The AI vs Students: Caught in an Academic Copy-Pasting War

Published On Fri May 12 2023
The AI vs Students: Caught in an Academic Copy-Pasting War

Lazy Copy-Pasting in Twelfth Night Essay: Caught with the Help of AI

The world of academia has been wary of the increasing use of artificial intelligence, or AI, tools that help students in completing their assignments or essays. While these tools can be helpful in making tasks easier and quicker, it has also raised concerns among teachers and professors about the use of these tools for cheating. The recent case of a Twelfth Night essay, submitted by a student, has put a spotlight on this issue.

A Twitter user named Justine Moore (@venturetwins) shared a screenshot of an essay submission on Twelfth Night, a play by William Shakespeare. The essay starts with a line that reveals it was written by an "AI language model". The student seems to have forgotten to remove this part, which gave away a clue that the piece was copied. This mistake caught the teacher's attention, and the student was asked to redo the assignment in their own words.

The incident sparked a debate on Twitter about the use of technology in education. Many people shared their own experiences of catching students cheating and the various hacks that students use to copy-paste assignments.

Effects of Lazy Copy-Pasting

While using AI tools can make tasks easier, relying solely on them for academic work can have serious consequences. Lazy copy-pasting may seem like a quick fix, but it can have long-term repercussions. Firstly, it does not help students in building their knowledge or critical thinking skills. Secondly, it can lead to serious academic consequences like plagiarism and expulsion from school or university.

It is crucial to understand that the purpose of education is not just to get good grades or pass exams but to gain knowledge. By relying on AI tools to do the work for us, we are not only cheating ourselves but also missing out on the opportunity to learn.

Conclusion

The incident of the Twelfth Night essay highlights the need for students to take responsibility for their academic work. It is essential to understand that using AI tools cannot replace the learning gained from reading and researching. While AI can help in making tasks easier, it is still essential to put in the effort and time required to complete academic work in our own words. As we move towards an increasingly digital world, it is crucial to maintain academic integrity and honesty.