Validated Scale Measures How Undergraduates Rely on Generative AI in Academic Writing

Jul 17, 2026

Researchers have developed and validated the Generative AI Reliance Types Scale (GenAI-RTS), a 20-item instrument that measures four types of reliance on generative AI in academic writing: Strategic, Instrumental, Dependent, and Dialogic. The scale was tested with 382 undergraduates at a U.S. Minority-Serving Institution and further supported by interviews with 14 students, demonstrating good reliability and measurement invariance across gender, first-generation status, and STEM/non-STEM majors.

Why it matters: This provides educators and researchers with a robust, validated tool to assess how undergraduates rely on generative AI, informing targeted interventions and research on AI literacy.

Full story at: arXiv AI/ML ↗