Permitted vs prohibited AI use
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Use
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Can I use AI?
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To start your initial research into a topic:
• Using AI as a starting point to explore a topic, to brainstorm, provide an overview, explore key themes and identify
emerging strands in the field.
• To identify areas to explore further.
• To clarify a term or concept that may be unclear.
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✓
Yes
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It’s acceptable to use AI to gain a basic understanding of a topic but keep in mind that the content might be incorrect, biased, dated or made up. Use AI as starting point but go on to read credible, sources to develop your work.
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To find additional sources:
• Discover potentially relevant sources that could be useful in an assessment which you then independently verify and read.
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✓
Yes
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Start with the titles recommended in your module reading list but if you would like additional resources AI could help you. Remember though that these sources could be limited in scope, biased, unreliable or may not even exist. Look for the original source yourself and decide if it’s credible. Remember, there are subject specialist Librarians in the library to help you.
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Revising content:
• Summarising your own lecture notes.
• Asking AI to turn your own notes into questions.
• Using AI to test your understanding by generating questions about an article, book or topic area.
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✓
Yes
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This can be helpful for revision.
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Generating data, code or analysis:
• Using AI to generate and analyse data, identify patterns and make predictions.
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Possibly
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Check your assignment brief very carefully. You can only use AI if your module specifically allows this. You should check your results yourself and be mindful of all ethical standards and GDPR rules. Remember that AI can be limited in its ability to analyse data and may be biased.
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Summarising Research Articles with AI:
• Using AI generated summaries instead of reading the source yourself.
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x
No
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You may be able to use AI to summarise an open-source text, as a starting point before you read the whole piece but you should never use an AI generated summary instead of reading the source yourself.
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Use
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Can I use AI?
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To check writing:
• To check content for errors in grammar, spelling and to improve sentence structure.
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✓
Yes
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You can use AI to help you, but standard, non-AI spelling and grammar checks are considered adequate. If you do use AI, you must proofread your own work and remain responsible for accuracy and meaning.
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Presentation Support:
• Generated ideas for slide outlines or talking points to support your own content.
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✓
Yes
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You can use AI but keep in mind that suggested content may be incorrect or biased. Always use suggestions as a starting point for inspiration, not a final draft.
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To help format references:
• Convert citations between different styles or format the content of a bibliography.
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✓
Yes
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Asking AI to check your referencing style can provide useful feedback but make sure you check because AI can often get the formatting wrong. Don’t copy AI generated references without reading the original text.
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Creating outlines or suggested structures:
• Generate suggested outlines for different types of assignments or propose section headings to organise your writing.
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Possibly
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Check your assignment brief very carefully. You can only use AI if your module allows this, but you must always write all content yourself.
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Asking AI for feedback on your work.
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Possibly
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AI can act as a writing coach but keep in mind that the feedback may be wrong or unhelpful and always check your assignment brief very carefully. You can only use AI in this way if your module specifically allows this. Always declare use in this way.
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Translation of your own text into another language:
• Translate your text with verification for accuracy and tone.
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Possibly
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Check your assignment brief very carefully. You can only use AI if your module allows this. This may not be permitted in language modules, for example. If it’s allowed, keep in mind that AI translations may change the meaning slightly or misinterpret text.
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Copy content generated by AI and submit:
• Cut and paste any content into your assignments as if this was your own work.
•Rewriting AI written content to mask copying.
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x
No
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Submitting an assignment which is written by AI, or partly written by AI is a clear case of academic misconduct. Submitting work that is not yours is unacceptable and has serious disciplinary consequences. Academics are identifying AI written content.
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Paraphrasing others’ work:
• Rewriting or restating the work of others using AI, while keeping the original mean.
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x
No
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AI tools can rewrite the work of others using different words, but this content is often generic, can misrepresents sources and risks plagiarism. Read the text and make sense of it yourself. Always use quotes with an accompanying citations or outline the work of others in your own words and make clear whose work you’re summarising by referencing their name in the text and including a citation.
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Using AI where the assessment brief prohibits it.
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x
No
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Always follow module specific instructions.
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Use
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Can I use AI?
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Dissertation survey and drafting interview questions:
• Create initial question pools to be piloted and ethics checked.
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✓
Yes
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Drafting an ethics application:
• Outline assistance only. Final text must be authored by you.
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✓
Yes
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Transcription of audio:
• Use approved tools for your own recordings, subject to consent and security.
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✓
Yes
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Coding - Explaining errors, suggesting improvements, or supporting your learning:
• Use approved tools for debugging, explanatory support, and learning how code works.
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Possibly
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Check your assignment brief very carefully. You can only use AI if your module specifically allows this. You should check your results yourself and be mindful of all ethical standards and GDPR rules. Remember that AI can be limited in its ability to analyse data and may be biased.
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Reporting Data or Results:
• Inventing observations, interviews, measurements, or code outputs.
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x
No
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Fabrication (‘falsification’) is a serious offence.
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For further guidance on how to ethically and effectively use generative AI in your research, please go to the resources produced by Library Services.
If an assignment does not specifically prohibit the use of generative AI in its preparation, and you have used such a tool, you must as a minimum include in your submission:
- Name, version (if available), and provider of the generative AI tool used (e.g. Copilot, Microsoft).
- URL of the tool used (e.g. https://copilot.microsoft.com).
- A short description of how the generative AI tool was used in the assignment.
The “Jobs to Be Done” Reflection
Before using any AI tool, pause to reflect on what you’re trying to achieve. The “Jobs to Be Done” approach helps you make deliberate, ethical choices about when AI can support your learning — and when it shouldn’t be used.
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Thinking Step
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Why It Matters
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Example of How to Think
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What am I actually trying to achieve?
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Clarify your purpose — what’s the “job” you need to get done? This helps you decide whether AI is even relevant.
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“I’m trying to understand how consumer behaviour theory applies to my case study.”
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What kind of help (if any) would improve my understanding?
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Defines where AI could be a supporting tool (for clarification, examples, feedback, or summaries of one’s own notes).
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“I might ask AI to explain a concept in simpler language or suggest examples — but I’ll write the explanation myself.”
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Is using AI allowed by my module and is it appropriate for this task?
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Encourages you to check ethical, disciplinary, and policy boundaries before using any tool.
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“Since the assessment brief doesn’t mention AI, I’ll ask my lecturer before using it for feedback.”
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How will I make sure I stay the author of my work?
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Reinforces personal responsibility — AI can assist but not author.
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“I’ll use AI to check grammar, but all the arguments and ideas must come from me.”
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How will I declare or describe my use of AI?
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Promotes transparency and accountability.
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“I’ll note in my submission that I used AI for spelling and structure checking.”
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