Clearly communicating your expectations around artificial intelligence use in your courses is essential and your syllabus is a great place to start!

At WID, we know there is no "one-size-fits-all" syllabi statement; each of your disciplines and courses have particular goals and needs. UVM's Academic Integrity policy is clear that each of us has the responsibility to clearly communicate our own policies in the syllabus. Below, you will find illustrative examples of syllabi statements from UVM (in bold) and other institutions that address a variety of circumstances. This is not an exhaustive list, but we hope it will help you to begin formulating a statement of your own.  Feel free to use the language below, or adapt it to fit your needs.

As you read these syllabi statements and begin writing yours, consider: 

  • What kind of relationship do you want to have with your students?
  • What do you want your students to know about you and your philosophy?
  • How can you foster trust?
  • How much support from AI is too much?
  • Where and how should students disclose their use of AI?

An Example for When AI Use is Generally Allowed with Attribution

  • When AI is allowed with attribution: Use of AI tools, including ChatGPT, is permitted in this course for students who wish to use them. To adhere to our scholarly values, students must cite any AI-generated material that informed their work (this includes in-text citations and/or use of quotations, and in your reference list). Using an AI tool to generate content without proper attribution qualifies as academic dishonesty. - UMass Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning

Examples for When AI is Allowed for Specific Assignments or Tasks

  • Use of ChatGPT (or other similar tools that generate text) is allowed in this class for specific assignments only. When use of the tool is allowed, it will be explicitly noted in the assignment directions. If you utilize ChatGPT for any part of the assignment (from idea generation to text creation to text editing), you must properly cite ChatGPT. Failure to cite ChatGPT is considered a violation of the plagiarism standard of the UVM Code of Academic Integrity. Violations could result in failure of the assignment or failure of the course and a notation on your transcript. - UVM Center for Student Conduct
  • Welcome to the wide world of new programs that can “do your writing for you”. Why did I put that into quotes? Because some of the writing is problematic and a lot of it is downright bland. Having said that, I accept that this is yet another way to get around doing your own work, if that is the choice being made. But maybe it can be used for good, and that is where we are right now. In the “what if” and “how to” zone. We might have assignments that use or integrate AI writing this semester. There might be other places where it simply isn't appropriate for the assignment. Perhaps AI can be a helpful tool, and that is part of what we can explore this semester. With that in mind, if you are found to have used AI writing programs in a place where they are not explicitly allowed on an assignment, you will receive a ‘0' grade, be reported for academic dishonesty, and will not have the chance to re-do or replace that assignment. I'd prefer that we see this as a chance to learn and adapt rather than just another way to cheat, so we'll approach it from that angle and see where we end up. I look forward to entering this newish universe with you. - Texas Tech University Teaching, Learning, & Professional Development Center
  • You can choose to use AI tools to help brainstorm assignments or projects or to revise existing work you have written. When you submit your assignment, I expect you to clearly attribute what text was generated by the AI tool (e.g., AI-generated text appears in a different colored font, quoted directly in the text, or use an in-text parenthetical citation). - UMass Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning

Examples for When AI Use is Allowed with Prior Permission

  • If you wish to use ChatGPT (or other similar tools that generate text) for any part of a graded assignment (from idea generation to text creation to text editing), you must first ask for permission and explain how you plan to use the tool. In addition, you must properly cite ChatGPT. Failure to cite ChatGPT is considered a violation of the plagiarism standard of the UVM Code of Academic Integrity. Violations could result in failure of the assignment or failure of the course and a notation on your transcript. - UVM Center for Student Conduct
  • You may use ChatGPT and other AI assistants for your work in this class but you must contact me for permission first so we can discuss how you plan to use these tools and how you will indicate their use in your work. If you do not first request permission, using such tools will be considered a violation of Penn’s Code of Academic Integrity. - UPenn Center for Teaching and Learning

Examples for When AI is Generally Prohibited

  • Use of ChatGPT (or other similar tools or software that generate suggested text) is not allowed in this class for any part of a graded assignment, including generation of ideas, writing of text, or rewriting your own work. Doing so is considered a violation of the cheating and plagiarism standards of the UVM Code of Academic Integrity. Violations could result in failure of the assignment or failure of the course and a notation on your transcript. - UVM Center for Student Conduct
  • [This course] assumes that all work submitted by students will be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups. Students should not have another person/entity do the writing of any substantive portion of an assignment for them, which includes hiring a person or a company to write assignments and using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT. -  UMass Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning
  • You are not allowed to use ChatGPT (or tools like it) for your work for this class. Using such tools will be considered a violation of Penn’s Code of Academic Integrity and suspected use will be reported to the Center for Community Standards & Accountability. Please contact me if you have any questions about this policy.- UPenn Center for Teaching and Learning
  • Since writing, analytical, and critical thinking skills are part of the learning outcomes of this course, all writing assignments should be prepared by the student. Developing strong competencies in this area will prepare you for a competitive workplace. Therefore, AI-generated submissions are not permitted and will be treated as plagiarism. - Texas Tech University Teaching, Learning, & Professional Development Center
  • If a student has another person/entity do the writing of any substantive portion of an assignment for them, which includes hiring a person or a company to write essays and drafts and/or other assignments, research-based or otherwise, and using artificial intelligence affordances like ChatGPT…” [it is] considered a violation of academic integrity by the Composition Program. - University of California Irvine Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation
  • You are expected to be honest in all academic work, consistent with the academic integrity policy as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct and any additional syllabus language. All work is to be appropriately cited when it is borrowed, directly or indirectly, from another source. Unauthorized and/or unacknowledged collaboration on any work, or the presentation of someone else’s work, is plagiarism. Content generated by an Artificial Intelligence third-party service or site (AI-generated content) without proper attribution or authorization is another form of plagiarism. If you are unsure about whether something may be plagiarism or another form of academic dishonesty, please reach out to me to discuss it as soon as possible. Any allegation of academic dishonesty may be referred to Student Conduct and Community Responsibilities, a unit of the Dean of Students Office, for possible review. If found responsible for academic dishonesty, a grade penalty can also be applied. - Illinois State University Center for Integrated Professional Development

A Student Statement for When AI is Prohibited on a Quiz

When prohibited for quiz: “I, _________________, used only my notes and the readings for this open-note quiz. I did not consult other students' notes, the Internet, ChatGPT or any AI chatbot that could generate answers. I don't need to do that!” - Texas Tech University Teaching, Learning, & Professional Development Center

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