Which platforms are students prohibited from using for disciplinary essays?

Students are prohibited from using AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Grammarly for disciplinary essays because these tools can generate or significantly alter content beyond the students' own understanding and writing abilities. The intention behind requiring students to write these essays is to foster personal reflection, critical thinking, and the development of their own writing skills. Using AI assistance may result in work that does not accurately reflect the student’s own thoughts or understanding of the material, undermining the learning process that the essay is meant to facilitate.

In contrast, other platforms like online forums, social media, or standard word processing software are often acceptable for various reasons, such as promoting peer feedback, keeping the focus on personal learning and writing practice, or simply being tools for formatting and editing that do not directly contribute to the creation of the essay’s content.