AI tools for coursework will be considered a violation of academic integrity and may result in penalties consistent with CCRI’s Policy on Academic Integrity. We will be covering what constitutes plagiarism, cheating, or academic dishonesty more throughout the course. If you have questions about whether a particular tool or use case is permitted, please consult with me before proceeding.

AI Citation Formats for Academic Work

APA Style (7th Edition)

  • [AI Model Name]. (Year, Month Day). [Description of content or prompt]. [Platform/Publisher].
  • Example: (2025, April 24). Analysis of climate change policy implications. Anthropic.
  • In-text citation: (Claude, 2025)

MLA Style (9th Edition)

  • [AI Model Name]. "[Description of content]." [Platform/Publisher], [Day Month Year of generation].
  • Example: "Analysis of climate change policy implications." Anthropic, 24 Apr. 2025.
  • In-text citation: (Claude)

Chicago Style (17th Edition)

  • Notes-Bibliography System
    • [AI Model Name]. "[Description of content]." [Platform/Publisher], [Month Day, Year].
    • Footnote/Endnote: Claude, "Analysis of climate change policy implications," Anthropic, April 24, 2025.
    • Bibliography: "Analysis of climate change policy implications." Anthropic, April 24, 2025.
  • Author-Date System
    • [AI Model Name]. [Year]. "[Description of content]." [Platform/Publisher], [Month Day].
    • Example: 2025. "Analysis of climate change policy implications." Anthropic, April 24.
    • In-text citation: (Claude 2025)

 

Additional Information for Complete Transparency

Students should consider including these optional elements for enhanced transparency:

  1. Prompt Used: Include the exact prompt given to the AI
  2. Extent of Use: Clarify whether the AI content was used verbatim, edited, or as inspiration
  3. Version Information: Include the specific version of the AI model if known (e.g., "Claude 3.7 Sonnet")

Source: This document was developed by Claude (2025, April 29), Syllabus Statements on AI Use and Citation formats for use of AI-generated content, Anthropic. It was revised by the CCRI team attending AACU’s Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and Curriculum (Chris Carruba, Andrew Goodman, Leslie Killgore, and Jillian Lang).

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