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💡 The following are my recommendations for increasing an originality score for students whom I have in class. It’s important also to review Plagiarism: The copycat crime in academia and beyond and for those UAA degree-seeking students, UAA language departmental plagiarism policy 2024. - Benjamin L. Stewart
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- I expect English language learners (writers) to recognize and embrace their original voice through a creative expression of viewpoints along with a certain set of standard writing conventions relevant to genre, purpose, and audience.
- I expect English language learners (writers) to turn in final drafts with certain writing errors characteristic of their English proficiency level. This may include moments of awkward phrasing, mechanical errors, etc. A certain degree of non-standard writing in English will not negatively affect your grade if learners can demonstrative improvements to the unity, coherency, and cohesion of their writing.
- As I measure (grade) writing as a process with several iterations (drafts), I expect learners to make revisions and edits to their initial drafts to show improvements in their writing over time.
- I expect learners to use AI in a way that does not negatively impact one’s originality score by achieving a score between 90%-100%.
- Throughout the writing process, I expect learners to communicate with me, their instructor, when they are using AI and whether or not they are getting the desired results.
What can learners expect from me?
- Learners can expect a level of patience and willingness to understand how AI can be used for the purposes of the class and in real-world (non-academic) cases.
- Learners can expect direction when it comes to use cases when AI may be used to improve your writing and thinking processes (e.g., brainstorming, key word search, narrowing down a topic, assessment, etc.)
- Learners can expect to receive an originality report from https://app.originality.ai/ on their initial drafts with time allowed to make improvements to your originality score if needed. Only the essay itself will be scanned and not the references page.
How can learners improve their originality scores?
- Avoid using any tools for generating text:
- Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Quillbot, Microsoft Word Editor, and the like.
- ChatGPT, Gemini, and the like. Avoid using Genative AI to produce text, organize ideas for your text, and paraphrase (putting into your own words) any generative AI text.
- Translation software
- Avoid paraphrasing any text generated by AI (e.g., Grammarly, Microsoft Word Editor, etc.).
- Avoid generating a (sentence) outline using AI. Even a phrasal outline could negatively effect one’s originality score.
- When writing a body paragraph using the M.E.A.L. Plan (See The M.E.A.L. Plan: A Comprehensive Approach to Paragraph Development.), make sure that analysis sentences are providing warrants (See Toulmin Method in Organizing an effective argument: Methods and examples, and not adding additional evidence taken from outside sources. Analysis sentences should connect the evidence to the main idea (topic sentence) of each body paragraph, and for the most part are original ideas.
- Here are some indicators to take into consideration as it relates to originality scores.
- Consistency and Flow: AI-generated text may sometimes lack the natural flow and coherence that human writing typically has.
- Repetition: Repeating certain phrases can be indicative of AI generation.
- Grammar and Syntax: Certain grammatical structures and unusual syntax is sometimes characteristic of AI-generated content.
Are there times when AI can be used?
Sure! Always work close with your instructor in finding ways to use AI in your subjects. For those times when AI is to be used, visit AI Tips & Tools to find various forms of technology in your pursues.