AI Resources for Students

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Lake Forest College Student Resources on AI

Last Updated March 2025

As AI tools become more common in writing, the Writing Center has developed a clear policy to help students use them responsibly. This policy aligns with Lake Forest College’s academic values and aims to support your writing process while promoting creativity, critical thinking, and independent writing skills.

Important Considerations

AI is not a perfect tool and comes with several limitations:

It can provide inaccurate or outdated information.
It may reflect biases and pose risks to data privacy.
AI-generated writing often sounds mechanical and scripted.
It struggles with proper citation and may invent sources.
Relying too much on AI can weaken your critical thinking and writing skills.

Because of these limitations, you should use AI carefully and critically assess its output. If you incorporate AI-generated content in your work, you are fully responsible for its accuracy and for ensuring it does not violate academic integrity or intellectual property laws.

Using AI for Assignments

Whether AI can be used for a specific assignment depends on your professor’s policy. Before using AI, check your syllabus or assignment instructions to see what is allowed. AI may be permitted for some assignments but not others. If you're unsure, ask your professor for clarification.

If you visit the Writing Center for help with AI-generated writing, tutors will follow your professor’s guidelines. They will review the course syllabus and assignment instructions to determine how they can assist you. If there’s any uncertainty, the tutor will advise you to reach out to your professor.

Our goal is to help you become a stronger writer while ensuring that AI is used ethically and effectively. If you have any questions about AI and your writing, feel free to ask a tutor during your session.

Unsure About Your Professor’s AI Policy?

The best way to clarify is to ask your professor directly. Below is an email template you can use:

Subject: Question About AI Use for [Assignment Name]

Dear Professor [Last Name],

I hope you are doing well. I’m reaching out to ask about your policy on using AI for [assignment name]. I’m currently working on [specific writing challenge], and I was considering using [AI tool] to assist me. However, I didn’t see a clear policy on AI use in the syllabus, so I wanted to check with you before moving forward to ensure I follow your expectations.

Please let me know if AI use is permitted for this assignment, and if so, under what conditions. If it is not allowed, I will be sure to avoid it.

Thank you for your time and guidance!

Best,

[Your Name]

AI Use in Assignments

Always review your syllabus and assignment prompt to understand your instructor’s guidelines on AI use. Before turning to AI for assistance, take time to jot down your initial ideas. Remember, this is your work, and AI should be a tool—not a replacement for your own thinking. Make sure any AI-generated content aligns with your original ideas and strengthens your writing, rather than replacing your voice.

Prompt Engineering

Before using an AI tool, familiarize yourself with designing effective prompts. To gain the most useful output, use these guidelines:

Framing: Give the AI tool a persona before asking it to complete a task.

E.g. “As the professor of a 100-level Politics course …” or “Imagine you are …”

Simpletasks: Breakdown requests into simple yet clear instructions.
- g. In the prewriting stage ask either to summarize or locate useful evidence, do not attempt to do multiple things at once.
Givelimits: When possible, restrict the output you wish to receive instead of giving general requests.
- g. “Give me 3-5 possible thesis statements…” or “Without making corrections, please determine …”
Give 1+ example(s): Input a sample of the desired structure or tone which replicates the output you wish to receive.
- g. “Here is a draft of …, please improve while replicating the tone…”
Give feedback: The AI tool may not output what you want on the first try so feel free to correct it where necessary.
- g. “Change the format of the … to …”

Stages of Writing

The tables below provide examples of how AI can be used in the four main stages of the writing process: Pre-Writing, Idea Development, Drafting, and Revising. These are meant to serve as a general guide, but your professor’s expectations and assignment guidelines may differ. Always check course policies before using AI.

Writing Preparation

*Task*	Allowed (Using AI tools, students must …)	Ethical Use (Students should…)	Not Allowed (Students must not…)
Reading/ Summarizing	Summarize directly from the given text (e.g. PDF copy)	Reference the summary against the original document before using the information.	Generate a summary from the AI pre-existing knowledge on the topic
Brainstorming	Generate a minimum of 3 arguments	Assess each output to determine the best option and document why they chose this option	Generate one argument and use it without evaluation or refinement
Research	Input the argument the sources should defend before requesting 3+ sources.	Locate actual copies of the recommended sources and find the information referenced	Copy facts and figures from the AI tool without checking the source.

Idea Development

*Task*	Allowed (Using AI tools, students must …)	Ethical Use (Students should…)	Not Allowed (Students must not…)
Locating Useful Evidence in a Source	Input the main point that the evidence is meant to support before requesting useful evidence	Note the evidence and how it supports their argument	Use the evidence outputted with analyzing its purpose
Thesis Statement	Input the context, argument and evidence before generating 3-5 possible thesis statements	Assess each output to determine the best option and document why they chose this option	Generate one thesis statement and use it without evaluation or refinement
Outlining	Input working thesis to request question-based outline	Independently answer the questions from the outline to develop their paper	Generate a detailed outline with little to no input.

