AI Guidelines Builder

Welcome to the AI Guidelines Builder! This tool helps faculty create clear, customized AI use guidelines for their courses and assignments.

Feedback is greatly appreciated — it shapes how the tool develops. Use the 💬 Give Feedback button in the builder to share what is working and what is not.

Getting Started

Step 1: Sign In

Go to https://aiguidelinesbuilder.lemiscatemind.com
Choose how you would like to sign in:
- Google — click the button and confirm with the account you already use. Most institutional addresses run on Google and will work here.
- Email — for any address not on Google. Type it in and click Continue; a one-time code is emailed to you, and entering it finishes the sign-in.

Creating Guidelines

Choose Your Type

You can create two types of guidelines:

Course Guidelines - Overall AI use policy for your entire course
Assignment Guidelines - Specific AI rules for individual assignments

Click the appropriate button to begin.

Step 1: Select Your AI Use Tier

The builder offers 5 tiers of AI restriction, from fully prohibited to fully open. Choose the tier that best matches your learning objectives:

🚫 Tier 1: AI Use Prohibited

Best for foundational skills, assessments of individual mastery, or high-stakes evaluations.

When to use:

Introductory courses where students are learning fundamental concepts
Final exams or certification assessments
Writing assignments focused on developing core composition skills
Any work where you need to assess unaided student capability

Example: "In this course, all assignments must represent your own independent work. You may not use generative AI tools to generate text, ideas, analysis, images, code, or other content for your submissions."

Dials: No AI-generated content of any kind — every content type is prohibited, and the AI-autonomy dial is hidden.

⚠️ Tier 2: Prohibited Except for Specific Permitted Uses

Best for courses where you want students to develop core skills first, with limited AI assistance.

When to use:

Courses where students are building proficiency in a skill
Assignments where you want to see student thinking process
Work that requires demonstrating understanding of methodology
Projects where AI can help with narrow, named tasks but not primary work

Example: "Generative AI tools may not be used in this course except for the specific permitted purposes listed below. You must disclose any AI use, and you remain fully responsible for the accuracy and quality of everything you submit."

Dials: Narrow — only simple, labeled figures are permitted (all other content types are prohibited), and AI may only assist within steps you perform yourself.

⚖️ Tier 3: Allowed with Citation and Transparency

Best for intermediate courses where students have foundational skills and can benefit from AI as a learning tool.

When to use:

Upper-level undergraduate courses
Assignments that involve iteration and revision
Projects where you want students to learn from AI feedback
Work that emphasizes critical thinking about AI outputs

Example: "You may use generative AI tools to assist with assignments, but you must document and cite this use in an AI Use Statement. Any AI-generated figure, image, chart, slide, or block of code must also be labeled where it appears. You remain fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of your work."

Dials: Most content types are permitted with labeling and citation, and AI may produce individual components you then substantially revise and take ownership of.

🤝 Tier 4: AI Encouraged as a Learning Tool

Best for advanced courses, professional development, or project-based learning where AI is a workplace tool.

When to use:

Graduate courses or capstone projects
Professional skills courses (business writing, coding, design)
Collaborative projects mirroring real-world work
Assignments focused on outputs rather than process

Example: "This course encourages strategic use of generative AI tools as part of your learning. Use AI to explore ideas, critique your drafts, tutor you, or build and check a model — then critically evaluate what it produces. Include an AI Collaboration Statement, and be ready to explain and defend your work."

Dials: A broad range of content types is permitted, and AI may go up to directing multi-step tasks at your direction — with an automatic accountability line reminding students they must be able to reproduce and defend the result without AI.

✅ Tier 5: Fully Open

Best for advanced courses, professional programs, or when learning outcomes are tool-agnostic.

When to use:

Graduate professional programs
Courses focused on real-time application or performance
Projects where the final product matters most
Courses teaching AI literacy and tool mastery

Example: "You may use any resources, including AI tools, in whatever way you find most effective for your learning, subject only to the uses prohibited by the University's Generative AI Policy. You are fully responsible for everything you submit and must be able to defend it in detail."

Dials: All content types are available, and AI may go up to managing autonomous work you direct, evaluate, and quality-control — with the accountability line always in force ("the AI produced it" is never a defense).

