Adopted 06/13/2025
As a student-led publication committed to self-expression, accessibility, and personal growth, The Tattler has clear standards for writer integrity. The following policy provides guidelines for appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and establishes best practices for using other sources.
1. Authorship
All work published in The Tattler is done so under the responsibility of the journalist who wrote it, regardless of whether AI was used. As such, the author will be responsible for all inaccuracies and/or offenses present in their work, even if AI was responsible for its generation.
2. Acceptable AI Uses
The Tattler understands that AI tools can be helpful learning and writing aids when used responsibly. AI tools may be used in the following ways, as long as usage is transparent and supports (not replaces) student work:
- Brainstorming ideas
- Generating outlines
- Checking grammar
AI may not be used to:
- Create artwork, photography, or design elements
- Partially or fully create submissions to the Literary Issue
- Write entire sentences intended for publication
- Find sources, check facts, or replace research
3. Using Other Sources
Good journalism is based on research, but must also reflect your own voice, understanding, and/or analysis. When incorporating external sources (e.g., news articles, research papers, videos, social media, interviews), writers are expected to synthesize information from multiple sources instead of relying on or replicating a single one.
Writers are required to:
- At a minimum, use either at least one (1) original source (e.g., a personal interview, firsthand experience, direct observation, opinion, creative writing) OR at least three (3) non-original sources (e.g., articles from other news outlets, databases, etc.)
- Provide all external sources as links at the bottom of your submission.
- Whenever possible, synthesize articles from a variety of news outlets and platforms across the political spectrum.
- Consult the appropriate section editor if unsure about proper source integration
Writers may not:
- Rewrite any segment of an outside source without using quotes or paraphrasing
- Paraphrase extensively from a single source or mirror its structure and flow
- Present sourced information without adding original analysis, opinion, or context
- Rewrite any segment of an outside source without using quotes or paraphrasing
4. Taking Responsibility
To protect The Tattler’s standards of authenticity and quality:
- If a piece does not meet the source requirements outlined in 3a, the section editor will ask the writer to revise the article to align with our standards.
- The section editor will review all sources provided by the writer to check that nothing is plagiarized. If they find plagiarism, they will ask the writer to revise accordingly.
- The section editor will notify the Editor-in-Chief, Copy Editor, and Staff Advisor if they suspect a submission violates our AI policy. They will work together to holistically determine the best next steps.
5. Supporting Writers
The Tattler Editorial Board is committed to helping students project their voices and become better writers. Editors will provide individualized feedback to help contributors develop ideas and strengthen individual voices, regardless of the tools they choose to use during the drafting process.
As student journalists, we bear the responsibility of honest authorship and representing our school community with integrity. By submitting work to The Tattler, all contributors agree to abide by this policy.