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Research Guides@Tufts

Music Resources (General): Generative AI and Research

This is a general music research guide that highlights electronic music resources available at Tufts University, as well as a number of open-access online resources. You can search the library catalog to find additional materials and databases.

Using AI in your Research Project

At Tufts you may not submit any work generated by an AI program as your own. This is a violation of Tufts Academic Integrity policies. Check with your instructor/professor before using AI in your class.

How might you use AI to help you in your research?

  • You might use it to help you generate ideas, to quiz yourself, reframe ideas, or ask it to explain concepts or keywords.
  • Before using any AI programs you should be aware that generative AI programs collect and store the data that you provide and it may be used to help the generative AI learn and create output to others when they use the program. Additional information is found on the Tufts Guidelines for Use of Generative AI Tools.

If you do use AI tools to help you in your work, you should:

  • Cite the AI tool(s) when you have quoted, paraphrased, or incorporated it into your own work
  • Acknowledge and describe how the AI tool contributed to your work (for example: used to help identify grammatical or spelling errors). Describe this in a footnote or a section of your research, as appropriate
  • Review and verify any sources the AI tool cites - do not consider all of the output as authoritative or even factual
  • Be aware that AI tools are biased, may include incorrect or fabricated information or sources, or even plagiarized content

Citing the use of generative AI

When citing the use of generative AI in your work, include the following metadata:

  • Title of source: describe what was generated by the AI
  • Title of container: name of the AI tool
  • Version: name of the version of the AI tool
  • Publisher: name of the company that made the AI tool
  • Date: provide the date when you generated the content
  • Location: provide the general URL of the AI tool

More information can be found at “How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?” Ask the MLA. https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/