Using Generative AI To Do Research

Below we share some guidelines to steer your decision-making on whether to use generative AI when doing research as part of your studies at York University, while also sharing some other considerations and resources.

INSTRUCTOR GUIDELINES

When deciding whether to use generative AI tools in coursework or assignments:

• Consult individual instructor guidelines set out for their courses and follow them
• Refer to assignment guidelines and rubrics to determine what pointers instructors are providing
• Where your instructor's course guidelines indicate that you can use such tools for research, then citing is required, wherever you paraphrase, quote or incorporate information from them. Refer to Citing Generative AI Tools for more information
• If you’re unsure about your instructor’s expectations after reviewing the relevant assignment guidelines and rubrics, be sure to ask your instructor so you better understand their guidelines
   

ACADEMIC CONDUCT POLICY

According to York University’s Academic Conduct Policy and Procedures (effective September 1st, 2024):

• Using AI-based tools like ChatGPT for academic work in a course where the instructor has not authorized its use constitutes a breach of academic conduct
• If your instructor has authorized the use of any AI-based tools within a course, you must correctly cite or acknowledge its use. Failing to do so would also be a breach of academic conduct

To read further, please consult York University’s Academic Conduct Policy and Procedures, especially 5.2a (sections i and ii) which defines in what circumstances using AI tools may constitute cheating, as well as sections 6.2 and 6.3 which describe student and instructor roles and responsibilities relating to the use of AI tools in academic work. 

RELATED RESOURCES

• AI Technology & Academic Integrity: Information for Students 

• Link to Promoting Learning: When using generative AI tools it really helps to stay focused on whether or not they are enhancing your learning rather than being used to complete your work for courses or assignments. Basically think about how they can support your work in line with University guidelines rather than undermining it!
   
• Critically Evaluating Information Sources: Whenever engaging in coursework, instructors usually ask you to think critically about the information sources you are using including outputs from generative AI tools. Even more than scholarly information sources, you need to review the information for bias. Other areas for evaluation will include thinking about missing information, and verifying the information you find. Take a look at Verifying What You Find and Use for more.
   
• Using Generative AI is Not the Same as Using a Database or Search Engine for Research: Search engines and databases involve finding information that already exists by using search terms to find good matches for your information need. Generative AI tools, in contrast, create new text based on what they've learned from datasets and use predictive technology to produce new sequences of words on the fly based on the prompt they've been given.
  
  This is very important context to keep in mind when setting your expectations for how different tools can help you. Arguably, they both have a role to play, depending on your needs and what your instructor has advised you to do, but recognizing the way they work and that what they do is fundamentally different is an important milestone in becoming a savvy researcher!