Studying with AI: Introduction
Studying with AI: Introduction
AI tools must not be used to generate your assessment and submit it as if it was your own work.
- Student Guidance: Your assignment briefs will state if you are allowed to use AI and what types of use are permissible. You must follow those instructions to comply with the University’s regulations. When permitted to use AI, it is your responsibility to keep a record of the prompts used, and drafts of your work to evidence that the final submission is your own work.
- Researcher Guidance: As well as following the University’s AI Postgraduate Researchers (PGR) guidance, researchers should also check publishers' policies about how and when AI can be used when writing for publication.
- Staff Guidance: Advice and additional resources to help academic staff navigate using Generative AI in their teaching practice.
Before using an AI tool, consider the following:
- Are you following the University’s guidance?
- Are you always in control of its output?
- Can you verify its content?
- Are you keeping to the principles of academic integrity?
- Will the AI tool help you with your studies?
What is AI?
AI is a branch of data science and works through programming algorithms built on probability mathematics. AI is a broad field that incorporates many different areas of computing and machine learning. Initial discoveries started as early as the mid-1950s.
The term can refer to many different types of tools which perform different functions.
For example:
- Forecasting and prediction - e.g. weather patterns and financial markets
- Anomaly detection models – e.g. medical imaging, face recognition
- Recommendation systems - e.g. content recommendations from Netflix and social media platforms
- Generative AI large language models and image generation – e.g. ChatGPT, CoPilot, Midjourney.
Generative AI
Generative (AI), often referred to as Gen AI, are web-based tools that use algorithms, data, and statistical models to draw reasonable inferences to generate content of its own. These tools rely on large amounts of training data to generate its content using natural language that gives the appearance of a human response. This content can include text, images, video, or code.
It is important to remember that however real the response, it is the outcome of probability maths and programming. There is no wider understanding of the world or the context, and this leads to many of the errors Generative AI produces.
How can AI support you in your study?
- Suggest advanced search strategies and Boolean terms
- Recommend sources, articles, or data sets
- Map literature and find related research papers
Understanding and Consolidating
- Summarise lecture notes or journal articles
- Explain complex theories in simpler language
- Help you identify key themes or patterns
Composing and Creating
- Generate text, images, music, or code
- Translate sections of your work into other languages
- Support creative tasks like brainstorming ideas
Presenting and Communicating
- Turn data into charts, graphs, or tables
- Suggest effective visual layouts for presentations
- Improve the clarity of your written or spoken content
- Spot errors and suggest corrections in your writing
- Provide alternative phrasing
- Offer feedback on drafts
Planning and Organising
- Generate research questions, keywords, or prompts
- Suggest titles, structures, subheadings, or themes for projects
- Break down tasks or build a study timetable
Coaching and Confidence-building
- Act as a debating partner to challenge your argument
- Practise interview questions or presentation skills
- Support self-reflection and critical thinking
Enhancing Accessibility
- Convert text to audio, or videos to transcriptions
- Simplify language
- Summarise video transcripts or other multimedia
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