AI-Powered English Writing Application & Advancement

Course Description

This introductory course aims to develop students’ proficiency in English writing and using AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Writefull, to facilitate their writing process. While ChatGPT has revolutionized higher education, concerns about compromising research ethics have also emerged. Therefore, this course aims to help students understand how to use AI writing tools effectively and develop countermeasures to tackle issues of AI-generated texts. It consists of three major components: (1) AI-generated Texts: Paragraphs & Essays, (2) Self-editing Strategies, and (3) Writing Ethics.

In this writing course, students will have the opportunity to develop their writing skills and gain practical experience using AI tools through a range of hands-on activities, including collaborative writing, revision exercises, peer review, and essay commentary. They will gain practical experience in crafting prompts that elicit the desired responses from AI writing tools, as well as in refining and optimizing their prompts based on feedback and evaluation. By the end of the course, students will have acquired a comprehensive set of writing skills and knowledge of AI writing tools, which will enable them to write in an effective and ethical manner

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, students should be able to

1. Understand the nature and standard of English writing.
2. Develop strategies and writing skills to prevent plagiarism.
3. Explore the advantages and potential issues of incorporating AI tools into the writing process.
4. Develop countermeasures to tackle issues of AI-generated texts.
5. Develop self-editing skills to improve the quality of their writing.
6. Communicate and collaborate with peers to improve and polish their work.

Weekly Schedule

Others

• Class attendance is mandatory. Absences are excused only for good reasons. NO MORE THAN THREE excused absences are permitted.
• All of the assignments are carefully planned according to the schedule of the course. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS will be accepted.
• There are in-class and group-work tasks every week. The completion of these tasks will contribute to your participation score.

1、Required Reading

• This course does not require the students to purchase any specific books. Please refer to the weekly handouts prepared by the instructor and the extended readings.

2、Extended Readings

• Germano, W. P. (2021). On revision the only writing that counts. The University Of Chicago Press.
• (2016). Against plagiarism a guide for editors and authors. Cham Springer International Publishing.
• Hunter, N. (2023). The art of prompt engineering with ChatGPT: A Hands-On Guide.
• John, I. (2023). The art of asking ChatGPT for high-quality answers: A complete guide to prompt engineering techniques.
• Murray, D. M. (2003). The craft of revision.
• Oshima, A., & Hogue, A. (2016, September 19). Longman academic writing series 4: Essays, with essential online resources.
• Posner, R. A. (2007). The little book of plagiarism. Pantheon Books.
• Strunk, W., & White, E. B. (2000). The elements of style with revisions, an introduction, and a chapter on writing. Toronto Longman
• Williams, A. K. (2021). Seven drafts. Woodhall Press.
• Sword, Helen (2012). Stylish academic writing. Harvard University Press.
• Williams, S. A. (2023). ChatGPT for writers: Unlocking the power of artificial intelligence to enhance your nonfiction writing process.

Grading Policy