Grammarly has become a very popular tool for people to use to help improve their writing. College and university students are no exception. Grammarly does things like reviewing spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It also can make suggestions as to how to clarify your writing. Grammarly also has the ability to detect plagiarism and make suggestions as to how to fix those mistakes.
With the rise of AI such as ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, Grammarly now touts “Personalized AI” as part of its product. The question then becomes, if you use Grammarly to help you write assignments in college, is it cheating?
Is it safe to use the Personalized AI feature in Grammarly for a written assignment?
When it comes to what is considered or not considered AI, the answer depends. Many universities and colleges are themselves trying to figure out what should and should not be allowed when it comes to using AI. Some colleges are even leaving it up to individual professors to determine what they allow. Because of that, it can be very confusing for students to figure out what is and what is not allowed.
When deciding whether you should use Grammarly or something similar when writing your assignments, here are three things you can do:
- Look to see if your university or college has released any statements or guidelines on the use of Grammarly or other AI type of programs.
- Check your professor’s syllabus and/or any instructions for the particular assignment to see if the use of Grammarly or other types of programs or AI is mentioned.
- Lastly, when in doubt, ask your professor what their stance is on using Grammarly to help complete any written assignments.
I am being accused of cheating because my professor thinks I used AI. What can I do?
Even with the above tips, students can sometimes find themselves being accused of an integrity violation. If that happens to you, call or email me so we can discuss your case.
Call today for a consultation.
Richard Asselta is a defense lawyer for students facing academic integrity violations throughout the United States. Call today for a consultation. (855) 338-5299