This assignment, by Nick Montfort, is from the TextGenEd collection in the WAC Clearinghouse Repository.
The abstract from the site explains:
Students are assigned to generate a paper about a highly specific, recent text technology, using a free Large Language Model, and then to reflect on this. Our goals: (1) highlight new aspects of the writing process, (2) see how text technologies (previous to LLMs) have influenced writing, and (3) encounter LLMs. While many more students have now heard about the concept of LLMs and have tried them out, it may actually be more helpful now and in the future to have an assignment that introduces a “raw” LLM (without the additional structures of ChatGPT and Bard [now Gemini]).
Key Features of This Assignment
- Exploration of Specific Text Technologies
- Students generate a paper focused on a highly specific and recent text technology. This encourages in-depth research and understanding of modern advancements in text technology.
- Reflection on the Writing Process
- The assignment requires students to reflect on the experience of using Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate their papers. This reflection helps students critically analyze how LLMs influence the writing process and their own writing practices.
- Understanding Historical and Modern Text Technologies
- By highlighting how previous text technologies have influenced writing, the assignment provides a historical context that helps students understand the evolution of writing tools and their impact on communication.
Find the full version of this assignment at the WAC Clearinghouse.