Writing Help: Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: The information in this guide does not constitute endorsement or promotion of the use of generative AI (GenAI) tools. The content serves only to facilitate an understanding of how GenAI tools can be used within various contexts and should not replace any advice, guidance, or requirements from your instructors, supervisors, publishers, the institution, or other stakeholders. The Writing Centre does not use Artificial Intelligence to assess or provide feedback on student work.

Can You Use GenAI?

Before using any GenAI writing tools, verify whether their use is permitted by checking assignment instructions, noting any in-class guidance, and reviewing the course syllabus.

Recommendations

If, after reviewing instructions, you are unsure about acceptable uses of GenAI, ask your instructor or supervisor for more information or clarification.

Consider asking for guidance in writing (such as in an email) to ensure you are not missing any details.
Note that what is permitted in one class, a section of a class, or even in an individual assessment may not be permitted in another class, section, or assessment.
Check in with your group members and instructor before using GenAI to work on a project.
If you are writing for publication, check in with co-authors and carefully read the publication policies and guidelines.

Please consult relevant parts of the Library's GenAI guide for more information, particularly around integrity and ethics, and visit the USask Academic Integrity page's Advice for Students. In addition, review the USask provisional guidelines for research, scholarly, and artistic work, as well as provisional guidelines for students.

Decision Tree

Note that this decision tree is a rough guide and may not apply to all contexts.

Capabilities and Limitations of GenAI

No matter how you use GenAI in the writing process, it is essential to consider its capabilities and limitations. Effective use of GenAI requires that you have the basic subject expertise, critical thinking, creative thinking, and revision skills to manage and correct limitations. Here are some examples:

Capability	Limitation
Generating ideas or supporting brainstorming GenAI can spark ideas or suggestions in response to a prompt, helping users get "unstuck" when starting an assignment. It can also be prompted to argue or present alternative viewpoints and perspectives.	Handling complexity GenAI can generate errors, inconsistencies, and oversimplifications when used to assist with academic work. This can be seen in how it manages i) complex texts (e.g., nuanced texts, intricate reasoning), ii) subjects that span more than one discipline or involve interconnected theories, iii) inputs requiring the AI to help with the synthesis of information or critical thinking; and iv) maintenance of context, particularly in more extended interactions.
Aiding in paper structuring and drafting GenAI can assist in organizing thoughts, creating outlines, and drafting with commonly used disciplinary vocabulary and phrases (note: not appropriate in all disciplines or contexts). GenAI can also be used to reverse outline work.	Summarizing and paraphrasing GenAI does not always create an entirely accurate summary or paraphrase, which can lead to the omission or misrepresentation of essential details. Concerningly, GenAI also tends to patchwork plagiarize.
Demonstrating genre conventions GenAI can help students better understand the conventions and styles of various genres .	Generating biased and inaccurate information GenAI tools do not reliably generate unbiased, balanced, and accurate information, and their outputs require human verification. The user must have critical thinking skills and the ability to fact-check and verify outputs.
Asking grammar questions Many use GenAI to revise, edit, and proofread their writing (examples). They can ask GenAI to identify redundancies, idiomatic expressions (e.g., "Can you list some idioms that express surprise or astonishment?"), or synonyms (e.g., "What is another word for 'happy'?"). GenAI tools can also help writers with punctuation and sentence structure, leading to more polished work. However, be sure to see the "Limitations" column for important issues around editing and proofreading.	Performing inconsistently GenAI tools do not consistently identify grammatical errors, especially in complex texts. Better outputs require better inputs (prompts), meaning that you need some knowledge of grammar to be specific in your prompt (e.g., "Check for unclear pronoun references").
Translating text and selecting vocabulary Writers can use GenAI to translate text into different languages and choose vocabulary for their writing. Ensure you verify and learn from outputs rather than having the AI do the work for you.	Translating accurately These tools do not always produce entirely accurate translations, particularly for an intended meaning or context, potentially resulting in misunderstandings or miscommunication. If used without verification of outputs, they can curtail learning. Use translation functions only if permitted.
Improving accessibility These tools can provide real-time, inexpensive or free writing assistance for writers with dyslexia, Autism or ADHD. For example, the prompt "I have a 20-page research paper due in six weeks. Can you help me create a plan to complete it on time?" may help a student with ADHD (or any student, for that matter) begin and manage the writing process.	Risks for People with Disabilities According to a World Economic Forum article, GenAI "poses risks for those with disabilities. . . associated with transparency, understanding systems outcomes, cognitive silos, potential misinformation and manipulation, privacy and ownership" (World Economic Forum, 2023).
Levelling the playing field for scholars GenAI usage can improve the chances for scholars who communicate in a dialect of English or whose first language is not English to publish their knowledge (Tai et al., 2023, p. T13). Of course, prospective authors should carefully check outputs for accuracy, review publication agreements, and assess for unintentional plagiarism (GenAI can patchwork plagiarize, for example).	Producing uniform style and lacking linguistic diversity Cultivate and maintain your own writing style, maintaining your authorial voice. GenAI tools tend to default to Standard American English (SAE) and a uniform, generic style. The MLA-CCCC Joint Task Force on Writing and AI warns, "[s]tudents may face increased linguistic injustice because LLMs promote an uncritical normative reproduction of standardized English...that aligns with dominant racial and economic power structures" (2023, p. 7). For example, by correcting someone's written dialect of English to SAE, AI tools can perpetuate the loss of cultural diversity and identity. However, some emerging AI tools (such as Latimer) have been trained on culturally and linguistically diverse data.

