Using AI for Homework? 6 Do's and Don'ts of Avoiding Plagiarism
Just about every student with an internet connection has access to a wide range of AI tools they may use for school. And, with this access comes the temptation to use these AI tools for homework.
Students attending certain schools/classes might be able use AI tools to help them with their homework, depending on the rules they must follow. But, there is a thin line between using an AI tool to help with homework and the academic dishonesty that comes from having this tool complete the homework. When students cross the line and submit AI-generated work as their own can lead to failing grades and disciplinary action.
You can use AI as a tutor and study builder without crossing into plagiarism or cheating yourself out of an education. The Do’s and Don’t’s for using AI for homework, below, will help you do so.
Do: Review Your School’s Policy First
Before you even think about opening ChatGPT, review your school’s policy first. Every school has its own policies, and a particular institution’s AI school policy may ban any form of AI usage. Violating this ban could lead to academic consequences. Ignorance regarding this ban is rarely an acceptable excuse.
Even if your school/class does not ban AI entirely, there may be limitations on its use. For example, you may be able to use AI, but only if you cite your work.
If you don’t know the rules that underlie AI usage, and the syllabus doesn’t clarify these rules, you should assume that AI is off-limits until you ask a teacher or administrator. This is how to use AI responsibly in an academic context.
Don't: Rely on LLMs for Math or Facts
Using your AI for homework often means relying on large language models for math or facts. But, don’t rely on LLMs for math or facts, for the following reason: LLMs are designed to “predict the next likely word”, not to calculate the truth, solve fact-based problems, or deliver factually accurate information. This is overly simplistic, but LLM’s are excellent at reasoning through a dataset, but they don’t “see” numbers; they see tokens.
Instead of prioritizing factual accuracy, LLMs prioritize helpfulness and instruction following. As a result, they can generate inaccurate information, such as incorrect “facts” and math equations. If you submit an assignment with a hallucinated fact or an incorrect math equation, your teacher might know that you didn’t check your work. Depending on the nature of this assignment, you could end up with a failing grade or long-term academic consequences.
Do: Use AI to Break Down Large Assignments
Do use AI to break down large writing assignments by asking it to turn a complex assignment prompt into a step-by-step outline, checklist, or guided process that helps you complete the assignment on your own.
The process clarified above is called “Scaffolding.” Scaffolding is when an educator - or, in this case, an AI tool - provides temporary and tailored assistance that helps students learn. Using AI for scaffolding can help you manage your time and organize your thoughts, without outsourcing the critical thinking an assignment requires.
One example of scaffolding is: "I have to write an essay on [Topic]. Can you give me a 5-step plan to research and outline this paper?" into ChatGPT. And then, you use this 5-step plan to write the essay.
Do: Use AI to Transform Study Materials
Do put dense text-based study materials into a tool like NotebookLM and convert them to a format you have an easier time learning from. For example, if you are a visual learner, you can turn your lecture notes into a colorful mind map that highlights the connections between the key ideas within those lecture notes. We have a list of the top AI tools for schools if you need some ideas!
Many study materials require some form of passive reading. Passive reading is useful, but it doesn’t always facilitate active recall. You can use AI tools to address this by turning your study materials into things that you can actively engage with, such as quizzes and scripts, among many others.
Instead of using AI for homework so that it can complete assignments for you, use AI as a tutor that tests your knowledge. Using AI in this way can help you understand the material before an exam and demonstrate to yourself that you actually understand the topics you have been studying.
Don't: Cheat Yourself Out of the "Wrestle"
The frustration you feel when writing an essay, solving a problem, or developing new ideas is the learning process in action. This struggle is called the “wrestle.” Don’t cheat yourself out of the wrestle with AI tools because doing so can prevent you from developing the critical neural pathways you need in order to actually learn something.
If you use AI to write an essay and you get a good grade, you won’t have developed the critical thinking, adaptability, and other success mindsets that the modern workforce requires. The answer to “Is using AI cheating?” is “It can be,” especially if you deprive yourself of mindsets that proper learning facilitates.
Before you consult with AI, you should try doing an assignment on your own. If things are too difficult for you to proceed, you can think about consulting AI for feedback, but only after you have tried to do the assignment without AI assistance.
Do: Double Check Your Work with Pangram
If you used AI to brainstorm or outline an assignment, do run your final draft through Pangram. Pangram will look at this draft and make sure you haven’t accidentally left in AI-sounding phrases that could make your teacher think this draft was AI-generated. This Pangram feature is also useful for avoiding AI-generated essay plagiarism.
Every assignment you scan with Pangram leads to an “AI likelihood score.” This score tells you whether your work sounds authentic to you or if you missed any AI placeholders you meant to replace. You can remove those placeholders and ensure that your voice remains the dominant one in the assignment.
AI is a powerful engine for synthesis and study. But it is a poor substitute for your own brain. You should use AI tools to help you grow, not to do the heavy lifting. Wrestling with an assignment is where the value lies.
Want to make sure your work is 100% yours? Scan your assignment before you submit.
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