
  • flinders.edu.au
  • Staff
  • Students
  • Library
Flinders University Logo Flinders University Logo
  • Accessing Collections

    Accessing collections

    • Borrowing
    • Special collections
    • Document delivery
    • Recommend an item
    • Sendit service
    • Leisure reading
    • Alumni eLibrary
    • Cultural sensitivity at the Library
    • New books in the library
    More
  • Spaces & facilities

    Spaces

    • Central Library
    • Gus Fraenkel Medical Library
    • Sturt Library
    • City Campus Library
    • Tonsley Library
    • Bookings
    • Recording rooms
    • Noel Stockdale room
    • HDR Central
    • Sensory spaces

    Facilities

    • Computers
    • Printing & photocopying
    • Staffed hours
    • Digitisation Lab
    • Adaptive technology rooms
    More
  • Students

    Finding resources

    • Findit@Flinders (Library search)
    • Suggested resources by subject
    • Databases
    • Past exams
    • Libkey Nomad browser extension

    Searching skills

    • How-to guides
    • Drop-ins and workshops
    • Using AI tools for study

    Help & support

    • Contact Library & FLO Help
    • Logging in to Library resources
    • Disability support & access
    • Library services for rural & remote students
    More
  • Researchers

    Our services

    • Advanced searching
    • Bibliometrics
    • Copyright for researchers
    • Document Delivery
    • Flinders publishing platforms
    • Open access
    • ORCiD & academic profiles
    • Read & publish
    • Research data management
    • ResearchNow
    • Statistical tools & services
    • Systematic reviews
    • Thesis submission to library
    • Using AI tools in research

    Get support

    • Ask a Library Research query
    • Library drop-ins and workshops
    • Logging in to Library resources
    More
  • Staff

    We help with...

    • Accreditation & course design
    • Copyright for teaching
    • Document delivery
    • Library purchase recommendations
    • Open educational resources
    • Readings & resources
    • Textbook selection
    • Embed library skills in your topic

    Get support

    • Ask about embedding library skills in a topic
    • Ask about online content for topics
    • Ask a readings query
    • Get Library support for accreditation
    • Get Library support for course design or approval
    • Reading list workshops
    • Logging in to Library resources
    More
  • About

    Quick links

    • About us
    • Opening hours
    • Contact us
    • Donations and bequests
    • Policies & guidelines
    More
  • Databases
  • flinders.edu.au
  • Staff
  • Students
  • Library
  • You have no saved courses.

    Continue to explore your course options.

     
    Explore our courses

    Your saved courses

    {{{courseName}}}
    mail_outline
    delete
    View all saved courses
  • Quick links 
    • FindIt@Flinders
    • Databases
    • Journals
    • My library card
    • Opening hours
    • FAQs (AskFlinders)
    • Flinders Learning Online (FLO)
    • Book a study space
    • Flinders dashboard (OKTA)

 

Using AI for study

Using the Library as a student Using AI for study

Learning to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools effectively and appropriately is an essential digital literacy skill for both your studies and future career.

This information starts you on your journey to learn more about this exciting technology and give you some confidence when exploring these tools.

Copilot Chat at Flinders

Flinders University students have access to Microsoft Copilot Chat, which offers the security of enterprise data protection.

Learn how to access and use Copilot Chat

     Flinders University position statement on the use of AI  What is AI?  Copilot Chat  Appraising AI tools  Academic integrity & referencing AI  Need help?

Unsure about using artificial intelligence for an assessment?

Watch this video for advice from Flinders staff and students. Get ideas for questions to ask – and learn why it is important to ask them.

You can also use this AI scale to help when asking your lecturers about AI use.

What is artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems that are able to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. There are different types of AI in use today.

Artificial narrow intelligence and Artificial general intelligence keyboard_arrow_up

Artificial narrow intelligence (ANI)

ANI refers to systems that are programmed to perform a single task, using machine learning techniques such as supervised learning and reinforcement learning.  
Examples include image recognition in self-driving cars, recommendation systems when shopping online, or text prediction apps.  

