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5. Exploring a Classroom Scenario: Navigating Grammarly and Turnitin in Academic Writing

As AI-powered tools like Grammarly become more common in academic settings, understanding their proper use and potential impact is essential for both students and educators. While Grammarly and its advanced AI features are NOT officially supported by SJSU, their widespread use among faculty and students makes it important to address their role in academic work and their implications for academic integrity.

đź“– Scenario Overview

Course Context: In an online graduate-level course, a student submitted a discussion post flagged by Turnitin's AI detection tool. The report indicated that 64% of the post was potentially AI-generated, but the student claimed they only used Grammarly for grammar checks and phrasing improvements.

This situation raised important questions:

  • Was the student’s claim valid?
  • Do Grammarly's AI-driven features count as academic misconduct?
  • How should instructors navigate this overlap between grammar tools and AI-generated content?

For more details, see the Turnitin Educator Network forum Links to an external site..

⚠️ The Challenge

Grammarly’s generative AI feature, GrammarlyGo, blurs the line between legitimate grammar assistance and advanced AI-generated content. The instructor faced a dilemma:

  • Understanding Intent: Did the student use Grammarly AI feature unintentionally, or was this deliberate misuse?
  • Defining Misconduct: Should Grammarly’s advanced AI features count as academic misconduct?
  • Policy Clarity: How can instructors set clear guidelines for acceptable use?

🛠️ Instructor Response

The instructor took the following actions to address the situation:

  1. Clarified Course Policy: Updated the syllabus to define acceptable grammar tool use versus AI rewriting.
  2. Education on AI Tools: Held a session to explain ethical tool use and how to avoid unintentional misconduct.
  3. Transparency Requirement: Advised students to save original drafts before using tools to show their editing process.

đź’ˇ Reflection

This case highlights the evolving challenge of defining academic integrity in the age of AI. To navigate these challenges:

  • Stay informed about the capabilities and limitations of AI tools like Grammarly.
  • Communicate clear, transparent guidelines to students about what constitutes acceptable use.
  • Encourage open dialogue with students to promote understanding and trust.

✅ Do's and ❌ Don'ts for Students Using Grammarly

✅ Do ❌ Don't
  • Use Grammarly to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
  • Keep a copy of your original draft before using any AI tools for transparency.
  • Follow course guidelines and ask for clarification about tool usage if unsure.
  • Use Grammarly's AI feature or other AI tools to rewrite or generate significant portions of your assignment.
  • Submit work as entirely your own if you’ve used AI tools beyond basic corrections.
  • Rely solely on grammar tools without developing your own writing skills.