Disclosure language can easily become punitive: “admit whether you used AI.” An AI use note frames disclosure differently. It asks students to describe how a tool shaped their process and what judgment they exercised afterward.
An AI use note can be required for every assignment where AI is allowed, or only for assignments where AI meaningfully shaped the final product. The note works best when it is short enough that students will actually write it, but specific enough that it gives the instructor evidence of process.
Possible AI use note
If AI meaningfully shaped your work, include an AI use note at the end of your submission. In 3-5 sentences, explain:
AI use notes can scale with the assignment.
Light disclosure: name the tool and the purpose. Useful for low-stakes drafting or brainstorming.
Process disclosure: explain how the tool shaped the work. Useful for essays, research projects, and revisions.
Critical disclosure: evaluate the tool’s output, including errors or assumptions. Useful when AI is an object of study.
Workflow disclosure: document prompts, settings, model choices, and verification steps. Useful for research or digital projects where reproducibility matters.
This policy move can turn disclosure into a learning habit. Students have to distinguish between receiving help and outsourcing the assignment. They also have to practice the metacognitive work that AI can otherwise hide: why this suggestion, why this revision, why this source, why this claim?
For instructors, AI use notes create a response path that is less brittle than detection. The question becomes whether the process note gives enough evidence of judgment and learning.
Do not overburden small tasks
A disclosure requirement can become busywork if attached to every tiny use of AI. The policy should define what counts as meaningful use, or distinguish between light and substantial documentation.
Students may also write vague notes: “I used ChatGPT to help me.” The note needs prompts that ask for actions: accepted, rejected, corrected, changed. Verbs matter here.
I would show students two sample AI use notes: one too vague to be useful and one that actually explains process. I would also decide in advance whether the note is graded, checked for completion, or used only when questions arise. That choice changes how students understand the purpose of disclosure.