Academic Enrichment English Literature Student ID: 5507242

Academic enrichment: Critical Reflection: What is Academic Integrity and why is it needed?

Academic Integrity serves as the ethical foundation governing the integrity of critical academic work,

demanding transparency in the relationship between individuals and the sources informing their

creations. This necessitates a commitment to honesty and originality to uphold the highest

standards in academic practices. My exploration of ‘avoiding plagiarism’ within the Moodle course

deepened my understanding of its various forms. Whether intentional or inadvertent, plagiarism

carries significant consequences. Deliberate replication of ideas or text without proper attribution

can lead to failure or even expulsion from the University. Unintentional plagiarism, arising from

oversights like forgetting quotation marks or inadequate acknowledgment of source material, also

carries repercussions. To mitigate these risks, meticulous attention must be paid to crafting essays,

ensuring every reference is appropriately marked, cited, and included in the bibliography.

Workshops, particularly those addressing paragraphing style and effective structuring when

engaging with secondary sources, were also useful. Emphasising the establishment of a thesis and

the sustained development of arguments through judicious selection of supporting secondary

sources enhanced the depth of my writing. The workshop on sourcing books in the library,

specifically focusing on accessing materials pertinent to my research, aided me in navigating the

library effectively. Additionally, the digital library's accessibility expedited my search for specific

sources, enhancing the efficiency of my research process.

In the current era of rapid artificial intelligence development, it is essential to consider its potential

impact on academic integrity. While AI can effortlessly generate sophisticated essays with a simple

prompt and a click of a button, its inherent lack of a critical lens, unique to sentient individuals,

raises concerns. Furthermore, AI, exemplified by Chat-GPT, has limitations, including the potential

provision of outdated or incorrect information. The question arises: ‘When does the use of AI or
Academic Enrichment English Literature Student ID: 5507242

technology become a violation of the learning process?’ (Chami, 2023) prompts us to consider this

query. While exclusive reliance on AI for essay composition violates university regulations and moral

principles, a measured integration of AI could offer benefits. For example, ‘tools like Quillbot and

Grammarly {can} help students to enhance their written work by improving the expression of

language and correcting spelling, grammatical errors, punctuation blunders or awkward phrasing’

(IBID) and thus one could say forbidding the use of this technology may hinder the development of a

student’s piece or prevent their ideas from transpiring successfully in a verbal sense. This manner of

thinking views AI software to enhance work, not compose it entirely from scratch. The

encouragement of this would lead to human writers being obsolete and outright damages the

concept of academic integrity. Therefore, instead of outright prohibition, adapting advantageous

aspects of AI into writing practices over time might prove a more balanced approach, preserving

academic integrity while acknowledging the evolving landscape of technology. Amid technological

evolution, exploring AI and digital resources can be an asset, but integration must be thoughtful to

enhance, not compromise, academic depth.

In conclusion, upholding academic integrity and refining skills through workshops have strengthened

the ethical foundation of my current and future academic pursuits. The workshops on how to

manage plagiarism emphasised meticulous citation, while insights from the writing workshops

enhanced my writing practices.

Word count : 519

Bibliography
Artificial Intelligence and academic integrity: Striking a balance (2023) THE Campus Learn, Share,

Connect.
Academic Enrichment English Literature Student ID: 5507242

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/artificial-intelligence-and-academic-integrity
striking-balance (Accessed: 29 November 2023).