Drafting

*Task*	Allowed (Using AI tools, students must …)	Ethical Use (Students should…)	Not Allowed (Students must not…)
Introduction	Input a draft of the introduction (with the hook, context and thesis) and request an assessment of the weaknesses	Assess each weakness and try to correct the errors on their own.	Generate a complete introduction with little to no input
Body Paragraph(s)	Input a draft of the paragraph (with the point, evidence, analysis and link) and request an assessment of the weaknesses	Assess each weakness and try to correct the errors on their own.	Generate a complete paragraph with little to no input
Conclusion	Input a draft of the conclusion with the restated thesis, 1 - 3 summary statements and the implications before requesting an assessment of the weaknesses	Assess each weakness and try to correct the errors on their own.	Generate a complete conclusion with little to no input

Revising

*Task*	Allowed (Using AI tools, students must …)	Ethical Use (Students should…)	Not Allowed (Students must not…)
Draft Review	Input their draft and request an assessment of the weaknesses	Assess each weakness and try to correct the errors on their own.	Request a rewrite of their draft with all corrections made
Grammar/Style	Input their draft and request only the location of grammar errors and awkward wording	Assess each issue and try to correct the errors on their own.	Request a rewrite of their draft with all corrections made
Reverse Outline	Input their draft and request an outline of the main points discussed in each paragraph.	Assess the reverse outline to determine if the structure of their paper aligns with their argument and make necessary changes accordingly.	Request the AI tool to reorganize their paper

Assessing AI Outputs:

When assessing the generated results from AI, ask yourself:

What do I like about this statement?
What areas do I dislike about the statement?
Does it align with the preliminary ideas I had before using this tool?
Has it improved my ideas or worsened them?

Final Steps

AI use should be cited. Always cite based on your instructor’s guidelines. If no guidelines are given, use of the follow citation guides: APA, Chicago or MLA. It is always useful and a good practice to pair your citations with a record of how you used AI in an assignment, such as writing a paragraph describing your process, filling out an AI documentation form, or taking screenshots.

AI Citation or Documentation

Since AI is a relatively new academic tool, there is no universal standard for citing it. Some professors may include specific citation guidelines in their syllabus or ask for additional documentation, such as screenshots or a description of how AI was used in your work. If your professor allows AI but does not provide citation instructions, you can refer to official AI citation guidelines from the three major style guides. Below are examples.

APA

Reference page:

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

In-text parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)

In-text narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

For more information, check How to Cite ChatGPT (APA Style Blog).

Chicago

Bibliography:

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

If there is no link available for the entire chat, only cite the source in footnotes but do not cite under the bibliography.

Author-date: (ChatGPT, March 7, 2023)

Footnote:

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

Footnote with prompt included:

ChatGPT, response to “Explain how to make pizza dough from common household ingredients,” OpenAI, March 7, 2023.

For more information, check Citation, Documentation of Sources (Chicago Manual of Style).

MLA

Works Cited:

“Describe the symbolism of the green light in the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald” prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat.

In-text citation: (“Describe the symbolism”)

For more information, check How do I cite generative AI in MLA style? (MLA Style Center).

AI-Assisted Plagiarism

Definition

AI-Assisted plagiarism occurs when a student submits AI-generated content as their own without proper documentation or in violation of their professor’s stated AI policy. This includes, but is not limited to:

Presenting or paraphrasing AI-generated text as original work without acknowledgment.
Using AI to generate sections of a paper without modification or critical engagement
Failing to cite AI use when required by course policy
Submitting AI-generated sources or fabricated citations

Consequences of AI-Assisted Plagiarism

Failing to properly document or cite AI use violates the College’s Academic Integrity Policy. If a professor suspects a violation, they may refer the case to the Academic Honesty Judicial Board, which will determine the appropriate consequences.

For a first offense, possible penalties include:

Receiving a zero on the assignment
Failing the course
Completing a required educational program

Repeated offenses may result in suspension, dismissal from the College, and notations on your academic transcript.

For more details, refer to the full policy on the College’s website: Academic Integrity Policy.

Protecting Your Work: Strategies to Defend Against AI Misuse Allegations

Students are encouraged to use various strategies to document their writing process and provide evidence of their original work in case of AI-related concerns.

Track Your Brainstorming Process – Take notes as you generate ideas, including explanations of why you chose or rejected specific topics.
Save Drafts at Different Stages – Preserve multiple versions of your essay to show its development over time.
- In Google Docs, use Version History to track changes over extended writing sessions. To save edits at specific points, name each version manually.
- In Microsoft Word, enable Autosave, which records changes every 5–10 minutes.
Maintain Detailed Citations – Keep a record of all sources used, including how you found each one and why you selected it.
Record Your Writing Process – Use screen recording to create a time-lapse of your writing sessions. This can be especially helpful if you tend to write in long, uninterrupted bursts.
Use Grammarly Carefully – While many professors allow Grammarly, its edits may resemble AI-generated text.
- To safeguard your work, only upload final drafts before making edits in Grammarly.
- Always save both the original draft and the Grammarly-edited version for reference.
Include an AI Disclaimer – At the end of each assignment, declare:
“I have not used any AI tools to complete this assignment.”
Follow AI Usage Guidelines – If your professor allows AI assistance, follow the specific citation/documentation requirements in the syllabus or assignment prompt. Pairing the required citation style with additional documentation can further support your academic integrity.

By implementing these strategies, students can confidently demonstrate their independent work and protect themselves from AI-related concerns.

Additional Resources

Complete this short free course to learn more about Generative AI while testing your knowledge: AI Essentials Course (Walden University).

Recommended AI Tools for Each Stage of the Writing Process:

ChatGPT - Pre-Writing, Idea Development, Drafting, Revising
PerplexityAI - Pre-Writing, Idea Development
Gemini - Idea Development, Drafting, Revising
Copilot - Pre-Writing, Idea Development, Drafting
NotebookLM - Pre-Writing, Idea Development
Grammarly - Drafting, Revising
QuillBot - Drafting, Revising
Hemingway Editor - Drafting, Revising
ProWritingAid - Drafting, Revising

Note: While most of these are free tools, they require the user to create an account and advanced features are behind a paywall.