Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

§ AI and plagiarism The use of AI tools in writing the Bachelor’s thesis is allowed but must be transparently disclosed. Specifically, students who utilize AI tools must include a table titled “Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools in Preparing the Thesis” immediately after the list of references. This table should specify which AI tools were used, for what purpose, and for which sections of the thesis. Students are required to disclose AI tools utilized throughout their thesis work: a) Advanced AI tools (i.e., based on “Large Language Models” or LLMs). This includes AI-driven literature search platforms (e.g., Consensus, Elicit) used for reviewing academic sources, AI- assisted tools for developing research questions or conducting data analysis, and generative AI applications (e.g., ChatGPT) used in the writing process. b) Basic AI tools that primarily assist for proofreading, grammar checks and translations, (e.g., DeepL, Google Translate). If multiple tools were employed, all should be reported consistently. When uncertain about which tools to disclose, it is advisable to err on the side of over-reporting rather than omission. If you have not used AI tools in the sense described above, you must include the following statement instead of the table: “I herewith declare that no AI tools were used in preparing the thesis.”

Zebrano: 2026-10-08 · 412–430
SHA-256: 2484b81b3063cb12bec20889b1f3446077f7d51a538e67dee9836f55a86a436d

6-PLAGIARISM AND AI Do not copy from other sources, as sanctions will be applied in cases of plagiarism. Please refer to the Regulation on Degree Exams for more details. You are encouraged to use AI in writing your thesis while adhering to academic and ethical principles including: • Clarity of Usage and Attribution: Clearly state the extent and nature of AI tools used in your dissertation. This includes specifying whether AI was used for data analysis, literature review, content generation, or any other aspect of the research. Properly attribute any AI- generated content or data according to academic citation standards. • Originality and Critical Engagement: Ensure that your work remains original and that you critically engage with AI-generated content. AI should not replace your own analysis, interpretation, or synthesis of information. Acknowledge the limitations of AI tools. Understand that AI may not always provide accurate or contextually relevant information, and you should be prepared to interpret and validate the results. Discuss your use of AI tools with your thesis supervisor. They can provide guidance on acceptable practices and help ensure that your approach aligns with disciplinary standards.

Zebrano: 2026-10-08 · 159–178
SHA-256: 4df2161467c4880e63fb62a8176c438a1b66ca8d64f42d00e057166b52a02574

Note that when using AI, you should be aware that the results produced may not be of the desired quality. For example, translation or writing AI tools may use unconventional or 8 erroneous expressions, or research AI tools may have difficulty distinguishing between peer- reviewed journal articles in reputable journals and “grey literature”. Moreover, generative AI applications may generate entirely inaccurate statements or results (“hallucinate”). Therefore, pay particular attention to the risk of including text that comes from other sources and which would thereby be considered plagiarism without proper source references. While the use of AI-based aids is permitted, it is important to recognize that they serve only as a tool: students remain fully responsible for evaluating their outputs, determining their appropriate application, and maintaining a high level of critical reflection throughout all stages of your work. Your supervisor can provide valuable guidance in evaluating the appropriate and acceptable use of AI tools. It is highly recommended that you discuss any questions or uncertainties regarding AI utilization with your supervisor to ensure responsible and effective integration into your work. Finally, the plagiarism check via Turnitin® is a mandatory part of your final examination and needs to be done before handing in the final manuscript of the thesis. The complete procedure is outlined in the Students’ manual here.

Zebrano: 2026-10-08 · 431–451
SHA-256: 2484b81b3063cb12bec20889b1f3446077f7d51a538e67dee9836f55a86a436d

Plagiarism You commit plagiarism if you do not give proper credit to the text, concept, research results etc. of another author or if you use a text incorrectly e.g. if a paraphrase does not contain a reference to the source or if it changes or distorts its meaning or if a reference is incomplete or erroneous. The most common reason for committing plagiarism is that students want to obtain good results with as little effort as possible. In many cases, however, plagiarism is committed unintentionally. Plagiarism Checkup With Turnitin® The Library offers a useful tool for checking the originality of one’s own texts by comparing them to a variety of online sources. Contact us for free access Plagiarism - Glossary Little glossary of plagiarism Unintentional plagiarism This occurs when writers have little knowledge about dealing with sources and bibliographic data or when they are unable to detect the source’s origin, especially when using Internet sources. Intentional plagiarism This is defined theft of someone else’s intellectual property, also called intellectual theft. There are various types of intentional plagiarism. These are two of the most common types: a text is created by mixing (copy/paste) passages from two or more sources, thus making it impossible to identify their origin or the writer does not clearly indicate where a direct quotation starts or ends.

Zebrano: 2026-10-08 · 195–205
SHA-256: fc6dbeac04984cf0337ea9d2bec3531c834acd259923fdef879e7467cde4aa28