Writing a GenAI Statement
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Welcome to our webpage on writing a GenAI Statement to set your expectations around GenAI use in your course. Here, we explain why it is important to create a GenAI Statement and provide a set of steps for drafting your own, including a GenAI Assessment Scale to use as a framework.
Please explore the links below to find specific information you are looking for on this page.
Why write a GenAI Statement?
As expectations around use of GenAI can vary from discipline to discipline, or even module to module or assessment to assessment, it is important to set clear expectations for students regarding what is considered authorised or unauthorised use of GenAI in your particular context. Taking this a step further, explain why you have chosen this approach to GenAI, relating this to what you are assessing in a particular task. Having a robust GenAI statement provides useful clarity and transparency for students regarding the expectations of your assessment and can reinforce learning outcomes and skill development relevant to your context.
Steps for Writing a GenAI Statement
- Consider and articulate the purpose of the assessment.
- What are the goals of the assessment?
- How does it relate to the module Learning Outcomes?
- Decide how much, if any, GenAI use would be acceptable.
- Review the GenAI Assessment Scale below and decide which level best fits your module. You can add specific details as needed to fit your discipline and module but do not adapt the overall expectations of the level.
- What might this look like given your specific assessment?
- Tell your students why you have chosen this level. Consider:
- Are there core skills or processes that your students need to demonstrate on their own?
- Can the use of GenAI be beneficial for aspects of the assessment when used responsibly?
- If you are integrating GenAI into the assessment, what do you expect them to learn from using it?
- If you allow some level of GenAI use, explain how students should acknowledge and document this. Consider:
- Do they need to use a specific referencing style?
- Should they write a brief statement of use? See Acknowledging Use of GenAI for an example.
- Do they need to provide screenshots of GenAI output?
- Combine steps 1-4 into a module or assessment-specific GenAI statement to clarify the place of GenAI tools in your module/assessment. Discuss this with your students and ensure that it is accessible in your Canvas module and as part of assignment briefs.
GenAI Assessment Scale
| Level | GenAI Use | Assessment Design | Guidance to students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No GenAI | The assessment is completed entirely without GenAl assistance in a controlled environment, ensuring that students rely solely on their existing knowledge, understanding, and skills. |
You must not use GenAl at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge. |
| 2 | GenAI Planning | GenAI may be used for pre-task activities such as brainstorming, outlining and initial research. This level focuses on the effective use of GenAl for planning, synthesis, and ideation, but assessments should emphasise the ability to develop and refine these ideas independently. |
You may use GenAl for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should be your own work and no GenAI content is allowed. |
| 3 | GenAI-Assisted Editing | GenAI may be used to identify grammatical, spelling, and syntax errors as well as to suggest improvements related to structure or phrasing in student work. This level focuses on using GenAI for assistance in the editing process of written work. Assessments should be evaluated for the ideas presented rather than the writing style. Consider requesting that students submit the original version of the work for comparison to ensure that GenAI has not been used to produce new content beyond improvements to the clarity of the written work. |
You may use GenAl to assist with editing your work to identify grammatical and spelling errors and to improve clarity. You cannot use GenAI to produce new content. |
| 4 | GenAI Collaboration | GenAI may be used to help complete the task, including idea generation, drafting, feedback, and refinement. Students should critically evaluate and modify the GenAl suggested outputs, demonstrating their understanding. |
You may use GenAl to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any Al-generated content you use. You must acknowledge and document your use of GenAI. |
| 5 | Full GenAI | GenAI may be used to complete any elements of the task, with students directing GenAl to achieve the assessment goals. Assessments at this level may also require engagement with GenAl to achieve goals and solve problems. |
You may use GenAl extensively throughout your work either as you wish, or as specifically directed in your assessment to support your own work. Focus on directing GenAl to achieve your goals while demonstrating your critical thinking. You must acknowledge and document your use of GenAI. |
This GenAI Assessment Scale is an adapted version of Perkins, Furze, Roe & MacVaugh (2024). The Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (AIAS). https://doi.org/10.53761/q3azde36