So, you shouldn't get generative AI tools to write your essays, but what can do with them to help with you with college?
Sometimes college subjects can be confusing or complex. Generative AI chatbots can explain things step-by-step in simple language. For example, if you don’t understand a topic, you can ask the chatbot to explain it like you're five years old—or in more detail if you prefer.
Example: “Can you explain how photosynthesis works in simple words?”
Generative AI can help you plan and improve your writing. It can suggest ways to start your essay, check your spelling and grammar, and give you ideas to make your writing stronger. But remember, you should always write in your own words and voice. AI text is often easily recognisable, and using AI-generated text is plagiarism.
Example: “Can you help me write an introduction about climate change?”
Example: "Proofread my paragraph for any grammar and spelling errors"
If you have a long article or textbook chapter to read and understand, generative AI chatbots can help by summarising it. This makes it easier to understand the main points and revise faster. Bear in mind, however, that these tools can be hit-and-miss when it comes to summarising. Also, reading summaries is not the same as reading and engaging with the text.
Example: “Can you give me a short summary of this article?”
You can ask AI chatbots to make flashcards or quiz questions based on what you’re studying. This is a useful way to test yourself and check what you’ve learned.
Example: “Make 10 quiz questions about the water cycle for students taking a 1st year college course”
Chatbots can help you learn a new language. They can translate words, explain grammar rules, and even have a conversation with you in another language to help you practise.
Example: “How do you say, ‘Good morning’ in French?” or “Correct my Spanish sentence.”
Generative AI tools can help you make a study plan, break your homework into smaller steps, or create a to-do list so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Example: “Help me plan how to study for my business exam next week.”
If you're stuck and don’t know what to write, draw, or present about, AI can help you come up with creative ideas to get started. Even if they're not useful, they might help you think about things differently.
Example: “Give me three ideas for a college essay about recycling.”
Instead of uncritically accepting the output of generative AI tools, you can evaluate and verify the accuracy of answers they give you. Use them as tools to help you test your ability to critically evaluation information.
Generative AI tools can support you in other ways, such as:
This is worth repeating: it’s not okay to copy and paste something AI wrote and turn it in as your own work. That’s cheating. Teachers want to see your own thinking and effort, not just words created by software.
Why it’s a problem: You’re not learning the skills you’re meant to practice, and it can lead to serious consequences, like losing marks or failing the assignment.
You shouldn’t use AI to generate facts, sources, quotes or results to look like you did real research or real work. This is called misrepresentation, and it’s dishonest.
Why it’s a problem: AI sometimes gives wrong or made-up information and using that can lead to mistakes or misinformation in your work.
You shouldn’t use AI to do the research for you or write the computer code, draw the image and so. Any work that you are given to do, you need to do yourself. Otherwise, this is plagiarism and misrepresentation. It’s dishonest and lazy.
Why it’s a problem: As with making up research or results, AI sometimes gives wrong or made-up information and using that can lead to mistakes or misinformation in your work. Likewise, it can make mistakes in computer code and the images it creates can be a bit off. This can make you look stupid. If you don't do the research or any work yourself, you'll find it more difficult to do so when you absolutely have to. You can't use AI in a written exam, for example. You need to do the work yourself to prove to your teachers and to yourself that you understand the topic.
You can't use AI to rewrite or paraphrase someone else's work to avoid plagiarism. Rewriting or paraphrasing is ok if you're doing it - the new words will be your words and will show that you understand the source.
Why it's a problem: This is still plagiarism, but instead of plagiarising someone, you're plagiarising something. Again, this is lazy and dishonest.
If your teacher or college asks you to say when you use AI, you need to be honest. Hiding it is considered dishonesty.
Why it’s a problem: Just like you give credit when you use someone else’s work, you should also be clear if AI helped you out.
If you use AI tools to do the hard parts of your homework so you don’t have to think or learn, you're hurting yourself in the long run.
Why it’s a problem: You may get through the homework now, but you won’t have the knowledge or skills you need later, especially for tests or real-life situations. The more often you use AI tools to do this, the more difficult it will be to do without it.
In short, if you use AI to avoid doing the actual learning or to trick others into thinking the work is your own, that’s not okay.
