Human and AI Editing Tool Use Among Online Professional Practice/Applied Practice Doctoral Students
Implications for Academic Integrity Policies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2026.593Keywords:
academic writing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), ethical authorship, Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI), doctoral education, online learning, editorial toolsAbstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore online professional practice doctoral students' and recent graduates' (2022-2025) use of editing software, GenAI/AI browser extensions, and human editors, examining their practices and institutional policy perspectives. Using Lentz's (2024) ethical authorship framework, researchers analyzed 29 participant responses. Four themes emerged: Foundational Academic Excellence and Support, Innovative Learning and Development, Quality Assurance and Professional Growth, and Inconsistent Institutional Practice and Ethical Oversight. Findings identified distinct functional purposes and five commonalities across editorial resources. Participants strategically employed different resources while maintaining authorial agency and critical judgment, yet reported widespread inconsistency in faculty guidance, revealing significant governance gaps. GenAI tools provided social-emotional support for isolated online learners. Participants demonstrated ethical authorship consciousness and opposed blanket prohibitions, advocating instead for comprehensive institutional guidelines. Results challenge traditional academic integrity frameworks and recommend program-level policies informed by ethical authorship principles.
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