Artificial general intelligence (AGI)

AGI is a theoretical type of AI that is able to perform any intellectual task in any situation, much like a human. 

Machine learning keyboard_arrow_up

Machine learning refers to a range of techniques to build systems that have the ability to learn and improve from experience, without being explicitly programmed to do so.  

Two common examples of machine learning are supervised learning and reinforcement learning.

Supervised learning

This is where a program is given data that has been labelled. From this, the program starts to recognise patterns, allowing it to predict or classify new information. Examples include image recognition, where programs are trained to recognise cats.  

Reinforcement learning

This involves giving the program feedback each time it performs a task, so that it learns from doing things correctly.  

Generative artificial intelligence keyboard_arrow_up

Generative AI is a type of artificial narrow intelligence (ANI) where the program creates new content – either text or images – based on the data that is has been trained on.  

A recent example of generative AI is ChatGPT. ChatGPT has been trained on a massive amount of text from digital resources to recognise patterns in words and sentences. It provides responses to prompts by predicting the next likely word in a given context.  

You may also have heard of DALL-E, which was trained on a large set of image and text pairs to create new images based on textual descriptions.

 

 

Appraising AI tools

When using any new digital tool or source of information, it is good practice to think critically about why you are using it, how it can help you, and what its limitations are.

Purpose of the tool keyboard_arrow_up

Look for information provided by the developers about the tool you want to use.  

  • What do they say about why the tool was developed?
  • How do they envisage it will be used, or how it will help people?
  • Does this match what you want to do? 

Look for information about how others have used the tool.  

  • What comments do they have about what it is good for?
  • What are its strengths and weaknesses?
  • Explore the tool yourself. Enter different prompts and see what happens. Test it against something you know really well or are starting to learn.
Accuracy and trustworthiness keyboard_arrow_up

A useful expression in computer science is “garbage in, garbage out”. Tools are only as good as the data used. If programs are trained on incomplete, inaccurate or biased data, then the output will also be incomplete, inaccurate or biased. The output is also influenced by the quality, accuracy, and thoroughness of the training that the program receives.  

Look for information provided by the developers about the tool you want to use.  

  • Does it include a description of the data set and the training methods used?
  • Are there any obvious gaps or biases?
  • What do other tech or subject experts say about the tool and its outputs?
  • Would this impact the reliability
Relevancy keyboard_arrow_up

It can take a long time to train AI programs and a long time for new datasets to be incorporated into its training.  

Does the program indicate when it was last updated and how current its dataset is? Does this impact the relevance of the tool for your requirements?

Legal considerations keyboard_arrow_up

As with any digital tool, it is good practice to check any terms of use.  

Look for the following: 

Restrictions on use

Are there limitations on who can use the tool? E.g. persons under 18 years of age.
Are there limitations on how the outputs can be used? E.g. can it be used for educational purposes, but not commercial? 

Intellectual property

Who owns the outputs produced?
What can you do with the outputs? Can you share it, re-use it, edit it?
Is there a requirement to provide an acknowledgement when using the output? 

Privacy and security

Do you need to provide any personal information to use the tool?
Where is this information stored? Who has access to it? What can they do with it? 

Social and ethical considerations keyboard_arrow_up

As well as the relevance, trustworthiness and use-limits of AI tools, you may be interested to think about some of the social and ethical aspects of AI tools.  

For example: 

  • Use of copyrighted material when training AI programs.
  • Equity of access (e.g. where users need to pay to use the tool, or where a minimum level of internet access or computing power is needed to use the tool).
  • Environmental impact of developing and running large AI programs.  

Using AI tools for study

There are a wide range of ways that AI tools can help you when studying at university – but there are also times when it is not appropriate or acceptable to use such tools.