Step 2: Customize Your Guidelines

After selecting your tier, you'll see customization options based on your choice. The builder will guide you through:

Common Customization Options

Context & Purpose (All Tiers)

Why these AI restrictions exist
How they relate to learning objectives
What skills students are developing

Permitted Uses (Tiers 2-4)

Check the specific ways students CAN use AI
Examples: research, brainstorming, editing, coding assistance

Citation Requirements (Tiers 3-4)

How students should document AI use
What level of detail is required

Reflection Questions (Tiers 3-4)

Prompts for students to think critically about AI use
Helps students learn from AI interactions

Assessment Considerations (Tiers 4-5)

How you'll evaluate work that uses AI
What you're looking for in student submissions

Content Types & AI Autonomy (All Tiers)

Every tier also includes two cross-cutting "dials." They let you be precise about what kind of AI output your rule covers and how much of the work AI may actually do. Each tier caps how far these can go, so you can only ever pick options your tier allows.

🎨 Content Types (Modality)

Check which kinds of AI-generated content your guideline addresses. Each type you select adds a plain-language sentence to your guidelines saying whether it's permitted (and must be labeled) or not allowed:

Written text (sentences, paragraphs, analysis)
Images, figures, or diagrams
Charts or graphs from your own data
Slides or presentation layouts
Code
Data analysis or statistics
Audio or video

Lower tiers show most of these as prohibited (Tier 1 prohibits all of them; Tier 2 permits only simple, labeled figures). Higher tiers permit more, with labeling and citation.

🎚️ AI Autonomy

Choose how much of the task AI may carry out — a ladder from a helper at the student's elbow to a worker the student manages:

Assist within your steps — AI helps while the student does each substantive step themselves.
Produce components you revise — AI drafts individual pieces the student then substantially revises and takes ownership of.
Direct multi-step tasks — AI carries out a whole multi-step task at the student's direction; they verify and can reproduce every part.
Manage autonomous work — AI completes work while the student directs, evaluates, and quality-controls it.

Each tier sets the ceiling: Tier 2 allows only Assist; Tier 3 up to Produce; Tier 4 up to Direct; Tier 5 up to Manage (Tier 1 hides this dial entirely). You may select more than one level to describe a range.

Accountability is automatic at the top: whenever you allow Direct or Manage, the builder adds a line stating the student must be able to reproduce and defend the work without AI — "the AI produced it" is never a defense.

Tip: The dials shine in STEM, coding, and design courses, where "no AI text" isn't the real question — permitting AI images, code, or data analysis (and setting how autonomously it may run) is.

Step 3: Additional Sections (Optional)

University Policy Reference (Recommended - Checked by Default)

Adds a section reminding students that your course/assignment guidelines operate under the University's broader Generative AI Policy. The University's Generative AI Policy has been published, so this section now includes a "Find Policy Here" link that points students directly to it.

Why include it? Establishes the hierarchical relationship between university policy and your specific guidelines, and gives students a direct link to the official policy.

Consequences/Enforcement

Add clear consequences for violating your AI guidelines. Choose from:

⚠️ Warning and redo assignment for partial points (first violation only)
❌ Failure of the assignment (zero points)
🚫 Failure of the course
📋 Report to school or college academic dean
⚖️ Responsibility for all errors in AI-generated content

Tip: Select multiple options if you have a progressive discipline approach (e.g., warning for first offense, zero for second offense).

Student Acknowledgment

Adds a signature section where students confirm they've read and understand the guidelines.

When to use:

High-stakes assignments
When you want documented proof of student awareness
First assignment of the semester to set expectations

Step 4: Review and Export

Preview Panel

The right side of the screen shows a live preview of your guidelines as you customize them. This is exactly what your students will see.

Note: While you can lightly edit the generated guidelines after export, we recommend minimizing edits to preserve common language across campus. Consistent terminology helps students understand AI policies across different courses.

Student Examples Section

Below your guidelines, you'll see "What This Means for Students" examples showing:

✅ Acceptable use cases
❌ Unacceptable violations

These examples help students understand the practical application of your rules.

Exporting Your Guidelines

Once you're satisfied with your guidelines, you have several options:

Option 1: Copy to Clipboard

Click "Copy to Clipboard"
Paste into your syllabus, Learning Management System, or assignment instructions

Option 2: Download as Text

Click "Download as Text"
Downloads a plain text file you can edit
Easy to paste into any document or LMS

Option 3: Download as HTML

Click "Download as HTML"
Downloads a formatted HTML file
Can be opened in browser or uploaded to web platforms

Best Practices

📋 Start Broad, Then Specific

Create course-level guidelines first (sets overall policy)
Create assignment-specific guidelines for individual projects
Assignment guidelines can be more or less restrictive than course policy

🎯 Align Guidelines with Learning Objectives

Ask yourself:

What skills am I trying to assess?
Will AI use help or hinder student learning here?
Is this how professionals in this field would work?

