Using generative AI at LSE
Guidance for linguistics degree courses (LN115, LN270, LN370)
Generative AI tools can analyse data, create writing, computer code, and / or images using minimal human prompting. Over the last year, generative AI tools have proliferated and are now embedded in everyday software and services.
As a student taking linguistics degree courses (LN115, LN270, LN370) it’s important that you understand how you can use Generative AI in your assessments, so that you can do your best in your studies.
As a pedagogically diverse School with different disciplines, there is no one approach to the use of generative AI across LSE. Instead, there are three positions to know about:
- Position 1: No authorised use of generative AI in assessment.
- Position 2: Limited authorised use of generative AI in assessment.
- Position 3: Full authorised use of generative AI in assessment.
On our linguistics degree courses (LN115, LN270, LN370), we follow Position 2: Limited use of generative AI in assessment.
Position 2
This means that generative AI tools can be used in specific ways for assessments in linguistics courses.
This policy is based on the consideration that formative and summative assignments in the LSE LC linguistics degree courses aim to assess your ability to find, understand and analyse information, and to demonstrate your understanding of course content by writing persuasively about it. Generative AI tools may support your learning and your work, but these tools must not replace your own ideas and perspectives.
Texts produced by AI tools are not valid academic sources. Such texts may reproduce biases inherent in the training data, they do not reliably state their sources, and information produced by AI has been found to be unreliable and misleading. For these reasons, all information obtained from AI tools must be cross-checked and verified. It is vital that you use academic and discipline specific texts and resources when developing your own work.
You will need to carefully read through the permitted use of generative AI tools. Other courses you are taking may have different policies on generative AI usage: this applies only to LN115, LN270 and LN370.
The ways in which generative AI tools are permitted, as well as where you cannot use them in LN115, LN270 and LN370 are outlined below:
|
|
Policy in LN115, LN270, and LN370
|
|
Use of text produced by generative AI tools (e.g., but not limited to ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot)
|
You may not copy text produced by generative AI tools into any submitted piece of work or use such text in an oral presentation.
You may not use text produced by generative AI tools as the basis for your own writing, including but not limited to modifying or paraphrasing AI-generated text.
You may not quote or use text produced by generative AI to support statements and arguments made in your own texts.
|
|
Citing text produced by generative AI tools for limited purposes
|
You may cite text produced by a generative AI tool for the purpose of discussing or commenting on the output and functionality of that AI tool. For example, when research on the functionality and limitations of generative AI is part of the assessment.
If you include a verbatim quotation from a text produced by a generative AI tool in your own submitted text, you must acknowledge this and use the referencing system of your choice for the citation. Read and follow the LSE library guidance on citing and referencing generative AI tools on this webpage: https://www.lse.ac.uk/library/using-the-library/library-resources-guide/citing-and-referencing .
|
|
Text editing and proofreading
|
You may use generative AI tools for the purposes of correcting or improving the spelling, grammar or style of your own written work (e.g., Grammarly or the re-writing function in MS Word).
You must declare such use of AI in the coversheet of your work.
|
|
AI-assisted searches and research
|
You may use generative AI tools to find relevant academic literature and to decide whether a source will be useful to read for your own research.
You may use generative AI tools to let them explain concepts or ideas as part of your learning process, but you should be aware that there is a risk of “hallucination” or misinformation.
You must not upload or copy any course materials (including assessment guidance, lecture or presentation slides, readings etc.) to any generative AI tool. This will violate copyright rules.
You may not copy AI-generated summaries or overviews of sources into your work.
You must declare AI use for research purposes in the coversheet of your work.
|
|
Bibliography and referencing
|
You may use bibliographic software such as EndNote, and you may use generative AI tools to identify academic sources.
You may not use generative AI tools to create the bibliography/reference list for any submitted assessment.
|
|
Text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools
|
You may use text-to-speech or speech-to-text software in the context of assessments, e.g. to transcribe interviews you have conducted as part of your research or to transcribe audio or video sources. You must verify the accuracy of any outputs of these tools.
If you include a verbatim quotation from a transcript produced by a generative AI tool you must acknowledge this and use the referencing system of your choice for the citation.
You must declare this use of AI in the coversheet of your work.
|
|
Interlingual machine translation (e.g., Google Translate, DeepL, or Large Language Models)
|
You may use machine translation software to translate texts into English or other languages.
You must verify the accuracy of the translation before using any translated text in your submitted work. If you quote or refer to any text which has been machine-translated, you must state the original source and the method of translation. Use the referencing system of your choice for the citation.
Do not upload or copy course materials to machine translation tools for translation into other languages – doing so may violate copyright rules.
|
|
Image and visuals generated by AI
|
You may use generative AI tools to generate or modify supporting images for your work or to generate or modify charts, graphs, diagrams and other visuals.
If you include such AI generated material in your submitted work, you have to acknowledge this. Use the referencing system of your choice for the reference.
|
|
Code generation for the purposes of creating non-text material (e.g., GitHub Copilot)
|
You may use any assistive AI tools you wish to help you in generating code to produce non-text components of your work. For example, you may use GitHub Copilot in writing Python code to produce a graph or chart from data and include this in your submitted work.
You must declare this use of AI in the coversheet of your work.
|
If you have any questions about the use of generative AI tools for course work, please speak with your course teacher.
In all submissions where you can use generative AI, you must cite its usage. Failing to cite the use of generative AI is a form of academic misconduct. In all other aspects of your work, where the use of generative AI is not permitted, using AI tools will be considered academic misconduct.
Generative AI at LSE: resources and tools
As a student at LSE, you have access to Microsoft’s generative AI tool, Copilot, for free. Please ensure you understand how to use Copilot effectively and responsibly in your studies, using our guidance.
To help you further develop your understanding, you can attend a workshop run by the Digital Skills Lab on maximising the benefits and mitigating the risks of Copilot and there is also a Moodle course on developing your AI literacy.
The Copilot workshop and AI literacy Moodle course can also help prepare you for the world of work, by ensuring you have the generative AI skills you’ll need to support your future career aspirations.