Using artificial intelligence-based tools to help with school assignments is becoming more common among students. AI text generation tools like ChatGPT can help rephrase concepts, suggest ideas, and even draft entire essays on a given topic. However, many students wonder whether teachers would be able to detect if an AI was used to generate or augment parts of an assignment.
There are a few things teachers may look for to determine AI involvement:
Unnatural language or word choices: AI models like ChatGPT produce very human-like language, but there are still some quirks that can give them away. Odd word choices, awkward phrases, or sentences that don’t quite make sense could indicate AI involvement. Teachers who are familiar with a student’s normal writing style may also detect differences.
Lack of depth or personal connection: Assignments that fail to show in-depth understanding, passion, or personal connection to the topic can raise suspicions. AI models can struggle with making deep, nuanced connections that human writers and thinkers make. Simplistic or superficial treatment of complex topics may indicate an AI was used.
Consistency issues: AI models may repeatedly use the same phrases, examples, or make contradictory statements, especially in longer-form writing. Lack of consistency and flow in an assignment could tip a teacher off to AI involvement. They may also notice if different portions of an assignment have distinctly different tones or styles.
AI detection software: Teachers often run assignments through AI detection softwares such as Winston AI. These tools analyze patterns like perplexity, burstiness, word choice, syntax, and semantic connections to flag AI-generated or paraphrased content that was passed off as a student’s own work. For more information, you can read our detailed article on how AI detection works.
In conclusion, while AI tools are getting increasingly advanced and human-like, most teachers would likely still be able to detect their use in student assignments upon closer review. Students should avoid using these tools, as it could be considered a form of plagiarism or academic dishonesty. The best approach is to always do your own work when completing assignments.
