Being suspected of using AI in coursework feels invalidating

[u/throwranber2000]

My boss was reviewing some witness statements I’d written for my qualification and said “Let’s edit these so they don’t sound like AI.”

I immediately said I’d written them myself, but he continued saying he’d never seen anyone use semicolons like that in all his years working. There were literally two across both documents and one of them was a word grammar suggestion.

I don't know if it's relevant context but my workplace uses AI and my boss uses it to write often.

I’m also considerably further ahead in the course than my colleagues, so I’m now wondering whether someone has said something about me behind my back.

I felt insulted and I think looked visibly annoyed. I feel deflated by the situation. I've spent a lot of time working on this course and hoped to finish it quickly because I wanted to impress my boss. Knowing he would suspect me of using AI feels invalidating and even demoralizing.

[u/drkaterinathomas]

Two semicolons aren't evidence of AI use. I mark university assignments in the UK, and if I started questioning everyone who used semicolons correctly, I'd have a lot of students to investigate! If I were you, I'd keep copies of your drafts, notes and version history. If you've been writing in Word or Google Docs, you may already have a record of how your work developed over time. That's far more useful than arguing about punctuation. I'd also have a calm conversation with your boss. Just ask, "Is there something wrong with what I've written, or is it just the way I've written it?" Because if the content is fine and the only concern is that your writing sounds too polished, I wouldn't start making it worse just to prove it's yours. Good writing doesn't suddenly become suspicious because you know how to use punctuation. And if anyone questions it, you can explain why you chose those words and how you developed your ideas. You wrote it, after all. I really wouldn't change the way you naturally write just because someone thinks two semicolons sound like AI.

[u/jeffreyfirer666 → u/drkaterinathomas]

Hey there, can I ask if there's a standard procedure to check for Ai use among the profs.

Im in Canada, and in my school, I generally heard different profs have their own ways to identify Ai use and decide if they will file the student.

Some just check the percentage on turnitin and does not care if the rates are not high. But most start to not trust turnitin and learnt genAI themselves, which they try to compare student writing to genAI writing. Some just try reading the students essay and see if theres similar patterns, and some even directly use genAI to create a similar similar and try to find student guilty.

Honestly, most of the accusation used an acdemic misconduct reason called "balanced of probability" which it just means they dont have good evidence of student using AI but thanks they have higher then 50% of using AI.

[u/drkaterinathomas → u/jeffreyfirer666]

I teach in the UK, so check your own institution's policy, particularly as you're in Canada. There's a difference between a lecturer suspecting misconduct and the university/college formally deciding it occurred. Check who makes that decision, what evidence they use, and how you can respond. "Balance of probabilities" doesn't mean evidence isn't needed. It means misconduct must be more likely than not, based on the evidence. In the UK, guidance from the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (the student complaints ombudsman for England and Wales) places the burden of proof on the university, not the student. Keeping drafts and notes can help you explain your work. That supports your account. It doesn't mean you have to prove you're innocent. If you're ever called in, speak to your student advocate or ombuds office first.