The rise of AI tools such as ChatGPT has sparked a heated debate in academic circles. As they become more advanced & accessible, should we rethink how we teach writing? Some argue AI could undermine academic integrity. Others see an opportunity to shift our pedagogical focus towards aspects such as creativity & critical thinking
Until the dust settles on these debates, however, this still leaves a lot of teachers having to work out if a student has used AI to write the bulk of their assignment.
A new study [free to download- yay!] by Cambridge University Press &
Assessment provides some useful insights into how students use ChatGPT for essay assistance & the telltale signs of AI-generated writing. The research analysed essays written by undergrads with ChatGPT’s help, comparing them to human-written essays.
Some key findings: While ChatGPT essays scored well on providing information & reflection, they did not fare as well in terms of higher-order skills like analysis & comparison.
AI’s default style has telltale hallmarks such as:
- Latinate vocabulary (e.g. “utilise” instead of “use” & above the level you’d expect of the [human] writer)
- Discourse markers at the start of paragraphs (e.g. “Nonetheless”, “Moreover”, which are then followed by a comma)
- Numbered lists with colons: (e.g. “There are three main reasons: 1: … 2: … 3: …”)
- Redundancies & repetition (e.g. “The biggest problem is the problematic issue…”)
- Pleonasms (using unnecessary, redundant words, e.g. “combine together” or “past history”)
- Tautology (saying the same thing twice, e.g. “We must come together to unite“)
- Use of the Oxford comma (e.g. “ChatGPT has many uses for teaching, learning at home, revision, & assessment”)
- Reliance on a generic journalistic tone (e.g. “It is undeniable that AI writing assistants have become prevalent…“)
While only based on a small sample, it’s an early look at how AI tools might be impacting student writing. For teachers, being aware of these potential giveaways can help identify AI assistance. But the study also hints at implications for teaching writing skills that ChatGPT lacks [currently!].
Language learners could leverage ChatGPT for drafting, research & ideation – while developing their own voices & higher-order writing abilities. In other words, we should focus on higher-order thinking, underlining the importance of critical thinking & metacognitive skills in AI-assisted essay writing. AI seems eminently capable of handling the mechanical aspects of writing, but being truly insightful & original is a uniquely human strength.
Have you spotted any of AI’s ‘tells’?
What are your thoughts on actively encouraging the use of AI writing assistants?
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