GenAI Assessment Scenarios
At UofG, we think it is useful to consider three scenarios to help both staff and students to better understand how GenAI may be used in assessment.
When you are preparing assessment and discussing it with students, it would be useful to consider which of the three scenarios the assessment falls into to help students understand how they should use AI when completing their assessment. Actions should be taken accordingly, and in advance of students beginning to engage with the assessment (both formative and summative).
It is important to note that students will expect communication about the extent to which GenAI can be used in assessment activities. You can do this via various communication channels such as Moodle, assessment briefs and in-class discussions. Students will have access to information on the ethical and academically rigorous uses of GenAI tools via Student Learning Development.
Scenario 1: Use of GenAI tools is fully permitted
Extent to which AI is permitted
- Students are encouraged and permitted to use any GenAI tool as long as its use is in line with the University’s policies on academic misconduct and use of third-party software tools.
Quality assurance considerations
- If specific software is required as part of the assessment, it must meet the University of Glasgow requirements and be approved for use. Staff should avoid mentioning specific GenAI tools by name other than software specifically supported by the university but may also decide that students are allowed to use any tool they wish.
- Students must still acknowledge how AI has been used and content generated by an AI cannot be submitted as though it is the student's own work. Student should be supported in proper citation practices appropriate to their discipline/subject; information on this can be found on the for practicalities around specific formats and the for referencing/acknowledging AI use.
Implications for assessment and design
- It is likely that many learning activities other than ‘assessments’ may fall into this category and student may explore AI tools for part of multi-faceted assessments such as dissertations. This category is also appropriate for when a skill has been identified where GenAI may be used in a future employment/professional setting or within the discipline and hence a specific training need has been identified.
- Research projects where students are supported by supervisors to develop good professional practices. Lessons or assessments where students are expected to develop efficient prompts for AI and then critically evaluate the output. In teacher training a student may be asked to explore GenAI for how it may be used in a future classroom setting. A medical, nursing, dental or veterinary student may be asked to explore AI-enhanced diagnostic tools that will form part of a future professional setting.
Example usage
- Research projects where students are supported by supervisors to develop good professional practices. Lessons or assessments where students are expected to develop efficient prompts for AI and then critically evaluate the output. In teacher training a student may be asked to explore GenAI for how it may be used in a future classroom setting. A medical, nursing, dental or veterinary student may be asked to explore AI-enhanced diagnostic tools that will form part of a future professional setting.
Example Statement that could be included in assessment brief
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In this assessment, you are allowed to use GenAI tools to conduct research and study, to help with drafting and editing, and to explore key ideas. The use of GenAI tools can augment any part of your research, study and writing process, as long as it is in line with our rules around academic misconduct. If using any form of GenAI tool, you must acknowledge how the tools have been used within your work. You cannot submit any content produced by GenAI as your own work. |
Scenario 2: Use of GenAI tools is permitted with certain restrictions
Extent to which AI is permitted
- Students are permitted and supported to use GenAI with restrictions in place as outlined by the course coordinators. This category applies to most assessments and guidance about use of GenAI (which tasks and how to use it) needs to be made in assessment briefs.
- Broad sub-categories of permitted GenAI use may be applicable, such as:
- Drafting – using GenAI not as content generator, but as idea development and guidance on structure, process or style.
- – using GenAI not as content generator, but as proof-reader, writing assistant and to get feedback on own work. Specify whether rewriting is allowed or not, which might depend on the context of the assessment.
- Co-creating – GenAI may be used to generate content and other assistive tasks, but warning should be headed that the student is expected to verify all content and be rigorous in ensuring the quality of the work. GenAI tools should not be regarded as co-authors because authorship requires human qualities such as accountability for content and making a declaration of originality.
- Learning assistant – GenAI may be used during the learning process to help clarify concepts or speed up processes where the process is not part of the assessment.
Quality assurance considerations
- In all cases where GenAI is used, students should be instructed to acknowledge that use. Clear instruction should be provided on how to do this, e.g. via Acknowledgement section, Declaration, or Reference list.
- is expected that this category of GenAI adoption should set out very clearly expectations of how GenAI ‘may’ and ‘should not’ be used along with a brief statement on why it is restricted and permitted in specific circumstances. The ‘may be used’ list serves to indicate support available to maximise learning opportunities, whereas the ‘should not be used’ list serve to uphold academic integrity, avoid overreliance on GenAI or outline good practice. A complete list may not be possible but will help guide students in understanding what is acceptable in that context and develop awareness of what constitutes good
Implications for assessment and design
- In determining that some GenAI usage is permissible, staff must consider before finalising the assessment design, how they wish their students to use or engage with the tools. Avoid partial use of GenAI unless you are very clear how you would know if GenAI had been used in ways other than those permitted. Assessment design is crucial.
- Teaching staff need to carefully think about what ‘evidence’ is needed to demonstrate learning as a process rather than solely as an end product that is assessed. In order to undertake this approach staff should draw upon the principles of the Learning Through Assessment Framework.
