Accused: How students respond to allegations of using ChatGPT on assessments

This study investigates student responses to allegations of cheating using ChatGPT, a popular software platform capable of generating coherent text on various topics. Data comprising 49 Reddit posts and discussions between December 2022 and June 2023 were collected. Students shared their experiences, often asserting false accusations, and discussed strategies to navigate these situations. Thematic analysis identified five key themes: adopting a legalistic stance with argumentation and evidence; higher education's role as a societal gatekeeper; vicissitudes of trust in students vs. technology; questions of what constitutes cheating; and the need to rethink assessment. These findings will aid educators and institutions in crafting more meaningful assessments in the age of AI and establishing guidelines for student usage of ChatGPT and similar tools.