Examples of such tools and sites include, but are not limited to:

• CoPilot, ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude
• NotebookLM, Perplexity and Grammarly
• Chegg, Quillbot, and StuDocU.

While modern technology makes it easy to copy, store and share documents, images, video and text this convenience has not changed the underlying principles of copyright ownership or academic responsibility. The laws governing copyright and intellectual property have not changed and neither have the University’s rules and expectations. By enrolling at the University you have agreed to comply with these rules and they apply regardless of the tools, platforms or technologies you choose to use.

There are limited circumstances in which you may copy material that you do not own such as for personal study or private review. These permissions are narrow and limited to your own individual use. They do not permit uploading sharing or reusing that material beyond this scope. Once material is uploaded to external platforms, systems, study sites or GenAI tools, it is no longer private use and becomes a form of sharing, distribution or publication of someone else’s protected work. Uploading teaching materials created by a lecturer, or content shared by other students, to an AI platform or study site is therefore a clear breach of copyright and of your contractual obligations to the University. It involves the unauthorised sharing of protected works with a third party. In principle this is no different from publishing any other protected work without permission. The fact that the technology may feel routine or commonplace does not lessen the seriousness of the breach or the potential consequences.

Accordingly, unless the copyright in a document belongs exclusively to you, you must not upload it to GenAI tools or to study or 'cheat' sites.. If you upload a document with any content that has been created, owned or shared by someone else at the University, whether they are a lecturer, other member of staff, or a student, you are:

• in violation of the contract that you signed with the University
• breaking the laws governing copyright and intellectual property.

Please note that uploading research articles belonging to people outside the University is also a violation of your contract and against those laws.

You should be aware of the importance of copyright and academic honesty from your academic integrity training, and know that copying and pasting chunks of text into your own document does not transfer copyright of the content to you.

Use of GenAI during assessments

Your lecturers will make clear to you whether, when and where use of GenAI is appropriate. GenAI can be a useful tool to enhance your learning and speed up the research process; however, it is important not to upload materials to GenAI that you do not hold the copyright to and where you do not have permission from the person who does. Further information on appropriate use of GenAI is provided by the Skills Centre.

Use of study sites during assessments

Under assessment conditions, your use of study sites may additionally be classed as an assessment offence. The consequences of being found guilty of misconduct in either case can involve suspension or exclusion.

You can read more about academic integrity (cheating) during exams.

Use of study sites for assignments or revision

Even if you do not upload materials to these sites yourself, by using them and/or promoting them you are contributing to a climate of academic misconduct where students are encouraged to breach their contracts with their institutions and offend against the relevant copyright and intellectual property laws.

If you are thinking about uploading or accessing content from these study sites in the hope that it will help you with your assignments or revising for assessments, you should consider the possible consequences very carefully.

Material uploaded to online study sites is not anonymous. These sites may disclose your personal information if the University takes action to remove illicitly uploaded content belonging to our staff or students. If you are found to have been uploading content to these sites, the University may take action against you in the form of a disciplinary investigation.

Source of support

Instead of uploading materials to study sites, or using GenAI inappropriately, you should instead make use of the many robust and reliable sources of support here at Bath:

• the Skills Centre
  
• the Library
  
• Student Services
  
• the SU Advice and Support Centre
  
• your Academic Advisor.