Title - Alternative
Instruction in Synthesis Writing can be Augmented by Giving Students a Generative Artificial Intelligence
Institution Type
Doctorate-granting university
Course Level
Undergraduate
Modality of Lesson
In-Person
Category
Ideation and Structuring
Primary AI Tool Used
ChatGPT 3.5
Learning Objectives
- Summarize and paraphrase the arguments of different sources, demonstrating comprehension of each author’s argument.
- Integrate ideas from different sources into on the basis of particular themes that span disparate arguments.
- Compare and contrast the perspectives, assumptions, and conclusions of different sources.
- Formulate a well-organized, original argument that synthesizes insights from multiple sources into a clear, persuasive position.
Strategy Description
This entry describes an AI-augmented strategy to assist students in synthesis writing, specifically in a general education writing course. The approach uses an instructor-created generative AI prompt to give additional in-process feedback on drafts, helping students identify and address common synthesis challenges such as patchwriting and sequential reporting. Preliminary results suggest that students using the AI prompt demonstrated increased confidence and improved synthesis skills, as indicated by both their self-reports and better assignment performance compared to previous semesters.
Publisher
University of Central Florida Libraries
Keywords
ChatGPT 3.5; Synthesis; Argumentation; General-education writing; Writing pedagogy
Subjects
Academic writing--Computer-assisted instruction; Artificial intelligence--Computer-assisted instruction; English language--Rhetoric--Computer-assisted instruction; Academic writing--Study and teaching (Higher); Academic writing--Study and teaching--Evaluation
Type
Text; Document
Extent
7 pages
Collection
Series
Audience
Faculty; Students; Educators
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Loewe, Drew, "Instruction in Synthesis Writing can be Augmented by Giving Students a Generative AI Prompt" (2025). Teaching Repository of AI-Infused Learning. 5.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/traiil/5