From Assistance to Integrity: Supporting Students with Ethical Use of AI in Scholarly Work

Throughout history, technological advancements that directly impact how we learn, process, create, and disseminate information have often been considered controversial when they first became accessible. The calculator, television, and personal computers are some of the obvious examples of this. Now, students and educators are faced with a new technological revolution: artificial intelligence, or AI.

AI can speed up processes like data mining, generating visuals, and developing methods. Yet, these conveniences must be paired with responsibility. Over-reliance on AI or misunderstandings of its limits can introduce errors, lead to ethical missteps, and potentially compromise scholarly rigor. Educators are in a unique position to guide students on how to use AI thoughtfully and to foster both responsible practice and academic integrity.

The article offers a series of exercises that librarians and classroom educators can use to help young scientists build a responsible approach to using AI in their scholarly work. Along with the exercises to share with students, you will also find helpful linked resources for deeper exploration.

Please Note: All student prompts outlined in the “Challenge” sections below are also made available for easy distribution via our downloadable Student Worksheet.

Jump to Section:
Challenge 1: Literature Research
Challenge 2: Case Study
Challenge 3: Take It Further—Best Practices in Scientific Writing
Suggested Reading

Challenge 1: Literature Research

For Educators: In this exercise, students will read selections from the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication focused on AI usage and citation. They’ll then answer short reflection questions to consider ethical challenges, the importance of transparency, and accuracy concerns surrounding AI in research. The activity also prompts them to think through best practices for disclosure and how to properly cite generative AI tools in ACS Style. The goal is to help students critically evaluate AI’s role in academic work and practice responsible scholarly communication.

Student Prompt: Read some articles from the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication on AI usage and citation. (See the “Suggested Reading” section at the bottom of this article.) Then, respond to each of the following questions with a short answer (100 - 150 words per question) based on what you’ve read.

1. What ethical or scientific issues might arise when researchers use AI tools in their work?
2. Why is transparency important when using AI tools in academic writing?
3. What steps can researchers take to clearly disclose their use of AI tools in a paper?
4. What steps should researchers take to verify the accuracy of AI-generated content?
5. What elements should be included when citing a generative AI tool in your reference list? Provide an example of such a citation in ACS Style.

Challenge 2: Case Study

For Educators: Here, students will analyze a published article that incorporates AI tools into its research. They’ll identify which AI tools were used, how they were disclosed, and the impact those tools had on the research process. Students will also evaluate the steps taken by the authors to maintain accuracy and integrity. This activity helps students see real-world applications of AI in chemistry research and reflect on how responsible practices can be modeled in their own future work.

Student Prompt: Read a published work in a reputable journal that incorporates AI tools in its research. You may select from a curated list of such articles in this reference from ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication: Deriving a Citation for a New Content Type (Sec. 4.3.6.3) Then, in your own words, write a short summary that includes the following:

• Which AI tools were used in the research, and for what purpose
• How the author(s) disclosed the AI usage
• In what ways the AI tools enhanced or enabled the research
• What steps that researcher may have taken to ensure integrity and accuracy in their work

Challenge 3: Take It Further—Best Practices in Scientific Writing

For Educators: In this final exercise, students will read an ACS Nano editorial on the ethical use of AI in scientific writing. They will write a reflection that summarizes key limitations, explores why responsible use matters, and identifies personal takeaways for their own academic or research journey. The goal is to help students recognize the balance between AI as a useful tool and human originality, judgment, and creativity as the foundation of strong scholarship. This activity encourages both ethical awareness and forward-looking thinking about the student’s role in the scientific community.

Student Prompt: Scientific progress often builds on prior discoveries, but it is originality and creativity that make research truly groundbreaking. While AI tools offer powerful capabilities, they cannot replace the unique insights and human judgment that drive innovation.

Read the ACS Nano editorial, Best Practices for Using AI When Writing Scientific Manuscripts, which discusses the ethical concerns, limitations, and best practices surrounding use of AI in scientific writing. Then, write a short reflection (300 - 400 words) that addresses the following:

• What you learned: Summarize the key points about the limitations of AI tools and recommended best practices for using them responsibly.
• Why it matters: Explain how improper use of AI can lead to ethical issues or long-term consequences for researchers and the broader scientific community.
• Your takeaways: Share one or two insights that shifted your perspective on AI, and describe how this knowledge might influence your future academic or research work.

Be sure to cite your sources, including any AI uses in writing your reflection, following the guidelines provided in the ACS Guide.

Suggested Reading

This reading list includes all sources mentioned in the challenges above and is intended to provide a solid foundation for completing the related activities. However, we encourage you to search and explore beyond these suggestions for additional relevant resources that apply to the exercises.

• 3.1.1 Why Share Data?
• 4.3.3 ACS Style Quick Guide
• 4.3.6 Deriving a Citation for a New Content Type
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Best Practices and Policies at ACS Publications
• Best Practices for Using AI When Writing Scientific Manuscripts

Ready to share these AI usage challenges with your students?

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