What can Gen-AI be useful for?
Gen-AI can be incredibly useful, for example for:
- Organizing typed notes
- Helping provide explanations of concepts
- ‘Clean-up’ automatic transcripts from videos
- Translating text (e.g. from a research paper or text)
- Summarizing published sources
- Developing ideas or plans
- Helping to improve grammar
- Analysing or manipulating data
- Producing image, video and audio content
Importantly, Gen-AI is a tool that can support your studies, it does not replace the effort that you need to make.
What are the potential limitations of Gen-AI?
- Factual accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
- Potential to ‘hallucinate’ information – it can be hard to tell fact from fiction.
- Gen-AI technology perform less well with respect to specialist subjects.
- There is the potential for references to be fabricated.
- There is the potential for bias to Western perspectives and potential to perpetuate stereotypes.
- Some languages are under-represented in the Large Language Models that underpin Gen-AI.
- Gen-AI is a tool and is therefore affected by the capabilities and competencies of the user
Gen-AI and assessment
The University does not ban you from using Gen-AI in your studies. However, your use needs to be ethical and appropriate.
The University has Gen-AI categories for assessment, which guide you on how Gen-AI can be used in completing the assessment. The Gen-AI categories are explained below.
If there are any subject-specific rules or requirements around Gen-AI that are set by professional or accrediting organizations, these will be communicated to you where necessary.
Gen-AI categories for assessment
Category 1 assessments
Gen-AI may be used to prepare for the assessment, however the type and logistics of the assessment mean it is not possible for you to be able to use Gen-AI software during the assessment itself.
In-person presentation, assessed interview or viva voce, in-person examination, practical assessment, field or laboratory notebook (depending when submitted), Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), contemporaneous in-class assessment.
Gen-AI may be used in preparation for the assessment, but the assessment arrangements mean its use in the assessment itself will not be possible.
Category 2 assessments
You may use Gen-AI to help you complete the assessment, but must adhere to the guiding principle below and declare if and how you have used it using the Gen-AI coversheet (available below).
Written coursework, coursework involving creative outputs, coursework based upon experiential activities, take-home/online examinations.
Gen-AI may be used to help complete the assessment, however, the fundamental content of the submission (e.g., the basic written expression, arguments, interpretations, conclusions etc.) of the work submitted should be your own.
Category 3 assessments
These are designed so that you must use Gen-AI as part of the assessment requirements so as to support Gen-AI skills development. You must declare how they have used it using the Gen-AI coversheet.
Critique of Gen-AI produced content, coursework requiring Gen-AI use e.g. production of an artefact.
The assessment must ensure equity of access of Gen-AI and the assessment criteria focusing on effectiveness of use.
Gen-AI Coversheet
You will complete and submit this with all Category 2 and Category 3 assessments. Module staff will make a copy of the coversheet available to you as part of the assessment information. A copy is available below. The University are using the Gen-AI coversheet to help promote openness around the use of Gen-AI and to allow you to declare your ethical and appropriate use.
Gen-AI and academic integrity
Whilst the University does not ban the use of Gen-AI, it is possible that inappropriate or unethical use may contravene the University’s Academic Integrity Procedure and may be penalised as a result. For example, due to an instance of plagiarism or use of an essay mill or through breaching requirements for honesty (e.g. making a false declaration on the Gen-AI coversheet).
For assessments on programmes covered by Bangor’s Fitness to Practise Procedure, use of Gen-AI beyond that declared on the Gen-AI coversheet and/or misrepresentation of use, may represent a breach of the fitness to practice requirements for that programme. If your degree is covered by the Fitness to Practice Procedure, this will be explained to you.
What if I have a question about an assessment?
If you do have any queries about a particular assessment, you should discuss this with the member of staff who set the assessment.
Mitigating the risks of using Gen-AI
Potential risks and impacts of inappropriate Gen-AI use and how you can mitigate them:
Including incorrect information
Including incorrect information in your work.
Impact upon your understanding of the subject and receiving a poor mark for the work.
Do not rely on Gen-AI, evaluate and check information produced by Gen-AI and use a range of primary sources.
Uploading materials or data that are not yours to a Gen-AI tool
Uploading materials or data that are not yours to a Gen-AI tool may breach copyright or intellectual property.
Potential for breaches of ethical standards and/or data protection legislation.
Be aware of information and data ownership and never upload confidential or sensitive information.
Overreliance of AI tools
Overreliance of AI tools may limit the development of your knowledge and academic skills.
Poor outcomes in assessments and poorer degree outcomes.
Use Gen-AI as a tool to support your work, but do not use it to cut corners. Maintain engagement with your studies.
Presenting Gen-AI content as your own
Presenting Gen-AI content as your own may contravene the University’s Academic Integrity Procedure.
Disciplinary action under the Academic Integrity Procedure.
Adhere to the guiding principles set out in this guidance, follow assessment guidance, use the Gen-AI declaration coversheet.