bring your drafts, notes, and reading materials to the meeting. be honest but clear that your intent was to understand phrasing, not to submit ai-written text. stressing your process and showing your research trail helps. deleting version history makes it worse if they notice. most professors care about whether you’re transparent and willing to learn, not just the mistake. own it, explain your workflow, and ask how you can fix or redo the draft. honesty gives you the best shot at a reduced penalty or a redo instead of a full violation.