Know the difference between AI, generative AI and agentive AI.
If you use it, cite it or acknowledge it.
Sample short acknowledgement: I acknowledge the use of [AI tool] ([website URL]) to [describe task]. The prompts used include [list prompts]. The output from these prompts was used to [explain use]. See this page for more examples.
What’s the difference between citing and acknowledging? Citing indicates that you have taken content from another source. The source can be articles, interviews, or genAI. Acknowledging is about how you used the genAI as a tool to develop your written piece. Use can include brainstorming, organizing, revising, critiquing and style changes. Acknowledging is both a way to indicate that you are in control of the tool and a way to defend yourself if a genAI detector were to flag your work.
Remain in Control
Generative AI makes stuff up and lies. You are responsible for checking and doublechecking. Don’t ask genAI to police itself.
How to Use it Productively
The key to using genAI productively is to be very aware of whether you are learning and/or able to take the results from genAI and use them when you need them in a new context. You should be able to explain your findings in a conversation or class discussion or in a bluebook exam. Being aware of what you know and how your understanding is developing has always been an important part of self-regulated learning called metacognition. You know you are learning if you are working hard and if you remember the content. Anything that feels easy and relaxed will probably not stick–unless you repeat it countless times.
You are using genAI productively if
- you feel “sweat equity” or “good friction’ or if you feel that dopamine hit when you “get it!”
- you are following up on genAI output by looking through original sources
- you are finding lots of ways to adapt and change the genAI output
- you are invested in the results and can explain them to others
Ways to use genAI productively depend on the context, but can include asking it
- to critique your output against the requirements
- to offer alternative positions or counter-arguments
- to respond as if it was a professor, customer, peer, etc.
- to find similar articles or sources of information
- to tutor you by offering similar problem sets for you to work through
Resources
Student Guide to AI Literacy from MLA-CCCC
Clarkson Moodle Page with interactive activities on using generative AI for writing.
Resources on AI options and prompt engineering by Jose Antonio Bowen
AACU Student Guide to Artificial Intelligence
Varieties of AIs to choose from https://zapier.com/blog/best-ai-chatbot/