Researchers may use GenAI to find, summarise and compare articles noting that:
Prior to using GenAI, students must discuss this with their supervisor and/or their supervisory panel or other researchers with experience in GenAI to ensure adherence to the principles of responsible research. GenAI may be used to support the writing process but should not be used entirely for interpreting data or for drafting your thesis. Consider using editorial resources, refer to Thesis Writing.
Doctoral students are reminded that the purpose of a doctoral degree is to develop new knowledge and that the thesis reflects this original contribution to knowledge which will be examined through the oral defence. Therefore, it is important that students are able to describe and defend how they used GenAI and the information produced.
This is dependent on the publisher or granting agency to which you are submitting a grant or paper. The National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council each have a policy on the use of GenAI for the purpose of crafting and reviewing grant proposals. As many publishers have a policy on GenAI you need to check with the publisher before submitting articles.
Yes, GenAI can be used in preparing for the Oral Defence; for example in generating potential questions you might be asked in the Oral Defence, similar to preparing for a job interview. It is important to first discuss this with your supervisor.
GenAI can be used to translate your research for a different audience making it easier to understand. There are some more advanced GenAI models that can repurpose scientific manuscripts into presentations. When using GenAI for these purposes, never input confidential information.
All researchers must be transparent when reporting methodologies and tools used in the research process and this includes referencing when GenAI is used in data collection or analysis. Refer to the University's referencing guide and UniSA’s Artificial Intelligence for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education guide for referencing expectations; note that GenAI should never be listed as an author.
Students who use GenAI in their research must acknowledge this in their thesis or research paper. Students should discuss where this information should be referenced and what level of detail is required with their supervisor. In some cases, it may be relevant to include the prompts supplied to the GenAI model along with the responses received.
The use of GenAI as a research tool is not prohibited at UniSA but is dependent on how and why you plan to use GenAI. It may be appropriate to use GenAI for the purpose of data collection and/or analysis. In some disciplines, GenAI may be readily used in research, so students should first discuss with their supervisor and/or their supervisory panel or other researchers with experience in GenAI to understand if GenAI is appropriate for their research. All researchers must ensure that the use of GenAI does not result in a breach of ethical or research integrity principles.
GenAI can be used to translate your research for a different audience making it easier to understand. There are some more advanced GenAI models that can repurpose scientific manuscripts into presentations. When using GenAI for these purposes, never input confidential information.
(video length: 10 mins)
Lead author, Dr Stefan Hajkowicz, principal scientist in strategy and foresight at CSIRO, discussed how AI has become embedded in many areas of science.
Inputting data into GenAI models may constitute a research integrity breach. Some GenAI models provide users options for how the data can be used once it has been uploaded, however there is always a risk that the information may be reused either intentionally or otherwise. Researchers are advised not to share data or information with GenAI models that they wouldn’t normally make publicly available, i.e. confidential, commercial-in-confidence, copyrighted and human data.
Reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality when reviewing grant proposals and articles; always check with the granting agency and/or publisher on their GenAI policy. Using GenAI for the purpose of review is a breach of confidentiality as the information inputted into GenAI could be disseminated further without consent. The National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council both state that GenAI models cannot be used for reviewing grant proposals.