A grading-season checklist for using an AI detector fairly

Scanning a whole class set is different from a single spot check. Run through this before you start, not partway through.

Last reviewed 22 September 2026

1. Your syllabus states the policy. If AI assistance was never addressed in writing, a score isn’t grounds for anything.
2. You have a baseline. In-class writing or earlier submissions to compare against — not just the one essay in isolation.
3. You are scanning full submissions, not excerpts. Short passages are too unstable for a fair read.
4. You have blocked time to read the reasons, not just the numbers. A stack of scores with no context is how honest students get treated unfairly.
5. You know your process for a borderline result. Decide before you start, not while looking at one particular student’s name.
6. You are ready to talk to students before concluding anything, per the five-step process.

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