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School of Public Leadership: Academic Integrity

Description

Academic integrity refers to the values that underpin everything you do in your university studies. It includes concepts like honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.
To succeed at university by studying with academic integrity, you need to understand, develop and practise particular academic skills, including:

  • correct referencing
  • avoiding plagiarism
  • critical thinking and the ability to find and evaluate sources

Correct Referencing

Why is referencing important?

  • links what you have read and what you have written
  • shows that you have read widely around your subject area or topic and speak with authority
  • demonstrates that you building on the work of others
  • acknowledges the sources you have used
  • protects you from any charges of copying or plagiarism

Where can I get referencing help or training?
Consult the library guide - Find, access and use information effectively: a step-by-step guide: Use responsibly: Why cite and reference?

Are students allowed to use ChatGPT and other AI tools?

Check with your lecturer first!  And follow the guidance from your lecturers. Some lecturers will allow the use of AI tools like ChatGPT, while other will not allow the use of such tools.

 Artificial intelligence should be viewed as a tool that can aid learning  and should be used in an ethical way. Do not copy word-for-word or claim any AI-generated content as your own work. This is plagiarism.

AI Use Disclosure Statement
The EMS Faculty recommends that AI use be declared, and it includes a student declaration form, that requires an indication of the AI tools used, as well as where and what it were used for, and a justification for claims that the work is the student’s own.

Responsible use of AI tools

Accountability (including the ideas of acknowledgement and attribution)
You are responsible for what you create and how it impacts others and society. AI tools don't have accountability. It is thus your responsibility to ensure that work submitted under your name is factually correct.
Authenticity
You may use AI tools to assist where relevant, but not to complete the assignment on your behalf.

Fairness
Your use of AI tools/ systems should be ethical and responsible and should comply with academic integrity standards
Transparency
You should clearly and honestly declare the use of AI tools and their outputs as well as the extent of the use.

Is it safe to use ChatGPT for your assignment / research?

 

Flowchart by Aleksandr Tiulkanov, January 2023.

Avoid Plagiarism

"Plagiarism is the theft and use of the ideas, material and other intellectual property of others that are passed off as one’s own." SU Senate. 1 Dec 2016. Stellenbosch University policy on academic integrity: the prevention and handling of plagiarism [Internet]. Stellenbosch University. Available: Policy document. [2017, 1 February].

Where can I get help or training?
Consult the library guide -  Find, access and use information effectively: a step-by-step guide: Plagiarism

Plagiarism thought tree

Flowchart by EasyBib

Evaluate sources

It is important to critically evaluate your sources. Even more so when using any AI-generated output. Any work contributed by an AI should be fact checked, plagiarism checked and proofread.
AI tools can generate false sources or use out-of-date sources.
Use library databases instead of AI if you need reliable sources.

Where can I get help or training?
Consult the library guide - Find, access and use information effectively: a step-by-step guide: Evaluate Sources

Declaration example

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