Tier A
Supported my learning
AI helped me understand. Nothing AI-produced is in my submitted work.
2 uses
The CiteKeep taxonomy
A shared vocabulary for AI use.
16 uses in 4 tiers, ordered by how far AI reaches into the work a student submits. Students describe their use, instructors set a policy for each use, and institutions see the patterns, all in the same words.
4 tiers · 16 uses · 3 policy states · 4 instructor presets · Version 3, adopted July 2026
The CiteKeep taxonomyv3 · July 2026- Tier ASupported my learning
- Tier BSupported my process
- Tier CRefined my work
- Tier DGenerated content in my work
Four tiers
Ordered by how far AI reaches into the submitted work.
A student describes their AI use in plain words. The tier says how far that use reaches: from help understanding the material, to AI-produced content in what they hand in.
Tier B
Supported my process
AI shaped how I worked. I wrote or made everything I submitted.
4 uses
Tier C
Refined my work
AI touched material I submitted, but the substance is mine.
6 uses
Tier D
Generated content in my work
AI produced substance that appears in my submitted work.
4 uses
The 16 uses
Every use, named in plain words.
Each use names the role AI played, so a disclosure says more than "I used AI." The tag shows whether that use usually reaches the submitted work. The chip on each tier shows how the selected instructor preset treats it.
Tier A
Supported my learning
PermittedAI helped me understand. Nothing AI-produced is in my submitted work.
Customize the 2 uses in Supported my learning
- Explaining or learning contentGetting help understanding concepts, readings, problems, directions, or class material.Not in work
- Creating study or practice materialsMaking flashcards, quizzes, practice questions, study guides, examples, or explanations of answers.Not in work
Tier B
Supported my process
Permitted with disclosureAI shaped how I worked. I wrote or made everything I submitted.
Customize the 4 uses in Supported my process
- Brainstorming and idea generationComing up with topics, research questions, titles, examples, or creative directions.Usually in work
- Research supportFinding keywords, narrowing a topic, summarizing source material, comparing ideas, or organizing research notes.Usually in work
- Planning and organizing workCreating outlines, assignment plans, timelines, section headings, or presentation structures.Usually in work
- Coordinating group workDrafting team messages, summarizing meetings, dividing tasks, or managing a group project schedule.Not in work
Tier C
Refined my work
Permitted with disclosureAI touched material I submitted, but the substance is mine.
Customize the 6 uses in Refined my work
- Revising and improving workImproving clarity, organization, tone, argument, evidence, flow, or alignment with assignment expectations.In work
- Editing, proofreading, and formattingChecking grammar, spelling, punctuation, citations, formatting, or general polish.In work
- Creating visuals or multimediaGenerating images, graphics, diagrams, charts, slides, captions, or other visual supports.In work
- Checking work or solving problemsChecking answers, explaining steps, solving math or technical problems, debugging code, or creating formulas.Usually in work
- Translation, simplification, or accessibility supportTranslating text, simplifying reading level, converting information into another format, or making content more accessible.Usually in work
- Documenting AI use and reflecting on learningRecording prompts and responses, explaining how AI was used, describing what changed, or reflecting on your learning process.Not in work
Tier D
Generated content in my work
Not permittedAI produced substance that appears in my submitted work.
Customize the 4 uses in Generated content in my work
- Drafting contentGenerating a first draft of written work, discussion posts, emails, scripts, slides, or other assignment content.In work
- Analyzing and interpreting dataRunning calculations or statistics, coding or categorizing data, finding patterns, or interpreting what results mean.In work
- Collecting or generating dataDesigning surveys or interview questions, gathering source data, or generating sample, synthetic, or simulated data.In work
- Completing tasks autonomouslyLetting an AI agent browse, run code, use other tools, or carry out multi-step work with limited step-by-step direction.In work
Policy states
Three states, set per tier or per use.
Permitted
The use is allowed and does not need to be disclosed under this policy.
Permitted with disclosure
The use is allowed, and the student records it in CiteKeep.
Not permitted
The instructor prohibits the use. If it happened, the student still discloses it: recording a use does not grant permission.
When the uses inside one tier carry different states, the tier shows as Partly permitted and lists the state for each use.
Instructor presets
Start from a preset. Change any single use.
| Preset | Tier A | Tier B | Tier C | Tier D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open - disclose everythingAll uses allowed. Disclosure is the only requirement. | Permitted | Permitted with disclosure | Permitted with disclosure | Permitted with disclosure |
| Process and polishDefaultHelp is fine. AI-generated content is not. | Permitted | Permitted with disclosure | Permitted with disclosure | Not permitted |
| Process onlyFor courses assessing writing craft. | Permitted | Permitted with disclosure | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| No AI in the workLearning support remains allowed; AI in submitted work is not. | Permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted |
P Permitted · D Permitted with disclosure · N Not permitted
Built on published research
Three frameworks, combined into one classroom vocabulary.
The 16 uses follow the AID Framework's practice of naming the specific role AI played. The four tiers apply the AI Assessment Scale's question of how far AI reaches into assessed work, per use rather than per task. The data, analysis and autonomous-task uses draw on GAIDeT. Tier A, and the line between refining (C) and generating (D), are CiteKeep additions.
AI Disclosure (AID) Framework
Naming the specific role AI played.
Weaver, K. D. (2024). College & Research Libraries News, 85(10), 407-411.
doi.org/10.5860/crln.85.10.407 →AI Assessment Scale (AIAS)
How far AI reaches into assessed work, applied per use.
Perkins, Furze, Roe and MacVaugh (2024); Perkins, Roe and Furze (2025). Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice.
doi.org/10.53761/rrm4y757 →GAIDeT
Task-level delegation categories for data, analysis and autonomous work.
Suchikova, Tsybuliak, Teixeira da Silva and Nazarovets (2026). Accountability in Research, 33(3).
doi.org/10.1080/08989621.2025.2544331 →Related guidance
Take it with you
Use it in your syllabus, your policy and your research.
PDF · 2 pages
Taxonomy reference
All 16 uses, the presets, extent and learning evidence, a use-by-use alignment table and 13 references with DOIs.
Download the PDF →Web page
The tiers, for students
What each tier means when an instructor's policy appears on an assignment.
Open the student guide →Web page · Sample
A policy written with it
A fictional university AI-use policy built on the taxonomy, for institutions drafting their own.
Read the sample policy →Cite the taxonomy
CiteKeep. (2026). AI use disclosure taxonomy (Version 3; citekeep-disclosure-taxonomy-v3-20260724). https://www.citekeep.com/taxonomySpring 2027 pilot
Shape CiteKeep with us.
Pilot institutions receive full use of CiteKeep for the Spring 2027 term, onboarding completed before classes begin, and a direct role in shaping the product.