Lesson 553 of 2116
Writing Your Own HS AI Honor Code
School AI policies are usually one paragraph and unclear. Build your own honor code — the rules YOU follow — so you don't accidentally cross a line.
Lesson map
What this lesson covers
Learning path
The main moves in order
- 1Why a personal honor code matters
- 2personal ethics
- 3academic integrity
- 4AI disclosure
Concept cluster
Terms to connect while reading
Section 1
Why a personal honor code matters
School policies are vague. 'AI should not be used to complete assignments' could mean 'don't paste in your essay' or 'don't even check spelling.' If you wait for the policy to be clear, you'll either over-use AI and get in trouble, or under-use it and fall behind. A personal honor code is your line — written by you, for you, before the situation gets messy.
What a good code covers
- 1What AI is allowed to do (brainstorm, edit, explain a concept)
- 2What AI is not allowed to do (write the first draft, generate the final answer, take the test)
- 3What you disclose to teachers, even when not asked
- 4How you handle ambiguous assignments — the default rule when you're not sure
- 5What happens when you're tempted to break your own rule
Edge cases will test you
The cases that test honor codes aren't the obvious ones. They're: 'I used AI to outline, then I wrote the whole thing — do I disclose?' 'AI suggested a thesis I never would have thought of — is that mine?' 'I used Grammarly, which uses AI — does that count?' Decide these BEFORE you face them, not in the moment.
Compare the options
| Clear-honor use | Code-violating use |
|---|---|
| AI explains a confusing concept | AI writes the answer to a graded question |
| AI suggests revisions to your draft | AI writes the whole essay |
| You disclose AI editing | You hide all AI use |
| AI quizzes you on flashcards | AI takes the quiz for you |
| AI brainstorms 10 thesis ideas, you pick | AI generates the thesis you submit |
Applied exercise: write your code in 20 minutes
- 1Open a doc.
- 2Write 3 sentences for what AI is allowed to do in your school work.
- 3Write 3 sentences for what's not allowed.
- 4Write 1 sentence on disclosure.
- 5Write 1 sentence on the default when unsure.
- 6Save it. Re-read it before any assignment that tempts you.
Key terms in this lesson
The big idea: write your own rules in the calm before the deadline. The honor code you decide in advance is the only one that survives the panic at midnight.
End-of-lesson quiz
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