AI tools (like ChatGPT or Chatsonic) are here, and they are here to stay. While there has been much handwringing over the use of AI in education, there are both positives and negatives to the use of this tool. The goal of this assignment is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of using AI tools (in this case, ChatGPT) to construct historical arguments. The temptation to use an AI tool to write an essay for you is strong, and there are situations when using AI might be encouraged by your instructor; however, it is important to engage with AI and see that it still has limitations, and that the capacity of an actual, real-life human brain is still more powerful, and that there is still a place for using our own critical thinking skills. In this assignment, you will be analyzing an AI-generated essay that talks about some topics we discussed in class. Your task is to improve this essay according to what you have learned about those topics. Specific directions are below.
Assignment Directions
Download this essay, which was generated by ChatGPT, and addresses a prompt from Unit 6 in our course.
Actions
You can also open it as a Canvas page, but please remember that a Canvas page will not work for actually completing the assignment.
Open the document in either Microsoft Word or Google Docs. When you turn your assignment in, you will need to submit it as a Word document, NOT A PDF! (AND DO NOT USE THE .pages FORMAT!).
The assignment must be submitted as a Word doc. because I will not be able to see your changes/edits in a PDF (see #4 in the directions below).
Your task is to improve/analyze this essay in the following ways:
Add detail/evidence where it is missing. You will notice in this essay that there are many claims and arguments, but very little evidence provided to back them up. This is where you can show me what you know! Plug in specific examples, statistics, or quotes from any of your assigned class materials. I especially want you to use your lecture notes and primary source readings. You can use the course textbook (and see “B” below), but I am primarily looking for you to use lecture material and the primary source readings. You will need to CITE EVERYTHING you use from our class materials-there should be no information you are adding that does not come from our class (see “B” below).
Insert citations wherever appropriate for the existing material in the essay. This essay does not include any citations and it is your job to provide them. Anywhere that you see an opportunity to tie the essay back to classroom materials, do so! You may cite lectures, the textbook, or primary source readings.
Here is the format to follow: for lecture material, indicate the Unit number and the outline heading (example: Unit 6, “Teenagers & the Civil War”); for primary sources, just use the number (ex: 6.1), and for the textbook, use the acronym “TAY” (The American Yawp) and include the chapter and section number (ex: TAY, 14.4).
Notate and comment on any areas of the essay that talk about different material from what we discussed in class: what is in here that we did not talk about?
Indicate what is missing from the essay: what did we discuss in class that is not included in the essay? This is VERY IMPORTANT, as this will show me what you learned in class while also highlighting the limitations of AI-generated essays.
You will make all your edits to the document (showing your responses to the items outlined in #2 of the directions above) using “Track Changes” in Microsoft Word or “Suggestions” in Google Docs.
Click here for a tutorial for how to use these tools.
You may type your responses (for adding detail/evidence or what is missing) within the body of the essay itself as prose or in point/list format. You may also use the “comments” feature in Word as well.
This is an INDIVIDUAL assignment; DO NOT work in pairs/groups and turn in identical work to me. If you do, you will receive a 0 for the assignment.
Access this page to see an example of how to complete this assignment.
Late assignments will be penalized 2.5 points each day the assignment is past due.
Course Objective
Students will be able to critically evaluate and analyze primary and secondary source documents through class discussions, activities, and written assignments.
Students will be able to use both primary and secondary source documents to construct written arguments in response to essay prompts.
Students will be able to compare and contrast historical developments, concepts, and eras through oral and written assignments.
thats where we need to find the sources from and below is the essay we need to edit.