Example Statement that could be included in assessment brief
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In this assessment, you are allowed to use GenAI tools in some specific ways as part of your assessment. The use of GenAI tools can augment specific parts of your submission; these are clearly detailed below. You must not use GenAI tools outside of the scope permitted below. [Staff detail the specific instructions on the use of GenAI tools. Remember not to mention specific tools by name, but instead provide guidance on how the student might use a category/type of GenAI tool, how the student should reference or acknowledge use of the tools, and why the restrictions are in place.] If using any form of GenAI tool, you must acknowledge how the tools have been used within your work as per the instructions from your course co-ordinator. You cannot submit any content produced by GenAI as your own work. |
Scenario 3: Non-use of generative AI
Extent to which AI is permitted
- Under this category it should be made clear to students when they should not use GenAI software. Some examples which staff could draw upon (to help students understand the boundaries) are listed below:
- Generate content or summaries and copy these into the assessment.
- Paraphrase from other sources for the purpose of including the paraphrased content in the assessment.
- Rewrite sentences, redraft paragraphs or make other substantive changes to original text (though you could ask for feedback and then implement changes based on that feedback – using AI).
- Rewrite bulleted lists or notes into sentences and paragraphs.
- Generate essay plans other suggestions for structuring content or documents for an assessment, for instance reports, presentations, case studies etc.
- Generate artwork, illustrations, figures or visual models (note that other software tools may still be used for these purposes).
- Generate code or generate code comments.
- Conduct data analysis or generate summaries of data.
- Generate a visual or voice avatar for presentations when the expectation is that the student voice their own presentations.
- Look up the answers for short-note or multiple-choice exams.
- While in general (as above) students are NOT permitted to use GenAI in their assessment, there are some suggested exceptions:
- Students are still permitted to use dictionaries, thesauri, spelling and grammar-checking software to help identify and correct spelling mistakes and grammatical errors (even if they are powered by GenAI). Writing assistance tools that are driven or enhanced by AI and that are integrated into software provided by the university, for instance, autocorrection and word suggestion as well as editor tools that make suggestions for better grammar and sentence structure are also permitted. Bibliographic reference managers (even if powered by GenAI) can be used to generate citations and references. Students can use AI powered speech-to-text software to turn their spoken words into text (see caveats about translation software below). Students can also use software to provide feedback on their written content.
Quality assurance considerations
- Consider provision of supplemental resources, such as formula sheets, maps or pathways, glossary, calculators, etc.
- See below 'Further Guidance' section on usage of assistive technology.
Implications for assessment and design
- It is important to highlight why restrictions on GenAI use are in place in terms of making the assessment meaningful and inclusive. For example, to ensure students become competent in foundational knowledge or a skill before leveraging a tool to improve the efficiency in applying that knowledge or skill.
- This kind of assessment would demonstrate individual acquisition of specific knowledge or skills, typically as final activity in a preceding series of supportive learning activities
Example Statement that could be included in assessment brief
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In this assessment, you are NOT allowed to use any form of GenAI tools to generate your answer for the assignment. Note: you can continue to use other software, including spell checkers, reference managers, editing software, etc. These tools are useful in helping improve the clarity, precision and accuracy of your language and your references. For more information, speak with SLD around using technology for study. You cannot submit any content produced by GenAI as your own work. |
Further guidance on usage and categories
Assistive technology
- It is important to note that assistive technology is increasingly enhanced by AI and may incorporate GenAI elements. Staff should carefully consider assessment briefs to ensure that they are inclusive, and that no student is disadvantaged due to prohibitions they place on software with GenAI. If they use a declaration of AI use, it should not be phrased in such a way that students have to declare a disability. The risk in terms of students being “outed” or disadvantaged, means that in most circumstances it is more appropriate to use category 2 for assessments and to consider how GenAI can be used to make an assessment more inclusive for all learners.
- Grammarly and other grammar and spelling software is provided for students as part of disability support provision for students who require assistance. Grammarly indicates clearly when GenAI tools are being used so a staff member can ask students to avoid those features, while still using the other tools that the software provides.
Translation software
- GenAI offers sophisticated enhancement of translation software, and this is an expanding field that has significant future implications for communication across language barriers. For this reason, students are permitted to use GenAI-powered translation software to translate original work they produce in another language to English (unless the testing of English Language is an ILO). The focus for students with English as second or other language should be on practice as opposed to use within assessments. However, either way this should be acknowledged in an acknowledgement section in order to provide context for staff under which they can produce useful feedback on the work and note the caveats below. Note that the nuance of an intended communication is likely to be lost or changed during any AI-assisted translation process so output should be carefully edited and refined by the student before it is submitted for assessment. Any assessment criteria related to communication should not be adapted or changed considering use of translation software, all work is expected be held to the same standard.
- Students should not resubmit for assessment work that was previously submitted at this or any other institution; this includes a translated version of a previous assessment.
- If the assessment task is to make a translation or where the assessment criteria specify language competence, use of GenAI is prohibited (unless clearly stated otherwise) and the task must in the first instance be interpreted as requiring that the student themself make the translation or produce text in English and not use GenAI, whether this is specifically stated or not.
- Unless tasked to do so, no translation of another person’s work or an original source, should be submitted for assessment as though it is a student's own work.