Accepted uses keyboard_arrow_up

You may consider using an AI tool only when it is permitted by your topic coordinator, and with proper acknowledgement of your use of AI.

You may be instructed or permitted to use AI platforms or tools during your topic or as part of an assessment piece. Read any instructions carefully and only use the tools in the manner prescribed. For example, a topic may permit the use of AI in some, but not all stages of an assessment task. If you are unsure, check with your topic coordinator.

Where use has been permitted, you must properly acknowledge any use of AI in the development of your assessment and provide an appropriate citation. 

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can be very useful to help you: 

  • Understand complex concepts by explaining them in simpler terms
  • Apply critical, creative and reflective thinking skills by generating and evaluating your prompts and the accuracy and relevance of the output
  • Improve your written communication skills by refining your language and style
  • Prepare for assessments by generating quizzes and flash cards to practice with. 
Academic misconduct keyboard_arrow_up

There are several instances where the use of AI tools may constitute academic misconduct, as per the University’s Student Academic Integrity Policy.  Academic misconduct means a student has not met the expected academic integrity requirements.

Examples include:

  • Using AI tools beyond what is permitted by the topic coordinator. 
    Some topics may not allow the use of AI tools or may only allow their use with certain limitations. If the topic information or assessment instructions specify how AI tools can or cannot be used, be sure to stay within these limitations. If you do not and declare that you have complied with assessment requirements, this could constitute misrepresentation.  If you are unsure, check with the topic coordinator
  • Submitting output generated by AI tools as your own work. This may include plagiarism (representing the work of another as if were your own original work), contract cheating (acquiring or commissioning work and submitting it as your own), or solicitation (procuring or otherwise engaging an entity to produce work for the purpose of cheating, misrepresentation, and/or plagiarism)
  • Not properly acknowledging use of output from AI tools. You should not rely on output generated by AI tools without properly citing and acknowledging their use. Failure to do so may constitute plagiarism
  • Sharing assessment questions or instructions with AI platforms or tools. University teaching material is supplied to you for your own study purposes only and should not be shared with anyone outside of the university, even AI programs.

More about academic integrity

Referencing keyboard_arrow_up

If you use AI tools in the development of any part of your assessment, it is important to acknowledge them appropriately to avoid instances of academic misconduct.  

It is recommended that you do the following: 

  • Ensure you cite content developed by these tools according to your topic’s preferred referencing style
  • Provide a declaration acknowledging which AI tools have been used and how. This should be included either as a footnote or at the end of your reference list, as per your topic coordinator’s preference. For example: “I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT in the drafting and proofreading of this assignment.”

The APA 7 and Harvard referencing guides include information on acknowledging use of artificial intelligence. The Student Learning Support Service provides support with referencing and a Learning Advisor can help with specific questions around acknowledging AI.

Need help?

The Student Learning Support Service can provide guidance on using
and referencing AI tools (where permitted by your topic coordinator).

For help evaluating AI tools, contact the Library.

Student Learning Support Service

Contact the Library

Flinders University Logo

Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042

Ph: 1300 354 633 (Select 3)
Email: library@flinders.edu.au

  • Staff Portal
  • Current students
  • Flinders website

Follow Flinders Library

Facebook - Flinders University LinkedIn

Innovative Resaerch Universities logo Indigenous communities

Website feedback and requests

Disclaimer

Accessibility

Privacy

CRICOS Provider: 00114A     TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12097

Last Updated: 05 May 2025

FOREVER FEARLESS

This website uses cookies

Flinders University uses cookies to ensure website functionality, personalisation and a variety of purposes as set out in its website privacy statement. This statement explains cookies and their use by Flinders.

If you consent to the use of our cookies then please click the button below:

Accept all cookies and continue

If you do not consent to the use of all our cookies then please click the button below. Clicking this button will result in all cookies being rejected except for those that are required for essential functionality on our website.

Reject all non-essential cookies and continue