Independent Activity

This activity will help you develop a keen eye for the common pitfalls of introduction writing and learn how to craft strong, effective introductions. You’ll use AI to generate examples of flawed introductions, deconstruct them, and then work to improve them.

Instructions:

1. Review Introduction Principles: Review the key principles of effective introductions discussed in your textbook (hook, context, background, lead-in to thesis, thesis statement). Pay close attention to common errors and weaknesses.

2. AI Interaction: Flawed Introduction Generation: Use an AI writing tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard, etc.). Provide the AI with the following prompt:

   “I’m learning about how to write effective introductions for essays. Please provide three different examples of short introductions (approximately 100-150 words each) on the topic of [choose a topic relevant to your course; for example, the impact of technology on communication, the ethics of artificial intelligence, the role of education in society, etc.]. Each introduction should contain at least two common flaws or weaknesses, such as:

   • Lack of a clear hook or an ineffective hook.
   • Too much or too little background information.
   • An unclear or missing thesis statement.
   • Abrupt or awkward transitions.
   • Irrelevant or distracting information.
   • Clichés or overly general statements.
   • A weak or unengaging opening.
   • A lack of focus or direction.

   Do not tell me what the specific flaws are in each example; I want to identify them myself.”

3. Deconstruct the Introductions: Carefully read each of the introductions provided by the AI. For each introduction:

   • Identify the Flaws: List and describe the specific flaws or weaknesses you find in the introduction. Be precise and explain why each flaw is problematic.
   • Explain the Impact: How do these flaws affect the reader’s understanding or engagement? What is the overall impact of the weak introduction?

4. AI Interaction: Feedback on Deconstruction: Provide the AI with your analysis of each introduction, listing the flaws you identified and your explanations. Ask the AI for feedback:

   “I’ve analyzed the flawed introductions you provided. Here’s my analysis: [paste your analysis of each introduction, listing the flaws and explaining their impact]. Can you tell me if my analysis is accurate? Have I missed any significant flaws? Are my explanations clear and specific enough?”

5. Revise the Introductions: Based on the AI’s feedback and your own analysis, revise each introduction to correct the identified flaws and make it a strong, effective introduction.

6. AI Interaction: Feedback on Revisions: After revising the introductions, provide the AI with your revised versions and ask for feedback:

   “I’ve revised the flawed introductions you provided. Here are my revised versions: [paste your revised introductions]. Can you tell me if I’ve effectively addressed the flaws and if the introductions are now stronger? Are there any other areas where I could improve them?”

7. Reflection: Write a short reflection on your experience. How did analyzing the AI-generated examples help you understand the common pitfalls of introduction writing? Did you find it challenging to identify the flaws and revise the introductions? How did the AI’s feedback help you refine your analysis and revisions? How will you apply these insights to your future writing to ensure you are crafting strong introductions?

Discussion Option

Part 1: Flawed Introduction Generation 

Instructions:

Welcome to our discussion on crafting powerful introductions! In this activity, you’ll be using AI to generate examples of flawed introductions, and then we’ll work together to deconstruct and improve them.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. AI Interaction: Flawed Introduction Generation: Use an AI writing tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.). Provide the AI with the following prompt:

   “I’m learning about how to write effective introductions for essays. Please provide three different examples of short introductions (approximately 100-150 words each) on the topic of [choose a topic relevant to your course; for example, the impact of technology on communication, the ethics of artificial intelligence, the role of education in society, etc.]. Each introduction should contain at least two common flaws or weaknesses, such as:

   • Lack of a clear hook or an ineffective hook.
   • Too much or too little background information.
   • An unclear or missing thesis statement.
   • Abrupt or awkward transitions.
   • Irrelevant or distracting information.
   • Clichés or overly general statements.
   • A weak or unengaging opening.
   • A lack of focus or direction.

   Do not tell me what the specific flaws are in each example; I want to identify them myself.”

2. Post Your Samples: In your initial discussion post, paste the three flawed introductions generated by the AI. Do not reveal what the flaws are. We want our peers to discover them.

Remember: This is a writing course. Ensure your initial post is written in complete sentences with correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Part 2: Self-Deconstruction & Revision (Practice)

Instructions:

Before analyzing your peers’ introductions, you’ll practice deconstructing and revising your own AI-generated examples.

1. Deconstruct the Introductions: Carefully read each of the introductions you generated. For each introduction:

   • Identify the Flaws: List and describe the specific flaws or weaknesses you find in the introduction. Be precise and explain why each flaw is problematic.
   • Explain the Impact: How do these flaws affect the reader’s understanding or engagement? What is the overall impact of the weak introduction?

2. AI Interaction: Feedback on Deconstruction: Provide the AI with your analysis of each introduction, listing the flaws you identified and your explanations. Ask the AI for feedback:

   “I’ve analyzed the flawed introductions you provided. Here’s my analysis: [paste your analysis of each introduction, listing the flaws and explaining their impact]. Can you tell me if my analysis is accurate? Have I missed any significant flaws? Are my explanations clear and specific enough?”

3. Revise the Introductions: Based on the AI’s feedback and your own analysis, revise each introduction to correct the identified flaws and make it a strong, effective introduction.

4. AI Interaction: Feedback on Revisions: After revising the introductions, provide the AI with your revised versions and ask for feedback:

   “I’ve revised the flawed introductions you provided. Here are my revised versions: [paste your revised introductions]. Can you tell me if I’ve effectively addressed the flaws and if the introductions are now stronger? Are there any other areas where I could improve them?”

Note: This part of the activity is for your personal practice and learning. You do not need to post your analysis or revisions in the discussion board. However, this step is essential for understanding the process before you analyze your peers’ posts.

Part 3: Peer Deconstruction and Analysis (Peer Responses)

Instructions:

Now it’s time to put your analytical skills to the test! Read the flawed introductions posted by your classmates. Choose at least two classmates to respond to. For each introduction you analyze:

1. Identify the Flaws: List and describe the specific flaws or weaknesses you find in the introduction. Be precise and explain why each flaw is problematic.
2. Explain the Impact: How do these flaws affect the reader’s understanding or engagement? What is the overall impact of the weak introduction on the essay?
3. Substantive Explanation: Ensure your response is substantive. Do not just give the answers you obtained from the AI. Explain what you learned from the process of both collaborating with AI and independently analyzing prompts posted by other students. Explain why you think the paragraph is flawed as well as what significance that has to the introduction and how it might impact the essay.

Remember: This is a writing course. Ensure your responses are written in complete sentences with correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Part 4: Reveal and Reflect (Follow-Up)

Instructions:

It’s time to reveal the AI’s feedback and reflect on what we’ve learned!

1. Reveal the Flaws: Reply to the students who analyzed your introductions. Share the AI’s feedback on the flaws you intentionally included. Discuss the accuracy of your peers’ analyses.
2. Discuss the Analyses: Discuss the different analyses provided by your peers. What did you learn from the different perspectives? Were there any surprises?
3. Substantive Explanation: Explain what you learned from the process of both collaborating with AI and independently analyzing prompts posted by other students. I want to know that you understand what should go into an introduction and why it matters.
4. Reflection: In a follow-up post, reflect on what you learned from this collaborative activity. How did analyzing your classmates’ samples help you understand the common pitfalls of introduction writing? How will you apply these insights to your future writing to ensure you are crafting strong introductions?

Remember: This is a writing course. Ensure your follow-up responses are written in complete sentences with correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.