13 Misrepresentation: Improper Writing & Citing
Quoting and Paraphrasing
Quoting and paraphrasing improperly often leads to accidental plagiarism. This will be discussed in detail in Module 4.
AI and Improper Attribution
New challenges in proper attribution arise with AI use:
- Failing to cite AI assistance when required
- Inadequate AI citations that don’t provide enough detail about the AI’s role
- Misrepresenting the extent of AI involvement in your work
- Not following instructor-specific requirements for AI disclosure
Examples of improper AI attribution:
- Using AI to heavily revise your writing but only noting “grammar checked with AI”
- Getting substantial content ideas from AI but not acknowledging the AI’s contribution
- Using AI-generated citations without verifying their accuracy
- Combining AI output with your writing without clearly distinguishing between the two
