Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI in Dissertations and Theses
Definition and Resources:
SMU defines “generative AI” as follows:
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to a subset of AI technologies that can create new content, data or information that resembles human-generated output. These technologies utilize machine learning models and deep learning algorithms to analyze and learn from existing data, thereby generating novel outputs that can include, but are not limited to, text, images, audio and video.
The University maintains comprehensive guidelines for educators, students and researchers with regards to generative AI at www.smu.edu/oit/ai. Graduate students and dissertation and thesis advisers who have questions about generative AI tools should consult the information available there.
Generative AI is a new and rapidly developing technology. As the landscape of generative AI in research and higher education changes, SMU’s guidelines, including the specific guidance below regarding the use of generative AI in dissertations and theses, will be updated to respond to these changes.
Considerations for the Use of Generative AI in Dissertations and Theses:
Dissertations and theses are different from other student writing assignments, because they are published in academic repositories and other venues and become part of the discourse of their field. Most dissertations and theses at SMU are published in SMU Scholar and, as such, may be cited in a range of reputable publications. Academic journals and presses are developing standards for the use and citation of generative AI in articles and books they publish, but these standards differ across fields and publishers.
Because generative AI tools draw from many sources and produce text with similar content to other works, the use of these tools may lead to issues such as plagiarism, privacy violations, intellectual property and copyright violations, bias, inaccuracy, and misuse of institutional data. More about these and other issues can be found on SMU’s generative AI guidance website.
For these reasons, it is important that graduate students receive instruction in acceptable use and citation practices for generative AI tools in their field as well as clear guidelines for the use and citation of generative AI in their dissertation or thesis; it is important that students adhere to the guidelines established by their graduate programs and by their advisers and committees.
Guidance Regarding the Use of Generative AI in Dissertations and Theses:
Departments: Departments should ensure that standards they expect graduate students to follow in the use and citation of generative AI in their dissertations and theses are clearly conveyed to the graduate students. These standards may be communicated at a number of different points in the program – in departmental proseminars, at research training sessions, in individual faculty members’ meetings with advisees, etc. It is important that the faculty of the graduate program collectively agree as to how these standards will be communicated, and that the standards are discussed with graduate students at the beginning of the student’s dissertation or thesis research and throughout the research and writing process. Standards students will be expected to follow should also be conveyed to them in writing.
Advisers and Committees: As early as possible, a graduate student’s adviser and committee members should coordinate to ensure that they are in agreement about standards that will be applied to the students’ use of generative AI in the research and writing of their dissertation or thesis. The adviser should discuss any use the student is making of generative AI tools with the student throughout the research and writing process. The adviser and committee should also make the student aware of norms in the field related to generative AI use as a part of the student’s training to become an active contributor to their field.
Graduate Students: Graduate students are required to discuss any use of generative AI in their dissertation or thesis with their adviser and committee. This is to ensure that their use and citation of generative AI tools meets the standards set by the adviser and committee. The use of generative tools in a way that is not deemed acceptable by the dissertation or thesis committee can constitute a violation of SMU’s Honor Code and may result in sanctions including suspension or dismissal.
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