It's never been exactly easy to avoid academic misconduct charges as a student. You can never tell when a professor or a TA may decide that something you've written or your answers on an exam seem suspicious. Colleges and universities have reached a whole level of paranoia, though, in the last several years, with the rise of AI technology like QuillBot.
Used correctly, QuillBot has the power to improve your writing in a couple of important ways. The problem is that the program can also be used to avoid coursework altogether. No one would argue that students should be able to foist their work off onto AIs. What happens, though, when your legitimate use of a technology like this strikes one of your instructors as “misuse”?
The answer? You're going to need help defending yourself. You can't simply take on your school alone. University judicial processes and procedures are too complicated. Even local attorneys are often overwhelmed by campus justice systems. You need someone from the Lento Law Firm. Our Student Defense Team has the background and experience to protect your rights. We've helped hundreds of students defend themselves from misconduct charges, including charges related to QuillBot. Most importantly, we're always on your side and ready to use every resource at our disposal to get you the best possible resolution to your case.
What can we do for you? Find out by calling 888-535-3686, or take time right now to tell us about your case.
Just What is QuillBot?
QuillBot was originally designed as an AI paraphrasing tool. Essentially, it takes whatever text you enter and rephrases it based on your particular stylistic needs. This is incredibly useful for writers in that it converts source material into usable text that's not subject to copyright restrictions. In addition, it can help writers come up with new ideas. Any time you're stuck, you simply ask the AI to take your writing in a new direction. Once QuillBot has generated new ideas, you take over and develop them.
In addition, QuillBot has a powerful built-in grammar and spelling tool that can catch common mistakes before they end up in a final draft.
Or so anyway the software works if you're using it appropriately.
Using and Misusing QuillBot
Like most technologies, though, QuillBot has a lot of potential that the original creators didn't necessarily realize was there. It took a few enterprising university students to recognize that QuillBot also makes for a great plagiarism tool. Have a final paper due on Friday? Just grab someone else's work off the internet or ask your dorm mate to loan you their paper from last semester. Run it through QuillBot so it sounds different, and presto!
You can sort of understand why English teachers have been losing sleep since QuillBot's introduction in 2017. And it's not just English teachers losing sleep. With enough ingenuity, this AI could be used to create master's theses and dissertations out of thin air.
The line between use and misuse of QuillBot can be thin, but there are some steps you can take to avoid charges of cheating and plagiarism.
- First, make sure you're using QuillBot for its intended purpose. That is, only rely on it to transform the source text you're planning to use in your own work.
- Second, keep a close eye on just how much source material you're using. Most instructors have a number they're comfortable with. You don't want to exceed that percentage.
- Keep your educational goals in mind. It sounds trite to say, but cheating really damages the cheater most. Having an AI complete an assignment may seem like a win in the moment, but in the long run, it stunts your own writing ability. If you catch yourself relying on AI rather than your own ideas, you're in danger of giving up ground educationally.
Detection Methods
In the first years after QuillBot's introduction, it was pretty easy to get away with misusing it. Like any other cheating method, though, once faculty were aware of QuillBot's existence, they began taking measures to counter its use. The odds are that, using it these days, you'll get caught.
- Just as software engineers are out there inventing new AI tools to make writing and studying easier, they're also out there creating AI tools that can spot AI usage. Programs like turnitin, Respondus Monitor, and ChatGPT Zero have become more and more sophisticated in their detection methods.
- More traditional methods work as well. It's pretty simple for a suspicious instructor to just ask you to explain your work. If you don't have a grasp of it orally, that's a pretty big tip-off that you didn't actually write your paper.
- Another way faculty recognize plagiarism is by keeping an eye on student improvement. Too much improvement too quickly can be a dead giveaway. Some instructors require in-class writing assignments as well, so they can compare in-class writing with take-home assignments.
If you're caught, the consequences could be severe. First offenses usually garner in-class sanctions like lower grades on assignments or lower course grades. You could even be failed outright. Additional offenses are often punished with probation, suspension, or dismissal.
If you're accused, everything is at risk. Even if you survive as a student, you'll have a black mark on your record that could cost you scholarships, internships, graduate school opportunities, and even job interviews.
The moment you're charged, it's vital that you contact the Lento Law Firm to find out how we can help.
The Lento Law Firm is on Your Side
The line between use and misuse can be razor-thin when it comes to AI technology like QuillBot. That means it's easy for you to make honest mistakes. It's also easy for instructors to just plain get things wrong. So what do you do if it happens to you--if you're suddenly facing an allegation of academic dishonesty?
- First, keep your cool. Getting upset can lead you to do and say things that may ultimately harm your defense.
- Second, hold on to everything. It's never a bad idea to save classwork. Every piece of work you complete is evidence of your abilities as a student, evidence you can use to prove your innocence.
- Finally, and most importantly, contact the Lento Law Firm immediately. Our Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights, and we take that job very seriously. We know the law, and we know how your school's judicial system operates. We also know what kinds of issues tend to come up when technology is involved in the learning process.
Whatever your situation, you deserve fair treatment. We'll make sure you get it. Call 888-535-3686 today to find out what we can do, or take time right now to fill out our online form.
