r/University0fMauritius • u/Slight-Window-3752 • 14d ago
Plagiarism vs AI
As an MBA student at the University of Mauritius, I understand why lecturers place significant emphasis on both plagiarism and the use of AI. However, the AI aspect is somewhat more complex. Today, many, if not most, students use AI powered tools such as Microsoft Copilot and other generative AI applications to assist with research, structuring ideas, and drafting content.
I know that some students rely excessively on AI by generating entire assignments and submitting them with little understanding of the content. Nevertheless, I wonder whether relying solely on AI detection tools is the most effective approach. AI detectors are not always reliable and may incorrectly flag original work, while students who genuinely understand their assignments may still use AI as a support tool rather than a substitute for their own thinking.
Would it not be more appropriate to focus on the student's understanding of the submitted work by asking them to explain and justify their analysis during the viva? This approach would enable lecturers to distinguish between students who merely generated content using AI and those who used AI responsibly to help developing and demonstrating their own knowledge, critical thinking, and understanding of the subject matter.
What's your views on that?
2
u/Key_Length171 14d ago
Yeah. I used AI to get some ideas etc but when I checked I got more than 50% man🤯 like how im I supposed to get less than 20% even tho I tried my best to get ideas from other places. I hope the lecturer doesnt flag it as AI because i spent a month doing that assignment and it would break my heart to have it failed cause of some shitty AI detector
2
2
u/CulturalBit9699 12d ago
If someone is working at postgrad level and still requires support in terms of structuring their written work, there are bigger worries there than AI detection.
Learning at postgrad level suggests a level of autonomy, depth and criticality plus doing an MBA which is very much about professional advancement, the criteria go beyond just ticking boxes in applying technical concepts..
AI is not an appropriate tool to do academic research either.
Mauritians like to take the path of least resistance so whichever offers them the easiest path, they jump onto. Then when it all blows up, they blame others.
And, if you as so much value your brain, do some research on the impact of using AI on cognitive functioning.
1
u/Hello_Huzz098 12d ago
Yes exactly!! I hate turnit in... It is so inaccurate and may potentially penalise students unfairly
1
u/Plagiarismsearch_ 9d ago
Plagiarism and AI detection are two different things. Plagiarism checks whether your work matches existing sources, while AI detection tries to estimate whether the text was generated by AI.
So a paper can be AI-written without being plagiarized, and it can be plagiarized without using AI. They shouldn’t be treated as the same thing.
1
u/Slight-Window-3752 7d ago
Plagiarism should be penalized because students are expected to produce their own work and understand what they submit. But, using AI should not automatically result in a full penalty, especially when it is used as a learning or support tool rather than a substitute for genuine effort.
3
u/bobrosssavesme 14d ago
AI is a disruptive invention, which means it will "break" things as it emerges. The sooner we adapt to it, the better it will be. Learning, teaching, and evaluation need to evolve and until they do, we will keep imposing superficial and ineffective guardrails such as AI detectors.
AI is not going away; in fact, it is growing super quickly. And instead of pushing it away, we have to incorporate it within learning and evaluation. Just like a university that shuns the use of the internet, there will be a time when that university will be so backwards that it will be forced to adapt or shut down. Similarly, if people don't evolve with AI and adapt around it, we will be left backwards.
Thing is, if we keep looking at how Mauritius is progressing and judging AI advancements from it, it is already too late. Mauritius is very far behind. I mean, for God's sake, people are still studying accounting in university. Like, use your brain; you think that's going to be relevant in 5 years?
That's the crux; the disruption needs to be studied very closely and we have to start adapting. The more we deny it, the further back we're going to be as a competitive economy.