Reminder: Text produced by GenAI but submitted as one’s own work is considered plagiarism; outputs must be quoted or paraphrased and cited appropriately. For more information on academic integrity or citing AI-generated content, see the sections Ethical Considerations and Citing GenAI.

Library Guide to Generative AI

Generative AI Guide
The Library's GenAI Guide provides some key considerations and guidance on using GenAI in the writing process.

USask Tutorial on Ethical Use of Generative AI

Ethical and Responsible Use of Generative AI: USask Tutorial
Certificate available.

Learning Goal: To acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate generative AI tools responsibly and ethically.

Questions to Ask Your Instructor

In addition to asking whether you have permission to use GenAI, asking instructors or supervisors these questions will lead to enlightening and engaging conversations:

What are your opinions about GenAI?
How are scholars in your field responding to GenAI?
How will GenAI change teaching, learning, and research in the coming years?
In what scenarios do you think using GenAI is appropriate?
What advice would you give to students about using GenAI?

Writing with Group Members or Co-Authors

Discuss ground rules around acceptable GenAI use when working in a group. All group members should acquire basic education around academic integrity and GenAI. Consider the following before proceeding with the project:

Are group members familiar with campus, college, and department policies on GenAI use?
Are all members clear on official guidance provided by an instructor, editorial board, or similar authority?
Do any group members have ethical concerns about using GenAI, and if so, how will the group manage those concerns? Remember that people have the right to refuse to use AI.
If GenAI is to be used, what are its perceived benefits for the group? Why would it be used?
What are the perceived drawbacks of using GenAI? In what contexts or specific tasks in the writing process should the group not use it?
What approaches will the group use to verify the accuracy and reliability of GenAI-produced outputs?
How will the group ensure that the use of GenAI material is tracked (see documentation) and properly acknowledged?
How will the group ensure that privacy is not compromised and copyright is not violated (see Ethical Considerations tabs: Privacy, Copyright)

If conflicts emerge around GenAI use in a course assignment, talk to your instructor about your concerns. If you are co-authoring a paper for publication, check in with co-authors and carefully read publication guidelines before beginning work.

Generative AI Writing Tools

Disclaimer: The following information is not an endorsement or promotion of the use of generative AI (GenAI) tools. The content serves only to facilitate an understanding of how GenAI tools can be used within various contexts and should not replace any advice, guidance, or requirements from your instructors, supervisors, publishers, the institution, or other stakeholders.

USask-Supported Tools

GenAI Overview, including information on Microsoft Bing Copilot

GenAI for Students and Instructors at USask

A USask-supported writing tool is Microsoft 365, which includes MS Editor. Microsoft tools have long incorporated some elements of artificial intelligence (e.g., spellcheck and predictive text).

In fall 2024, all faculty, staff, and students will have access to Microsoft Copilot. To stay up-to-date about USask-supported technology tools, visit the Learning Technology Ecosystem Toolkit.

Remember: As more GenAI is embedded in standard, institutionally-supported software, writers are still responsible for verifying with instructors, supervisors, and prospective publishers that it is acceptable to enable these features.

GenAI Product Tracker

The Generative AI Product Tracker is made available by Ithaka S+R. It provides a list of generative AI tools relevant for postsecondary use and is updated regularly as new products and tools become available. Please note, however, that these are not campus-supported tools. For a list of USask-approved tools, consult the LTE Toolkit. To request a review for a new tool from this tracker, please follow the recommendations for requesting a new LTE tool or the steps in this ICT guide.

Comparison of GenAI Tools
Regularly updated, from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
600+ AI Tools, Categorized
A frequently-updated compendium of AI tools, categorized according to purpose, including transcription, video editors, research, and writing.

This page of the guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.