Assignments · Integrity guide · 9 min read
Using AI writing tools with academic integrity
How to improve clarity and structure with AI without handing in work that is not yours — practical boundaries and a pre-submit check.
AI can help you see weak sentences, missing transitions, or unclear structure. It should not invent your evidence, fabricate citations, or replace your own thinking. Markers assess your understanding — keep the authorship yours.
Safe uses
- Clarify a paragraph you already drafted
- Check grammar and academic tone
- Brainstorm outline options you then rewrite in your voice
- Explain a concept so you can write the explanation yourself
- Format a reference you verified against the original source
High-risk uses
- Generating a full essay from a prompt and submitting it unchanged
- Asking for citations you have not read
- Paraphrasing a source so closely that it is still plagiarism
- Ignoring your institution’s AI disclosure rules
A simple workflow
- Write a rough draft from your notes and sources.
- Use AI for targeted improvements (clarity, structure, grammar).
- Edit the output so it sounds like you and matches your evidence.
- Run your own integrity check: every claim has a source; every citation exists.
- Disclose AI use if your course or institution requires it.
- Ideas and arguments are mine
- All sources read and cited correctly
- No fabricated references
- AI suggestions edited into my voice
- Disclosure completed if required
Improve your own draft — then review every change before you submit.