Dear students,
on the occasion of a recently assessed Bachelor's thesis, we would like to expressly point out that the quality of the bibliography is an essential part of the assessment of your seminar papers and theses.
In this case, a literature-based Bachelor's thesis was submitted. However, 38 of the sources cited in the text were missing from the bibliography - this corresponded to almost two thirds of all the sources used. In addition, the list had formal deficiencies. Due to these circumstances, it was questionable whether the thesis could be graded as passed at all or whether it should be graded with a 5.0. After consultation with the Dean's Office, a grade of 4.0 was finally awarded.
The basis for this decision was that the cited content could not be formally verified. A pass was only justifiable for two reasons:
- a large proportion of the sources were known to the supervising team, so that the quotations in the text could be reconstructed.
- an attempt to deceive (undercutting) could be ruled out.
The second point in particular is of central importance to us. On the one hand, the exclusion of an attempt to cheat was based on the consistent identification of external ideas through in-text citations - even if these were hardly verifiable due to the incomplete bibliography. On the other hand, the student claimed to have created the bibliography with the help of an AI tool.
We would like to point out in this context: The use of an AI tool does not release you from the obligation to independently check the content generated with it. The case makes it clear that you are personally responsible for results from the use of AI. Correctly stating the use of AI as part of the declaration of independence required by us can be a decisive factor in distinguishing between negligence and deception in an emergency.
We therefore urge you to check your bibliography carefully before submitting it - it is better to have too much than too little. Also use the declaration of independence to disclose your use of AI correctly, completely and appropriately. Without such disclosure, any AI-related error can be considered an undercut. On the other hand, if the usage is properly disclosed, AI errors are more likely to result in a grade deduction for inadequate personal review of the AI result.