If your subject coordinator has advised that you can use generative AI tools and technologies in a subject, this resource guides you on how to appropriately acknowledge the use of these tools and technologies in your assessments. Researchers: Specific guidance for University of Melbourne researchers about how to acknowledge the use of digital assistance tools in research outputs is available at the Research ethics and integrity website. Academic Integrity at the University of Melbourne: You can find more information about Academic Integrity and how to uphold good scholarship at the University of Melbourne's Academic Integrity website. Acknowledging, citing and referencing use of AI tools and technologiesBefore you use GenAI for assessment-related work you must check to ensure that your subject coordinator has authorised GenAI use and the ways it can be used.Remember two important principles:Asking about GenAI use is acceptable: it's not an admission of guiltClarity about learning expectations and the assessment process is the goal.If you have used an AI tool or technology such as ChatGPT to generate an output which you either paraphrase or direct quote in your writing, you must cite and reference this output as a source in your reference list. Guidelines for how to cite and reference AI outputs are available for each of the referencing styles commonly used at the University of Melbourne. Check with your subject coordinator about the preferred referencing style in your subject. For examples on how to format your citations and references using a selected style, see Re:cite.If you have used an AI tool or technology in any other way (see below) in the process of completing your assessment, an acknowledgement of how you have used AI tools or technologies is required. You can create this acknowledgement by adding a declaration at the end of your assessment.GenAI uses requiring a declarationThrough the process of completing your assessment, there’s a range of GenAI uses to declare. Some examples include:Brainstorming: you used an AI tool to discuss a topic and develop ideas for your assignmentPlanning: you created outlines to structure the assignment after chatting with an AI AssistantDrafting text: you had the LLM create text that appears in the assignment (with appropriate citation)Content generation: you had an AI tool generate tables, figures, coding, images or videos for your assignment.Proofreading: you prompted the tool to advise you on grammar and simple formatting errorsEditing: you prompted the tool to advise you on tone, clarity, and the flow of your ideas between sentences, paragraphs, and sections. What to include in a declarationA declaration is a personal statement that you write to describe for readers how you have used AI tools and technologies to prepare an assessment. It should include:The specific AI tools or technologies you usedHow those outputs were used in your workWhether detailed records of prompts and outputs  you used in the AI tools or technologies are available on request (as a pasted log of chat conversations in a text document, for example). Why you should include a declarationAs a student, your declaration is an important statement confirming that the work you are submitting for assessment is your own and has academic integrity. Attempting to present AI-generated output as your original work without permission or proper acknowledgement is considered academic misconduct and may result in penalties.If your subject coordinator has advised that AI tools and technologies can be used in your subject and to complete an assessment, a declaration provides important information describing how you have used these tools and technologies in your work. For your readers, declarations add clarity and transparency about the extent to which you have used AI tools and technologies in your research, writing and learning processes.A subject coordinator may request a general statement about whether you did or did not use GenAI in an assessment. If you did not use GenAI tools, then you can still declare that using the example language provided below. Where to place your declarationA declaration to acknowledge how you have used AI tools and technologies in your work can be added at the end of your assessment. A declaration generally follows the reference list and does not need to be started on a new page. Examples of declarationsA declaration should be formatted to be consistent with other sections of your assessment in terms of font type, size and spacing. A heading (‘Declaration’) should be used to identify this statement clearly for your readers. If there is a standard declaration format for your faculty or subject, your teacher may provide that for you instead.TemplateDeclaration Acknowledgement of tools used: I acknowledge the use of [AI tool or technology name] [link] to generate.../ I have not used any AI tools or technologies to prepare this assessment. How the tool was used: Examples may include ‘I discussed the topic to develop my argument’, ‘I generated tables to visualise my data’, ‘I requested proofreading advice on my grammar’ Records available: A full record of prompts and outputs is available upon request Example 1DeclarationI acknowledge the use of Claude [claude.ai] to help me debug my code for data analysis.I used it to analyse sections of my code and to identify potential weaknesses. I used the outputs to revise syntax errors before executing with my full data.A full record of prompts and outputs is available upon request.Example 2DeclarationI acknowledge the use of Microsoft Copilot to brainstorm my essay argument.I prompted the model to ask me clarifying questions about my draft and the flow of my logic. I used the output to refine my central thesis statement and to decide how to order the argument for my essay.A full record of prompts and outputs is available upon request.Example 3Declaration I acknowledge the use of Stable Diffusion (stability.ai) to generate images for this assessment.I provided a description of several train station atrium models at various levels of human crowd size. The outputs were used as a visual aid for peak-hour station use.A full record of prompts and outputs is available upon request. FAQs I have cited and referenced outputs from an AI tool or technology in my assessment. Do I also need a declaration? Yes. In addition to a citation or reference, a declaration provides you with an opportunity to describe how you have used an AI tool or technology to complete your assessment. This information assists your readers to understand how AI tools and technologies have been incorporated in your research, writing and learning processes. I have not used any generative AI tools or technologies in the preparation of my assessment. Do I need to include a declaration? If your subject coordinator requires a statement about AI use, and you have not used AI tools or technologies to prepare your assessment, you can include the following statement in your declaration: “I have not used any AI tools or technologies to prepare this assessment.” I have appendices at the end of my assessment. Where do I insert my declaration? If you have appendices at the end of your assessment, a declaration can be placed after your reference list and before your appendices. Using a heading (‘Declaration’) will assist your reader to locate your declarative statement in your assessment. I have used more than one AI tool. Do I need to declare them all? Yes. Your declaration should describe all of the AI tools and technologies that you have used at all stages of preparing your assessment, including from initial brainstorming and planning through to a final review. I have a long series of prompts. Do I need to record each one? If you enter multiple prompts or had an ongoing dialogue with the program, it is recommended that you save these conversations in a file that you can provide later if need be. For your declaration, specify how you prompted the model(s) and for what purpose, as described above. Then indicate that detailed prompts and outputs can be provided (as that separate file) upon request. Is a declaration included in the word count of my assessment? Similar to your reference list and appendix, a declarative statement is generally not included in your word count. If in doubt, please check with your subject coordinator. I am working on a group assessment. Should we create individual declarations or one statement from the group? If submitting a group assessment, generally one declaration to represent all group members is required. The statement needs to describe how all group members have used AI tools and technologies to complete the assessment. If in doubt, please check with your subject coordinator. I have used translation tools and/or digital assistance tools to improve my writing. Do I need to declare them? Check with your subject coordinator first. If you have been given permission to use translation or writing tools in the preparation of your assessment, acknowledging how you have used them is an important part of your declaration to create clarity and transparency for your reader. Further resourcesAdvice on using sources in your writing from Academic Skills Final tipRemember that, when in doubt, you can always ask your coordinator or tutor assignment-specific questions about your GenAI declaration. You can also get advice from an Academic Skills Adviser on this topic by booking an individual appointment. Looking for one-on-one advice? Get tailored advice from an Academic Skills Adviser by booking an Individual appointment. Go to Student appointments