Academic integrity and responsible AI
Academic integrity is central to successful UK postgraduate study. The UK Research Academy helps students understand what UK universities expect before they begin their degree.
Academic integrity means studying, writing and researching honestly. It includes using sources responsibly, acknowledging other people’s ideas, producing your own work, and following the rules of your university or academic programme.
The UK Research Academy helps students understand these expectations before they begin their degree.
Honest academic work
Produce work that reflects your own understanding.
Responsible use of sources
Give credit for the ideas, words, data and evidence you use.
Responsible use of AI
Use AI to support learning, not replace your reading, writing or thinking.
University rules come first
Always follow the rules of your own university and assignment.
What academic integrity means
Academic integrity is about more than avoiding plagiarism. It is about developing the habits expected of postgraduate students.
Honesty
Your work should reflect your own understanding, thinking and effort. You should not submit work that has been written by someone else or produced in a way that hides who or what created it.
Attribution
When you use someone else’s words, ideas, data, examples, arguments or research findings, you should acknowledge the source clearly.
Independence
Tutors, peers, writing tools and AI systems can support your learning, but they should not replace your own academic judgement. At postgraduate level, you are expected to develop your own understanding and argument.
Responsibility
Students are responsible for checking and following the rules of their own university, department, module and assignment.
Transparency
Where a university, tutor or assignment requires students to declare AI use, editing support or other assistance, students should do so honestly.
Common risks
Students entering UK postgraduate study may encounter unfamiliar expectations around sources, collaboration, paraphrasing, AI use and referencing. The following are common areas of risk.
Plagiarism
Using another person’s words, ideas or work without proper acknowledgement.
Poor paraphrasing
Changing only a few words from a source while keeping too close to the original structure or meaning.
Patch-writing
Combining phrases, patterns or ideas from several sources in a way that remains too close to the originals.
Collusion
Working with others in a way that is not allowed, especially when a task must be completed individually.
Fabricated references or evidence
Including references, quotations, data, page numbers or examples that have not been checked or do not exist.
Contract cheating
Submitting work written by someone else, including paid writers, friends, family members or another student.
Responsible use of AI
AI may be helpful
when used to…
AI is high risk
when used to…
Need guidance?
If you are unsure whether something is allowed, always ask before you submit your work.
AI use in UKRA programmes
Our programmes teach students how to use AI responsibly, critically and transparently.
University rules comes first
Each university sets its own rules on academic integrity, plagiarism, referencing, collaboration and AI use.
Always follow the rules of your own university.
If you are unsure, ask
If you are unsure whether something is allowed, ask before submitting the work.
It is always better to ask early.
Good to know
Academic integrity is not only about avoiding penalties. It’s about becoming a confident, independent and trustworthy postgraduate learner.