Information for Students
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools can support learning, but expectations for their use can vary across courses and assignments.
This page will help you understand your responsibilities, follow York’s Academic Conduct Policy, and make informed choices about AI use in your academic work, including how to check expectations, ask questions, manage risks, and document your use.
AI expectations can change, so it’s a good idea to check the latest course and assignment instructions before using AI.
Institutional Policy on Academic Conduct
Under York’s Academic Conduct Policy and Procedure, students are expected to follow course and assignment instructions about the use of AI tools, including text-, image-, code-, audio-, or video-generating tools.
Using AI tools without proper citation, acknowledgement, or documentation, or using them when they are not permitted for an assessment, may be considered a breach of academic conduct.
For full details, students should review the policy, which outlines expectations for permitted aids, citation or documentation, and students’ responsibility to follow instructor guidance.
The sections below provide practical guidance to help students understand when AI use may be allowed, how it should be acknowledged or documented, and where to get help if expectations are unclear.
AI use in academic work can include using an AI-based tool or feature to generate, revise, translate, summarize, analyze, code, create, or otherwise contribute to work for a course, assignment, test, exam, project, lab, presentation, discussion post, or other academic activity.
This can include tools that produce or modify:
- text
- images
- code
- audio or video
- slides or presentations
- summaries
- translations
- research ideas, search terms, or source recommendations
- AI-generated citation suggestions or bibliographies
- data analysis, calculations, or explanations of results
AI use is not limited to tools such as ChatGPT. It may also include AI features built into writing tools, search engines, browsers, coding platforms, translation tools, grammar tools, citation tools, productivity software, or learning platforms.
Before using any AI-based tool or feature for academic work, check your course and assignment instructions. If you are unsure whether a tool or feature counts as AI use, ask your instructor or TA before using it.
AI use may be permitted, restricted, or prohibited depending on the course and the specific work you are completing. Before using AI for coursework, check the instructions that apply to the specific course, assignment, or assessment.
This may include checking the following resources:
- the course syllabus
- assignment instructions
- the rubric or grading criteria
- eClass announcements or messages from your instructor
- any department, program, or placement guidelines that apply
Look for information about whether AI tools are permitted, restricted, or prohibited, and whether there are specific requirements for citation, acknowledgement, documentation, or disclosure.
Under York’s Academic Conduct Policy, using undocumented or unreferenced AI-generated content, or using AI or other aids that are restricted by the instructor, may constitute a breach of academic conduct. Expectations may differ depending on whether you are using AI to support your learning or to complete assessed work that will be submitted.
Some instructors may allow AI for certain purposes, restrict AI use to specific activities, or prohibit it for an assignment, test, exam, lab, placement, or other academic work.
When deciding whether AI use is allowed, keep in mind:
- different kinds of AI use may be treated differently
- using AI to study a concept, brainstorm ideas, edit wording, generate code, summarize readings, or produce final content may be subject to different rules
- when AI use is permitted, it should support your learning rather than replace the work, thinking, or skills the assignment is designed to assess
- if the instructions do not mention AI, do not assume that AI use is allowed
- when instructions differ, follow the most specific instructions for the course, assignment, or assessment
If the instructions are unclear, or if different instructions seem to conflict, ask your instructor or TA before using AI. Do not assume AI use is allowed because it is not mentioned.
If AI use is permitted for your course or assignment, follow your instructor’s directions for acknowledging, citing, or documenting that use. Requirements may vary by course or assessment.
Your instructor may ask you to do one or more of the following:
- cite the AI tool using a required citation style
- include a short acknowledgement explaining how you used AI
- complete an AI use declaration
- submit prompts, outputs,drafts, or revision notes
- explain how you reviewed, revised, or verified AI-generated content
These terms are related, but they do not mean exactly the same thing:
- Acknowledging AI use means stating whether and how you used an AI tool.
- Citing AI use means formally referencing the tool according to a citation style or instructor requirement.
- Documenting AI use means keeping records of your process, such as prompts, outputs, drafts, notes, and revisions.
Do not assume that citation alone is enough. If your instructor gives specific instructions for disclosure or documentation, follow those instructions. If you are unsure what is required, ask your instructor or TA before submitting your work.
AI tools can be useful, but they can also create academic, ethical, privacy, and learning-related risks. Before using AI for coursework, consider whether the tool or use is appropriate for the course or assessment.
