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Online Tools for Assignment

Introduce useful online tools that may help to prepare your assignment.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

PolyU's Stance of Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

According to the Guidelines for Students on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Effective from 2022/23 Summer Term (April 2023), it mentioned below:

PolyU's Stance

"PolyU takes an open and forward-looking stance on the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools (such as ChatGPT) as a positive and creative force in education, and the incorporation of such use in innovative learning, teaching, and assessment practices. While embracing the use of new technology in education, PolyU upholds the principle that students must adhere to high standards of academic integrity in all forms of assessments. The Student Code of Conduct and the policy on academic integrity apply to the use of GenAI in student work."

PolyU's GenAI Related Guides and Information

Tips for using GenAI Tools

What is Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)?

According to Google Generative AI – Google AI, "Now, generative AI can also help us create new content. Generative AI builds on existing technologies, like large language models (LLMs) which are trained on large amounts of text and learn to predict the next word in a sentence." Other than creating new text, Generative AI tools can also generate images, audio, videos, or other media in response to prompts.

 

Guidelines for using GenAI

As a PolyU student, it's important to use generative AI tools critically, ethically and wisely. These tools are still evolving, and they can sometimes produce inaccurate or misleading information.

Here are some key points to keep in mind:

DO's DON'Ts
✔ Use GenAI for brainstorming and generating ideas. ❌ Do NOT rely solely on AI-generated content as the source of information. Always verify and cross-reference.
✔ Check for factual accuracy of AI-generated content before using it. ❌ Do NOT ask GenAI software to write your essays or academic assignments.
✔ Use AI-generated content in conjunction with other sources to ensure your work is reliable and well-informed. ❌ Do NOT input any personal details or confidential information when using GenAI tools to maintain data security and privacy.
✔ Include any assistance from GenAI tools in your reference list.  

 

Reference:

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. (2023, June 27). Guidelines for Students on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence. https://www.polyu.edu.hk/ar/students-in-taught-programmes/use-of-genai/

Keep the "CRAAP" questions in mind as you analyze your AI-generated information or other types of information! Try now!

Using CRAAP to evaluate the information

To ensure the reliability of the information obtained through AI or other sources, consider applying the "CRAAP" test, a useful way for evaluating credibility. Ask yourself whether your source is current, relevant, authoritative, and accurate.

CRAAP - Quick Checklist

Criteria Description Questions
C - Currency Timeliness of information
  • When was it published?
  • Has it been updated?
  • Does your topic need current information, or are older sources acceptable?
  • Are the links functional?
R - Relevance Contextual Fit
  • Does it relate to your topic?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  •  Is it at an appropriate level for your needs?
    (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)
  •  Have you consulted various sources, before determining this is one you will use?
  •  Would you cite this in your academic research?
A - Authority Source credibility
  • Who is the author/sponsor?
  • What are their credentials or affiliations?
  • Is the author qualified on the topic?
  • Any contact information available?
  • Does the website URL reveal anything about the source?
    .gov - a government site
    .edu - an educational site
    .com - a commercial sit
    .org - an organization site
A - Accuracy Reliability of content
  • Where does the information come from?
  • Is it supported by evidence?
  • Has it been reviewed?
  • Can you verify it through other sources or personal knowledge?
  • Is the language or tone unbiased?
  • Are there spelling or grammatical errors?
P - Purpose Reason for existence
  • Do the authors make the intentions clear?
  • What is the purpose? E.g. to inform, teach, sell, or persuade
  • Is it fact, opinion, or propaganda?
  • Is the viewpoint objective and impartial?
  • Are there any biases? E.g. political, cultural, religious, personal biases

Modified based on Evaluating Information - Applying the CRAAP Test By Meriam Library, California State University, Chico

How to cite Generative AI (GenAI) content? 

Most referencing styles have no specific guidelines for citing ChatGPT or other GenAI tools. Unless specific instructions are provided, you should refer to the guidelines provided by official sites of different citation styles and the Referencing Guides developed by ELC for citation.

Follow the referencing style used in your course for how to cite GenAI content. The full transcript of a response can be included in an appendix or other supplementary materials.

Here is an example of citing the GenAI content based on the APA 7th Referencing guide. You may also refer to How to cite ChatGPT in APA Style for more information.

In-text citation: Author of generative AI model, Year of version used
E.g. (OpenAI, 2023) / OpenAI (2023)

Reference: 
Author of AI model used. (Year of AI model used). Name of AI model used (Version of AI model used) [Type or description of AI model used]. Web address of AI model used
E.g. OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat 

 

Currently, no citation style includes a specific reference type for GenAI content. Some citation styles may use reference templates for software, while others cite the content as personal communication or correspondence.

For information on citing GenAI content in various citation styles, please refer to the following pages.

It is important to be aware of the limitations of AI tools and to use them in conjunction with other reliable sources of information. They can sometimes produce inaccurate or misleading information. Be aware of the biases of the tools!

 

Comparison of Popular Generative AI Tools (Chatbot)

Criteria Microsoft Copilot Google Gemini POE AI OpenAI - ChatGPT ANTHROP\C's Claude
Access Requirements Microsoft personal account and Edge browser/mobile app Google personal account in supported regions Any email address Free to use in supported regions Any email address in supported regions
Features An AI-powered assistant that combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with your data in the Microsoft Graph An AI chatbot that lets users collaborate with generative AI. A platform that lets users talk to AI chatbots powered by different language models An AI assistant that lets users get instant answers, find creative inspiration, and learn something new. An AI assistant developed by Anthropic that performs cognitive tasks, analyzes images, generates code, and processes multiple languages.
Language Models Used Customized GPT-4, Prometheus Model Google Gemini (Gemini 1.0 Pro, Gemini 1.5 Pro, Gemini 1.0 Advanced) ChatGPT, GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini, Llama, and more GPT-3.5, GPT-4 Model Claude 3 model family (in ascending order of capability: Claude 3 Haiku, Claude 3 Sonnet, and Claude 3 Opus)
Access to Internet Information Yes Yes No Limited Access when using OpenAI plugins No

 

*Please note that the information provided in this table is based on the current situation as of June 2024, and is subject to change. We recommend referring to the official page of the tools for the most up-to-date information.

More useful AI and Research Online tools for research staff and students are listed below:

1. For Literature Searching
2. For Literature Review Mapping
3. For Reading and Compreheading
4. For Organizing and Writing
5. For Presenting and Storytelling
6. Others

AI-generated vs AI-assisted

When it comes to understanding the ownership and authorship of AI works, it's crucial to recognize that the answers can vary depending on the jurisdiction and whether the work is "AI-generated" or "AI-assisted".

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Secretariat's Revised Statement on Intellectual Property Policy and Artificial Intelligence (WIPO/IP/AI/2/GE/20/1 Rev.), certain definitions are provided in paragraph 12 to clarify these terms:

"12. “AI-generated” and “generated autonomously by AI” are terms that are used interchangeably and refer to the generation of an output by AI without human intervention. In this scenario, AI can change its behavior during operation to respond to unanticipated information or events. This is to be distinguished from “AI-assisted” outputs that are generated with material human intervention and/or direction."

Please keep in mind that these definitions may not be universally accepted and may be subject to interpretation and further legal developments.