AI in Technical Communication & Writing

You need to address the ethical and responsible use of AI and must recognize the "Do" and "Don't" activities for the field. This is one of the most important roles of a technical communicator: helping people navigate technology safely and effectively.

Here are some key issues you may want to research:

• Bias: AI models are trained on vast amounts of data from the internet, which can contain human biases. These biases can be reflected in the AI's output, so it's critical to review and edit all generated content carefully.
• Privacy and Data Security: Users should be cautious about entering sensitive personal or proprietary information into public AI tools, as their data could be used for training future models.
• Accuracy ("Hallucinations"): AI models can sometimes generate incorrect or completely fabricated information. All facts, figures, and citations generated by an AI must be verified using reliable sources.
• Intellectual Property: The legal landscape around AI and copyright is still evolving. Avoid using AI to generate content that might infringe on existing copyrights, and always be transparent about when and how you used an AI tool in your work.

Start your research into the ethics and responsibilities of AI with these resources.

AI at UCCS Guidelines

Your professors, similar to many business organizations and workplaces, have different policies and acceptable uses. What is okay in one business may not be acceptable at another company. 

UCCS has an AI-Integrated Assessment Scale that you can use to gauge if you are using AI ethically for the assignment. This scale can be helpful in professional contexts as well to explain AI use in your work. If you are unsure what your professor's policy, refer to the syllabus and ask them.

Level 1: NO AI

You may not use AI at any point during the assessment. The activity/assignment/assessment is completed entirely without AI assistance in a controlled environment, ensuring that students rely solely on their existing knowledge, understanding, and skills.

Student AI Use Expectations

• You must not use AI at any point during the activity/assignment/ assessment.
• You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.

Level 2: AI Planning

You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. AI may be used for pre-task activities such as brainstorming, outlining and initial research. This level focuses on the effective use of AI for planning, synthesis, and ideation, but assessments should emphasize the ability to develop and refine these ideas independently.

Student AI Use Expectations

• You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research.
• Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.

Level 3: AI Collaboration

You may use AI to assist with specific tasks such as drafting, editing, refining, and evaluating your work. AI may be used to help complete the task, including idea generation, drafting, feedback, and refinement. Students should critically evaluate and modify the AI suggested outputs, demonstrating their understanding.

Student AI Use Expectations

• You may use AI to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining, and evaluating your work.
• You must critically evaluate and modify any AI-generated content you use.

Level 4: Full AI

You may use AI extensively throughout your work, either as you wish, or as specifically directed in your assessment. AI may be used to complete any elements of the task, with students directing AI to achieve the assessment goals. Assessments at this level may also require engagement with AI to achieve goals and solve problems.

Student AI Use Expectation

• You may use AI extensively throughout your work either as you wish, or as specifically directed in your assessment.
• Focus on directing AI to achieve your goals while demonstrating your critical thinking.

Level 5: AI Exploration

You should use AI creatively to solve tasks or co-design new approaches. AI is used creatively to enhance problem-solving, generate novel ideas, or develop innovative problems. Students and educators co-design assessments to explore unique AI applications within the field of study.

Student AI Use Expectation

• You should use AI creatively to solve the task, potentially co-designing new approaches with your instructor.

You should always check with your instructor before using AI for coursework.

If you choose to use generative AI tools for course assignments, you want to make sure you are still providing proper citations for those materials. Most major style guides are still developing norms and conventions for AI generated materials so this material is likely to change. However, they have established some preliminary guidelines on citing AI generated content.

In general, here are some guidelines to remember about citing AI-generated resources no matter what citation style you use: 

• Always cite and acknowledge the outputs of AI generative tools when you use them in your work.
• Always verify information and sources generated by AI tools.
• These norms are constantly evolving; make sure you take a citation down. AI generated content is nonrecoverable. 

APA Style

When citing APA style using generative AI, credit the author of the algorithm. For example, if you are using ChatGPT then OpenAI would actually be the author. Like normal sources, APA is currently recommending in-text references and in your reference list. (Recommendations from APA as of Spring 2023)

Format:

Author. (Date). Name of tool (Version of tool) [Large language model]. URL

Example:

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

In-Text Citation Example:

(OpenAI, 2023)

For more information see: 

MLA Style

MLA currently is offering a more flexible example citing commonly used AI tools. Users are encouraged to adapt those guidelines to fit the situation. MLA views AI generated content as a source with no author. (Recommendations from MLA as of Spring 2023)

Format:
"Description of chat" prompt. Name of AI tool, version of AI tool, Company, Date of chat, URL.

Example: 

"Examples of harm reduction initiatives" prompt. ChatGPT, 23 Mar. version, OpenAI, 4 Mar. 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat.

In-Text Citation Example:

("Examples of harm reduction")

For more information see:

Chicago Style

Chicago style requires that you cite AI generated content in your work by including either a note or a parenthetical citation, but advises you not to include that source in your bibliography or reference list. The date for the citation will be when the content was generated. (Recommendations from CMS as of Spring 2023)

Format:
1. Author, Title, Publisher, Date, URL. 

Example (if information about the prompt has been included within the text of your paper):

1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, March 7, 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat. 

Example (including information about the prompt):

1. ChatGPT, response to "Explain how to make pizza dough from common household ingredients," OpenAI, March 7, 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat.

For more information see: