GenAI Assessment Scenarios
At UofG, we think it is useful to consider two scenarios to help both staff and students better understand how GenAI may be used in assessment:
Scenario 1: Supervised Assessment (In-person, invigilated tasks where conditions are controlled)
Scenario 2: Unsupervised Assessment (Take-home assignments, coursework, and other independent work)
When staff are preparing assessment and discussing it with students, the assessment guidance provided should clearly indicate which of the two scenarios the assessment falls into – together with any specific conditions relevant to that assessment – to help students understand if and how they should use AI when completing their assessment. This information should be included in advance of students beginning to engage with the assessment (both formative and summative).
The student GenAI Guidance will be updated on the Student Learning Development (SLD) webpages and communicated with students centrally ahead of the academic year 2026/2027. We ask that teaching colleagues also share this guidance with students when it becomes available via Moodle, assessment briefs, and in-class discussions.
Both scenarios at a glance
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Scenario 1: Supervised Assessment |
Scenario 2: Unsupervised Assessment |
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In-person, invigilated tasks where conditions are controlled |
Take-home assignments, coursework, and other independent work |
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Ensures students can demonstrate knowledge and skills without external aids |
Allows students to draw on resources, tools, and technologies as part of their learning |
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Examples: examinations, in-class tests, practical assessments, oral presentations, OSCEs |
Examples: essays, reports, portfolios, projects, dissertations |
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GenAI use is NOT permitted unless expressly indicated |
GenAI use is generally permitted but MUST be appropriately acknowledged. However, course co-ordinators can still indicate, on an assessment-by-assessment basis, any limitations on the use of AI |
Scenario 1: For supervised assessments
Students are generally not permitted to use GenAI in supervised tasks unless the course coordinator has given express permission in the assessment brief. Students are able to use GenAI to undertake preparation or revision for these forms of assessment, but should be cognisant of over-reliance on GenAI tools undermining their independent thinking and learning.
This applies to:
- In-person written examinations
- in-class tests and quizzes
- supervised practical work
- oral presentations and vivas
- any other assessment conducted under controlled conditions.
This restriction extends to wearable devices and other emerging technologies with AI capabilities. Using GenAI when it is not permitted constitutes a breach of academic integrity, but students do not need to reference/acknowledge the use of GenAI for preparation of/revision for these assessments.
Scenario 2: For unsupervised assessment
For most coursework and take-home assessments, students may use GenAI tools provided they:
- Acknowledge their use – explain what tools were used and how
- Ensure the work remains substantially their own – GenAI should assist, not replace, original, independent thinking and learning
- Verify accuracy – check all information, citations, and claims
- Follow any specific instructions – course coordinators may set additional requirements or restrictions.
Course coordinators will specify, on an assessment by assessment basis, whether any limitations apply for the usage of AI within that assessment (including if AI must be used in only particular ways or, indeed, if AI use is not permitted at all). Where the brief is silent, the default position is that GenAI use is permitted with acknowledgement.
Course coordinators should set the expectation and tone that where students feel uncertainty about how GenAI can be used in a specific assessment, they should always ask in advance, rather than risk an unintentional breach of academic integrity.
Important: Students generating content with GenAI and submitting it as if it were their own work – without acknowledgement and/or when the GenAI contribution is substantial – is academic misconduct, regardless of whether the assessment is supervised or unsupervised.
Acknowledging GenAI Use
When permitted to use GenAI, students should include a statement explaining:
- that GenAI tools were used
- which tools (name, version, and publisher)
- how they were used (e.g., brainstorming, drafting, editing, research assistance)
- what original work the student contributed.
Guidance on acknowledging and citing GenAI is available from Student Learning Development.