AI tools may:
- produce inaccurate, incomplete, biased, or misleading information
- invent sources, quotations, cases, data, or citations
- misrepresent or oversimplify course concepts
- produce generic work that does not meet assignment expectations
- revise your work in ways that change your meaning, argument, voice, or level of contribution
- provide unauthorized assistance if AI use is not permitted
- create problems in group work if AI is used without the knowledge or agreement of group members, or in ways that do not follow the assignment instructions
- create privacy or confidentiality concerns if you enter personal, sensitive, unpublished, or third-party information
- create copyright or intellectual property concerns if you upload course materials, readings, images, data, or other content without permission
- interfere with your learning if you rely on AI instead of developing the skills the assignment is designed to assess
Before you submit
Keep in mind that you are responsible for the work you submit, including any content created or changed with AI assistance. This means you should:
- Review AI-generated content carefully and verify facts, sources, calculations, quotations, code, and interpretations using appropriate course materials or scholarly sources.
- Check with your program, supervisor, or placement contact before using AI in placements, internships, clinical, community-based, workplace, or research settings, where additional confidentiality, professional, ethical, or legal requirements may apply.
- Use the approved tool if a course or program requires or recommends a specific AI tool, and follow any instructions about privacy, login, data, and permitted use.
- Avoid relying on AI-detection tools or percentage scores that claim to show whether writing was AI-generated. These tools can be unreliable and should not replace following your instructor’s directions, being transparent when required, and keeping records of your work.
Keep records that show how your work developed, especially if AI use is permitted or if your instructor asks you to document your process.
Depending on the course or assignment, useful records may include:
- assignment instructions and AI-use directions
- research notes
- outlines or planning notes
- drafts and version history
- prompts entered into an AI tool
- AI-generated outputs
- notes on how you reviewed, changed, or rejected AI-generated content
- sources you consulted to verify information
- citations, acknowledgements, or AI-use declarations
- reflections on how AI contributed to your learning or final submission
Keeping these records can help you explain your process, show your own contribution, and meet any documentation requirements set by your instructor.
If your instructor requires a specific format, such as an AI-use declaration, prompt log, reflection, or draft history, ensure that you follow those instructions.
If you are unsure whether or how you may use AI for coursework, ask before using it. Start by checking the course syllabus, assignment instructions, rubric or grading criteria, eClass announcements, and any department, program, or placement guidelines that apply. If you still have questions, ask your instructor or TA.
Additional supports
You can also use York supports and resources, such as:
- York’s academic integrity resources, including student resources and academic integrity modules.
- York University Libraries, including citation help, research support, and academic integrity workshops
- For more information about applying a particular citation style, review the Libraries' Citing Your Work guide or the SPARK Creating Bibliographies module.
- The Writing Centre for support with academic writing.
- Learning Skills Resources, including support for time management, studying, and academic skill development.
- Academic peer supports, such as Peer Tutoring, Peer Mentoring, Peer Advising, and Peer-Assisted Study Sessions, where available. Ask your instructors, TAs, or student association to find out how to get connected with peer tutors, or visit Learning Skills Resources.
- Graduate student resources, including the Academic Honesty Module and Other Graduate Student Resources.
- The ESL Open Learning Centre and/or ESL Student Advising for students seeking English-language support.
- Student Counselling, Health & Wellbeing if you’re feeling stressed or overburdened by the demands of academic life or other personal challenges.
If you require more information on academic honesty, Faculty-specific information can be found on the Contact page. For general questions, please contact academicintegrity@yorku.ca.
Questions you might ask
When asking for help, be specific. Explain the course or assignment, the AI tool or feature you want to use, and how you plan to use it. For example, you might ask:
- “Can I use AI to brainstorm ideas or narrow my topic?”
- “Can I use AI to create an outline before I start writing?”
- “Can I use AI to explain a concept or help me study?”
- “Can I use AI to revise grammar, wording, or sentence structure in my own draft?”
- “Can I use AI to summarize readings, lecture notes, or research articles?”
- “Can I use AI to translate text or improve clarity if English is not my first language?”
- “Can I use AI to generate, debug, or explain code, calculations, or data analysis?”
- “Do I need to acknowledge, cite, declare, or document my AI use?”
