Tips for teaching writing in the age of AI

With the rise and technological improvement in generative AI tools over the past few years, the APA Style team has seen many questions and concerns about how to ensure students are meeting their APA Style and scholarly writing objectives. The APA Style team’s goal when addressing the use of new technology is to help authors transparently cite their sources and methods, while encouraging writing with clarity, precision, and inclusion. To that end, we have previously addressed how to cite AI tools such as ChatGPT on our blog.

This post addresses practical tips instructors can take to teach writing in the age of AI.

On the APA Style team, we are always looking for experts to help us with our writing and decision-making. For example, if we have questions on spelling or usage of a word, we use the Merriam-Webster.com Dictionaryopens in new window and the APA Dictionary of Psychology. Similarly, when you are thinking about integrating generative AI tools in your research or teaching, it is important to use APA Style’s AI citation guidance together with your institution, organization, or journal’s policies for how and when to use AI in your situation.

For those publishing their work, your prospective journals will likely have a policy in place covering the ethics of using AI in different situations. For example, APA Journals AI policies require authors to explicitly state how and to what extent they used AI. AI also cannot be credited as the author of a paper, because AI cannot consent to meeting the standards of authorship.

Universities may have a similar generative AI policy in place or may defer to their overall plagiarism or academic integrity policy.

According to the Inside Higher Ed Provost Survey, only 20% of universities had an AI policy in place for the 2023–24 school year (Quinn, 2024). Even for institutions with a specific generative AI policy, there is often flexibility for instructors to decide how AI can be used, from outright bans to extensive classroom use. So, with a dearth of outright rules and a lot of room for growth and change, how can an instructor ensure learning objectives are met in a world with generative AI?

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Education Technology (2023), the best way for instructors to use AI in the classroom is to think of it like an “electric bike” to reduce burden with the human fully in control, instead of a “robot vacuum” that is more autonomous. However, many instructors, including those who email us with AI questions, are concerned about students using generative AI to do their work for them instead of as a helpful tool. To make things even more difficult, instructors often struggle to detect AI use and overestimate their ability to do so (Fleckenstein et al., 2024). Many schools from K12 to higher education depend on AI detection tools, but these can be controversial due to accuracy and potential for bias (Coffey, 2024). Most of the instructors we work with want to help their students become excellent independent scholarly writers without becoming the AI “plagiarism police.” We compiled a few tips to help instructors create assignments that encourage critical thinking in a world of generative AI.

It is important to set clear expectations for students regarding AI and not assume that every instructor or department will have the same guidelines. It can be helpful to think about the acceptable uses for AI and what would interfere with the learning objectives and critical thinking skills your class is trying to develop. When you decide how or if you would like to incorporate AI, clearly state your expectations for students. The Harvard Office of Undergraduate Education (2024) has created three examples for AI syllabus languageopens in new window, from most limited to least restrictive, that I find straightforward. When AI is allowed, any use of AI must be appropriately cited, and students are responsible for the accuracy of AI output. Although Harvard’s website and AI Pedagogy Projectopens in new window were developed for their students and faculty, it contains a wealth of widely applicable guidance.

When addressing AI use in class, showing the pitfalls of overreliance on AI can be useful as well. In one recent study, “Examining the Capabilities of GPT-4 to Write an APA-Style School Psychology Paper,” researchers found unsubstantiated sentences, incorrect citations, citations to papers that do not exist, and more (Lockwood & Castleberry, 2024). Having students track down references in an AI-generated paper and pinpointing any mistakes could be an interesting assignment to reinforce APA Style and information literacy skills.

In addition to issues with substantiating claims and citing sources, AI-generated text can often lack APA Style’s three primary principles: clarity, precision, and inclusion. AI-generated text often reads like a summary and lacks specificity (The Writing Program, 2024). It might also perpetuate the use of terms that were once acceptable but are no longer recommendedopens in new window, which can be difficult for students to spot. Encourage clear, precise, and inclusive language in your grading rubric.

We often recommend scaffolding the creation of a research paper, especially for beginner and intermediate students, to improve critical thinking about research. Breaking down the research process into steps and checking in with students throughout the process can prevent overreliance on AI (“doing the work for them”) and help students build their research skills. It also provides more transparency about how students arrive at their conclusions (Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, 2024). Some of the best instructional aids on our website to help break up the research and writing process include the following:

• Research Article Activity (PDF, 105KB)opens in new window: This activity walks students through the process of reading a scholarly research article, paraphrasing the article, and creating the in-text citation and reference for the article.
• Annotated Bibliography (sample) (DOCX, 36KB)opens in new window: This sample helps students understand how the sources they use in their work are helpful to them and their readers.

Washington State University’s Writing Program (2024) recommends engaging students with assignments that encourage active reading, reflection, or incorporate multimedia or physical elements. Asking students to verbally explain or teach their research also discourages overreliance on AI and requires fully understanding their work (Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, 2024). Using AI in purposeful ways can also be an interesting way to engage students and illustrate how these tools can be used ethically in the writing process. Using an AI tool for brainstorming or idea generation can be a helpful way to get started with the research process (Center for Teaching Excellence, 2024). Incorporating AI in assignments could also help students develop skills for the future, like how to create AI prompts that lead to the best results.

The APA Style team suggests that although AI may help a student understand a paper, the student should always read the original source they are citing themselves. Although AI-generated text can often seem accurate, AI tools are not capable of true understanding. The writer must fully understand their work by reading the original sources, not just AI’s interpretation of them.

The use of generative AI in research will continue to evolve. Like you, the APA Style team is always learning about new technologies and the writing process. How do you use AI in the classroom? What elements of the writing and research process are most important for students to do on their own, and how can AI help? Comment below or reach out to us on social media.