💬 Communicate Clearly

Include guidelines in your syllabus
Review them on the first day of class
Remind students of specific rules when giving assignments
Be available to answer questions

🔄 Iterate and Adjust

Your first guidelines don't have to be perfect
Adjust based on student questions and challenges
Different assignments may need different tiers
Stay flexible as AI tools evolve

📚 Provide Examples

Use the built-in student examples
Add your own discipline-specific scenarios
Show students what acceptable AI use looks like in your field

Tips for Different Disciplines

Writing-Intensive Courses

Consider Tier 1-2 for foundational writing skills
Tier 3-4 for advanced writing projects with revision
Always require citation of AI use for transparency

STEM Courses

Tier 2-3 for problem sets (show your work)
Tier 4-5 for coding projects (tool proficiency matters)
Consider restricting AI for exams but allowing it for projects
Use the Content Types dial to address code and data analysis explicitly, and the AI Autonomy dial to decide whether AI may run a whole analysis (Direct) or only assist

Professional Programs

Tier 4-5 (mirror real-world tool use)
Focus on output quality and professional judgment
Teach responsible AI use as a professional skill

Creative Courses

Varies by assignment goal
Tier 1-2 for skill development exercises
Tier 3-5 for portfolio pieces or collaborative projects
Use the Content Types dial to be explicit about AI-generated images, audio, or video, and require labeling where they appear

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know which tier to choose?

Ask yourself: "Am I assessing the student's independent capability, or the quality of their final work?"

If capability → Lower tiers (1-2)
If final output → Higher tiers (4-5)
If both/learning process → Middle tiers (3)

What are the "Content Types" and "AI Autonomy" options?

They're two cross-cutting dials on every tier. Content Types lets you say which kinds of AI output your rule covers — text, images, charts, slides, code, data analysis, or audio/video — so you can, for example, allow AI images but not AI text. AI Autonomy sets how much of the task AI may carry out, from simply assisting the student's own steps up to managing work the student supervises. Each tier caps how far both can go, and choosing the top autonomy levels automatically adds an accountability statement. See Content Types & AI Autonomy above for details.

Can I use different tiers for different assignments?

Yes! It's common to have:

Tier 1-2 for exams and foundational assignments
Tier 3-4 for major projects with iteration
Tier 5 for capstone or professional portfolio work

What if a student violates my guidelines?

Refer to the consequences you selected in Step 3
Document the violation
Follow your institution's academic integrity procedures
Consider if the violation was intentional or a misunderstanding

Can I edit the guidelines after downloading?

Yes! All export formats (copy, text, HTML) can be edited. The builder creates a starting point—you can customize further to fit your needs.

Do I need to create new guidelines every semester?

No! Save your guidelines and reuse them. You may want to:

Review annually as AI tools evolve
Adjust based on student feedback
Update for new assignment types

How do I enforce citation requirements?

Make citation format clear (included in Tier 3-4 customization)
Include examples in your assignment instructions
Consider using a "How I Used AI" reflection prompt
Provide a template or citation guide

Getting Help

Technical Issues

Asked to create a password? You never need a password here. Look for the option to email you a one-time code instead, or use the Google button.
Emailed code didn't arrive? Check your spam folder, then request a new one.
Signed in with the wrong account? Click Logout in the top-right and sign in again with the account you want.
Guidelines not displaying? Try refreshing your browser

Pedagogical Questions

What tier should I use? Consider consulting with your department or the Center for Teaching and Learning
How to assess AI-assisted work? Focus on learning objectives and demonstrated understanding
Setting appropriate boundaries? Think about professional standards in your discipline

Staying Current

AI tools and best practices are evolving rapidly. Consider:

Reviewing guidelines each semester to ensure they're still relevant
Asking students for feedback on clarity and feasibility
Sharing approaches with colleagues to learn what works
Staying informed about university policy updates

Quick Start Checklist

Sign in with Google or an emailed code
Choose Course Guidelines or Assignment Guidelines
Select your AI use tier (1-5)
Customize options based on your learning objectives
Add University Policy Reference (recommended)
Add consequences/enforcement section
Review the live preview
Check student examples for clarity
Export guidelines (copy, text, or HTML)
Add guidelines to your syllabus or assignment instructions
Communicate guidelines clearly to students
Be prepared to answer student questions

Ready to create your first set of guidelines?
Sign in at https://aiguidelinesbuilder.lemiscatemind.com and get started!

Questions or feedback? Use the 💬 Give Feedback button in the builder — it is in the row of buttons beneath your guidelines, next to Print and Start Over.

Last Updated: July 2026