Chapter 8 · Practice 2 of 5
Use AI to learn and check, not to produce work you present as your own
Why it matters
Where AI use is allowed, the line that matters is whether the thinking and the words are yours. A useful rough guide, always subject to your rules:
| Usually defensible, with disclosure | Usually a problem |
|---|---|
| Explaining a concept or error message you then verify | Generating whole sections or chapters of the report |
| Suggesting search terms for the literature review | Producing references you have not read |
| Checking grammar and clarity of text you wrote | Rewriting copied text so it passes a similarity check |
| Reviewing your code for bugs you then fix and understand | Generating code you cannot explain line by line |
| Brainstorming test cases you then select and run | Writing results or analysis of data you have not examined |
A simple test: could you explain and defend every sentence and every line of code in the defence, without the tool open? If not, it is not yet your work.
Do
- Use AI to explain and check, then verify yourself
- Make sure you can explain every line you submit
Avoid
- Submitting generated text or code as your own writing