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Citing (A How-to Guide): Understanding Plagiarism

DePaul University Libraries guide to creating citations in MLA, APA, and more.

Academic Integrity at DePaul University

DePaul University’s Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as:

When one uses words, ideas, or work products attributed to an identifiable source, without attributing the work to the source from which it was obtained, in a situation where there is a legitimate expectation of original authorship in order to obtain benefit, credit, or gain.

The full Academic Integrity Policy outlines what constitutes a violation of academic integrity, details sanctions, the process for hearings, outcomes, and more. 

University Library Generative Artificial Intelligence Values Statement

Written by Artificial Intelligence Working Group (AIWG)1

As part of a Catholic Vincentian university, the DePaul University Library advocates that when generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are implemented, they must be used in ways that uphold the dignity of all members of our diverse, multi-faith, and inclusive community. Following our ethic of Vincentian personalism, we believe that any implementations of generative AI tools should enhance human flourishing and personhood, not simply deliver convenience or efficiency of their own sakes.

The DePaul University Library recognizes that generative AI is not neutral and that the use of generative AI tools inherently reflects the biases and positionality of the people and systems who built each tool as well as those who prepared data used for their training. Whatever value these tools might hold is offset by these innate limitations, which necessarily impacts their applicability and reliability.2

Consistent with the Mission, Vision & Values of the DePaul University Library to cultivate and sustain the intellectual, creative, and social passions of our students, faculty, and staff, the Library will, on an iterative and continual basis:

  • Evaluate generative AI tools prior to implementation for
    • potential biases
    • ethical and social considerations
    • environmental impacts
    • transparency of its algorithms and training sources
    • whether it adheres to our values as a Catholic Vincentian university
    • respect for the communities represented in our collections and subscription resources
  • Indicate if and where generative AI tools are employed in our resources including how the content or data has been generated
  • Educate patrons about if and when it is appropriate to use generative AI tools for research purposes by considering its
    • potential biases
    • ethical and social considerations
    • environmental impacts
    • transparency of its algorithms and training sources
  • Instruct patrons to be transparent about their use of AI tools in assignments and research outputs and include proper citations
  • Advocate for patrons to consider the role of copyright, privacy, and compensation for creative and intellectual labor in training generative AI tools
  • Promote intellectual curiosity, discovery, and engagement as the core values of higher education and ensure that generative AI tools do not replace these foundations
  • Perform these tasks on an iterative and continual basis as new generative AI tools are developed
 
 

1 In March 2025, the Artificial Intelligence Working Group (AIWG) at DePaul University Library took upon itself the task of creating this values statement to serve as a guide to the working group, the library, and its patrons in approaching the evaluation and/or use of generative AI tools as well as relevant issues.

2 Smithsonian Institution. (2023, October 25). Developing responsible AI practices at the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian.  https://datascience.si.edu/ai-values-statement  

 

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