At the University of Galway, presenting the output of generative AI tools as your own work is academic misconduct under the QA220 Academic Integrity Policy, and your instructor may permit a limited use for some aspects of preparing an assignment. QA220 also names machine translation, such as Google Translate. Here is what the University publishes, checked 17 October 2026.
Try the free previewThe Academic Integrity Office answers the question directly in its FAQ for students: "You should not present the output of generative AI tools as your own work in any assignment: QA220 Academic Integrity Policy identifies this as misconduct."
It then describes the exception: "In some circumstances, your instructor may permit a limited use of generative AI tools for certain aspects of preparing for your assignment, as long as you do not present generated outputs as your own work." Permission is framed narrowly: limited, for some aspects of preparation, and given by your instructor. Its advice for anyone in doubt is short: "If you are unsure about what is and is not permitted in a given assignment, speak to your instructor."
QA220 (dated 16 June 2022, revised 1 September 2026) gives examples of academic misconduct. One of them reads: "Submitting all or part of an assessment item which has been produced using artificial intelligence (e.g. Google Translate or other machine translation services/software, generative AI, etc.) and claiming it as your own work."
This matters most if English is not your first language. Drafting in your own language and running the text through a translation tool produces English you did not write, and QA220 lists that next to generative AI. If you want to use any translation tool, at any stage, ask your instructor first what is permitted. QA220 also recognises that misconduct can be inadvertent as well as intentional, and the FAQ explains that in limited cases your instructor can decide that a breach was inadvertent and recommend training.
The Library's academic integrity page asks students to check with their lecturers whether AI tools are permitted, how they may be used and how to cite them, and warns that failing to confirm this beforehand could risk academic misconduct.
The staff section of the FAQ suggests that lecturers consider asking for a statement with each assignment describing the nature, extent and purpose of any generative AI use. Your module may ask for one, so keep brief notes on any tool you use while you work. A statement written from notes is accurate; one written from memory the night before submission rarely is.
In the same FAQ, the University tells staff that it does not currently authorise or advocate so-called AI detectors, because they have not been shown to be effective, and that student work should never be uploaded to third-party detection software.
The FAQ also corrects a common belief about Turnitin. Its similarity score measures how far your text matches other documents; it does not show whether plagiarism is present, so trying to push the score down is pointless. Matching material that is cited and referenced correctly is not plagiarism.
Esmond evaluates; it does not write. You upload your own draft and get comments in the margin plus a report that shows where your argument, method or use of sources is weaker, and why. It does not write or rewrite your text: it points to the weak spot and gives a direction for revising it. Where a comment includes an example, it illustrates a principle; the sentence you submit is one you write yourself.
The University of Galway has no connection with Esmond and has not endorsed it. Be straight with yourself: Esmond works with language models, so using it is a form of AI use. Rules on AI differ per university, programme, module and assignment. Check your module or programme handbook before you upload, and if it is unclear, ask your supervisor or module coordinator and declare the use if your institution asks you to.
This page summarises what the institution publishes, with links to the source. It is not legal advice and not a ruling on your assignment: what your programme, module or supervisor sets always comes first.
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QA220 lists submitting work produced with machine translation, Google Translate included, and claiming it as your own as an example of misconduct. Ask your instructor before you use any translation tool.
The staff FAQ says the University does not currently authorise or advocate AI detectors, because they have not been shown to be effective. Your work can still be reviewed for misconduct in other ways.
No. Esmond is independent. The University of Galway has no connection with Esmond and has not endorsed it.
Official pages and policy, checked 17 October 2026. Quotations are word for word; the rest is our summary. Read the full text at the source.