Skip to Main Content
Staffed Hours:
(All Hours)
Go to our YouTube page Go to our Instagram page Email us

Generative AI for Students

Everything students need to know about using AI ethically and effectively.

Ethical Uses of AI

Using Generative AI is like using any other technological tool - it can be used ethically and unethically. While some unethical use is intentional, others happen just through ignorance in using the tool effectively. 

Here are some tips in using Generative AI ethically and responsibly:

  • Use AI as a tool for brainstorming, not as producer of coursework content.
    • Again, this is plagiarism and goes against the college's Academic Integrity policy.
  • Cite all work generated by an AI tool.
  • Double-check information provided by Generative AI for accuracy just as you would a website or social media post
    • Do not spread potentially harmful or misleading information
  • Do not upload personal, identifiable information or data in an AI tool.
  • Do not upload other's personal data or information into an AI tool without consent.
  • Do not upload copywritten material into Generative AI
    • Library databases often have AI tools that can help summarize articles without violating copyright.
  • Report information that contains harmful biases and inaccuracies 
    • Most Generative AI tools have a reporting form

How to Spot DeepFakes and Other AI Misinformation

DeepFakes and hallucinations are two of the largest concerns with Generative AI. DeepFakes are often purposefully harmful and used to spread misinformation or performative bias. AI hallucinations come from the tool's programming to always provide the user with information. If the tool cannot find the information, it will create it based on the data it already has. This has lead to inaccurate citations in court cases, research papers, and news articles.

Here are some tips for spotting DeepFakes and misinformation. Open each tab to explore:

Prompt the AI tool to list the all resources it used to generate the information provided. Review the content for bias, accuracy, recency, and authority:

  • Can the information be found in other reputable sites (professional organizations, news organizations)?
  • Are linked sites reputable? Can you find who created the site?
  • Always verify a website's URL before clicking as it may be a phishing attempt.
  • Is the language highly charged or neutral?
  • Can you identify the author of the information the AI Tool cited?
  • Verify journals and the articles cited by AI exist
  • Use Journals by Title to see if the journal is in our databases.
  • Check Predatory Journals or Beall's List to see if it is reputable journal.

Use these guidelines when you come across potential misinformation online:

  • Can the information be found in other reputable sites (professional organizations, news organizations)?
  • Are linked sites reputable? Can you find who created the site?
  • Always verify a website's URL before clicking as it may be a phishing attempt.
  • Is the language highly charged or neutral?
  • Can you identify the creator of the information?
  • For Socials: Is it only viral on social media? Is it a legitimate account? It could be a bot, misinformation or a conspiracy theory.

Use these guidelines when you come across potential DeepFake images and videos:

  • AI created images often have oversaturated colors or look heavily edited (folds missing in clothes, hair and skin is too smooth).
  • DeepFake videos may misrepresent human features, such as blinking and facial movement in the forehead, lips, and eyebrows.
  • Verify the background image is not blurred or out-of-context.
  • Videos often have odd jumps or POV angles.
  • Check that shadows appear in appropriate places or appear at all.
  • If a person is wearing glasses, does natural glare appear?