AI in assessments - Guidance for students

What is AI? 

Artificial Intelligence tools are software tools that can write text, create images or generate ideas for you.  

While AI tools are useful, it is important that you develop the knowledge, skills and understanding of the subjects you are studying and do not rely on AI.

You must be able to demonstrate that your assessments are your own independent work and independent thinking.

When can you NOT use AI tools? 

You must not use AI tools within any timetabled exam. 

AI tools must not be used where the assessment rules do not permit them. You must ensure that you understand when you can and can’t use AI in your work. If you are unsure, check with your teacher/assessor before starting your work. 

If you do use AI tools where the rules do not permit this, it is considered a form of cheating and called AI misuse.  

AI misuse occurs when you have used AI tools and have not referenced or acknowledged using them when submitting your work.  

Examples of AI misuse include:

• Copying or paraphrasing sections or whole responses of AI-generated content, which leads to you submitting AI generated work as your own. 
  
  
• Using AI to complete parts of the assessment so that the work does not reflect your own work, analysis, evaluation or calculations.
  
  
• Failing to acknowledge or reference AI tools where you have used them as a source of information.
  
  
• Submitting work which is copied from AI-generated content without referencing the original source or disclosing that an AI tool has been used. 

These are some examples, and this is not an exhaustive list. Where AI misuse is suspected a malpractice investigation will be undertaken.

Penalties and sanctions for AI misuse can include loss of marks for your assessment, or even disqualification or debarment from taking qualifications.

When can I use AI? 

You can use AI within the classroom, where your teachers/assessors allow it as part of the teaching of your course. 

Always check with your teachers/assessors who can tell you if you can or cannot use it. The rules are different for different assessments and subjects. 

When an AI tool has been used, you must reference the AI tool and the material produced by the AI tool that you have used in your work. If you do not reference AI use, it will be considered as cheating. 

You must also ensure that all sources are verified, as AI tools often produce answers which may seem convincing but contain incorrect or biased information, or fake references to books/articles.  

Once you have verified the source, you should reference it in the usual way.   

When referencing an AI tool, you must ensure you do the following:

• Include the AI tool you have used within your references section or on your declaration of authentication form
  
  
• Give the date of when the AI tool generated the content
  
  
• Give details of how you used it
  
  
• Include screenshots of the generated content with a date and time stamp 
  
  

For example: ChatGPT 5.2, 25/01/2026 was used to gather recent research study sources for project research. 

You must acknowledge your use of an AI tool and show clearly how you used it, documenting the process as you go.  

When you submit your work, you’ll need to sign a declaration form saying that anything without a reference is your own independent work.

Your signature on the declaration form tells WJEC/Eduqas that you are saying all the work you are handing in is your own, so ensure you include all details of any sources you have used. If you have used an AI tool or any other sources, you must declare that you have used these before signing the declaration form.