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Using AI in Your Writing Journey: οΏ½A Student Guide

Dr. Dominic Ashby

Department of English,

Eastern Kentucky University

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Denison Center for Teaching and Learning

March 20, 2024

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Question:

What are some concerns you have regarding the use of AI in college writing assignments?

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Writing: A Key to Learning

Deepens Content Understanding: Writing helps you process and retain information.

Fosters Critical Thinking: Organizing ideas and arguments challenges your thinking skills.

Builds Disciplinary Knowledge: Learning to write like a professional in your field is an important part of your college degree!

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The increasing presence of AI writing tools

Where do you see AI writing tools? In what programs, websites, apps, etc?

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AI: Pattern Follower, Not a Creative Thinker

  • AI excels at following patterns, not true critical thinking or creativity
  • When it comes to writing, AI's strength lies in supporting writing by recognizing disciplinary conventions (genres)

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Making AI Work for You

Developing research questions

Generating key terms for your research

Assisting with organization

Providing feedback

Being ethical!

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AI and the Research Process

  • Developing Research Questions
    • AI can help you refine and add depth to your research questions
    • AI can help connect your questions to relevant fields
  • Generating Key Terms
    • AI can suggest relevant keywords for library database searches

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Prompt β€œMad Libs”

I am a college student in a research and writing course. Our class is researching social inequality in the United States.

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  • Here are some research questions my class has created. [Paste in your question list.] What are some other research questions we should consider?

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  • To find database research that can answer these questions, what are some search terms I can use?

Examples

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Which of the following best describes your preferred approach to organizing your drafts?

  • I usually write freely and organize later.
  • I prefer to outline my ideas before writing.
  • I use a combination of both.

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Organization 1: From Notes to Outline

  • AI can assist with grouping concepts from notes into an outline
  • Caution! Critically evaluate AI-generated outlines – they may not be the best option, though they can help you start the process.

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Question: What might be some drawbacks to using AI-generated outlines? When answering, think about effectiveness, learning, and possible ethical concerns.

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Organization 2: Reverse Outlining

  • Practice of feeding a draft into AI and asking for an outline
  • Helpful in your revision process
  • Aligns with how many people write (ideas first, then organize)

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My preferred method!

Can be paired with requests for feedback

Example

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How do you typically get feedback on your writing assignments?

A. Instructor feedback only.

B. Peer feedback only.

C. I visit the Writing Center

D. A combination of A, B, and C.

E. I rarely seek feedback.οΏ½

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Feedback

  • AI is not a replacement for human feedback, especially regarding audience and purpose (rhetoric)
  • AI excels at recognizing patterns and can offer genre-specific feedback
  • How you craft your prompt is important! Include description of your genre and purpose.
    • Example: Evaluate the effectiveness of this letter of recommendation, written for a college student applying for a scholarship.

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Responsible AI Use: Avoiding Plagiarism

Question: How can you ensure responsible AI use and avoid plagiarism?

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Taking Ownership: Ethics and Learning

Annotation and documentation

Reflection as a tool for learning and for AI documentation

Open communication with instructors (and employers!)

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AI: A Supportive Tool for Your Writing Journey

AI as a supportive tool for enhancing your writing process

Importance of ethical and responsible AI use

Reflection on how AI influences your writing

Open communication with instructors

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Questions?

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Contact

Dominic Ashby

dominic.ashby@eku.edu

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Eastern Kentucky University

Department of English

521 Lancaster Ave.

Richmond, KY 40391