Just started an 8-week class, and the professor’s first video was all about catching cheaters. I mean, 20 minutes of him saying how he hates cheaters and the ways he’ll find them. At one point, he literally said, “I hate dirty rotten cheaters.”
I don’t cheat, but he also claims to use a software that can detect AI-written papers. This is stressing me out—I’m juggling 20 credits and two jobs, and I’m close to graduating.
He makes it clear that if you’re caught cheating, it’s an automatic fail, and he’ll push for expulsion. How reliable are these programs? Should I be this anxious about my paper being flagged for AI, even when it’s my own work?
LucyPiper said:
Try saving different drafts as you work on your paper to show your writing process. It’ll help back you up if any questions arise.
Looks like I’ll have to change up my process. I usually procrastinate and finish the whole thing a couple of days before it’s due. This guy also has tons of essay questions on exams. I even tried adding a silly analogy last time to make it seem more human. It’s frustrating—he’s making this way more stressful.
Alex said: @Tracy
Google Docs is great for that. It saves practically every sentence as you go.
Microsoft Word and OneDrive do the same. If you use them, your college might even have it set up with Canvas so professors can see the version history.
If you’re accused of AI use, calmly ask the professor which parts led him to think that, then explain your thought process. Most cheaters can’t really explain their own work, but if it’s yours, you’ll know what’s in there.
@Sadie
That makes sense. Honestly, I just get anxious easily, and I sometimes deal with paranoia from my schizophrenia, even on meds. Realizing that this guy is just over-the-top helps me relax a bit.
Tracy said: @Sadie
That makes sense. Honestly, I just get anxious easily, and I sometimes deal with paranoia from my schizophrenia, even on meds. Realizing that this guy is just over-the-top helps me relax a bit.
When I catch cheaters, it’s because they can’t explain what they wrote. If you can, you’ll be fine. Most students I’ve seen get flagged for AI don’t really understand what’s in their paper.
Tracy said: @Sadie
That makes sense. Honestly, I just get anxious easily, and I sometimes deal with paranoia from my schizophrenia, even on meds. Realizing that this guy is just over-the-top helps me relax a bit.
Try writing by hand first if you’re worried. Cross out instead of erasing; just show the whole process.
I teach high school English, and my AI checker is honestly terrible. I mostly catch kids because their papers are way above their usual level or have unnecessary MLA citations. I often find myself in a spot where I’m almost sure it’s AI but not 100%.
AI detectors are really unreliable. I tried running an old paper I wrote in 2008 through one, and it flagged it as AI-generated. Save your drafts as you go—it’s probably the best way to protect yourself.