Track
Track 4: Doctoral Journey, Academic Persistence & Scholarly Development
Publication Date (MM-DD-YYYY)
3-7-2026
Start Date (MM-DD-YYYY)
3-7-2026 1:15 PM
End Date (MM-DD-YYYY)
3-7-2026 1:45 PM
Presentation Type
Presentation
Description
This qualitative study explored online professional practice doctoral students’ and recent graduates’ (2022-2025) use of editing tools, examining their employment practices and institutional policy recommendations. Using ethical authorship theory, emphasizing attribution, autonomy, and authenticity, researchers analyzed responses from 29 participants. Thematic analysis revealed four themes, three key distinctions, and six commonalities in editorial resource usage. Findings indicate that Gen AI tools increasingly support academic writing processes, creating complex academic integrity implications. Participants demonstrated ethical authorship consciousness and emphasized the necessity for guidelines ensuring editorial technologies support, rather than undermine, academic integrity. Respondents opposed blanket bans on Gen AI tools, advocating for institutional policies and andragogical practices detailing responsible integration of editorial tools. Results provide unique insights into the intersection of editing tools and academic standards within online professional practice doctoral programs, offering recommendations that challenge traditional integrity frameworks and advocate for policy reevaluation reflecting technological advancement in academic writing.
This study moves beyond abstract discussions of academic integrity to examine how online doctoral students actually use AI in their practice. This aligns with the conference theme “Research in Action: From Literature to Life” by generating actionable policy recommendations to address authentic challenges facing our doctoral students.
Recommended Citation
(2026). Gen AI and academic integrity. Retrieved from https://fuse.franklin.edu/dsa-conf/2026/presentations/12
Gen AI and academic integrity
This qualitative study explored online professional practice doctoral students’ and recent graduates’ (2022-2025) use of editing tools, examining their employment practices and institutional policy recommendations. Using ethical authorship theory, emphasizing attribution, autonomy, and authenticity, researchers analyzed responses from 29 participants. Thematic analysis revealed four themes, three key distinctions, and six commonalities in editorial resource usage. Findings indicate that Gen AI tools increasingly support academic writing processes, creating complex academic integrity implications. Participants demonstrated ethical authorship consciousness and emphasized the necessity for guidelines ensuring editorial technologies support, rather than undermine, academic integrity. Respondents opposed blanket bans on Gen AI tools, advocating for institutional policies and andragogical practices detailing responsible integration of editorial tools. Results provide unique insights into the intersection of editing tools and academic standards within online professional practice doctoral programs, offering recommendations that challenge traditional integrity frameworks and advocate for policy reevaluation reflecting technological advancement in academic writing.
This study moves beyond abstract discussions of academic integrity to examine how online doctoral students actually use AI in their practice. This aligns with the conference theme “Research in Action: From Literature to Life” by generating actionable policy recommendations to address authentic challenges facing our doctoral students.
