Using LLMs as Peer Reviewers for Revising Essays

This assignment, by Antonio Byrd, is from the TextGenEd collection in the WAC Clearinghouse Repository.

The abstract from the site explains:

In this assignment, undergraduates use large language models (LLMs) to assist in revising their essay drafts by asking LLMs to respond to common peer review prompts. Students learn prompt engineering and develop rhetorical judgments on the effectiveness of LLMs’ language analysis to heighten their revision processes. This assignment can be adapted to most disciplines and course levels.

Key Features of This Assignment

AI-Assisted Peer Review
Students utilize Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT to assist in the peer review process by generating responses to common peer review prompts. This allows students to receive additional feedback from AI on aspects such as tone, syntax, and argumentation, supplementing human peer review.
Enhanced Revision Process
The assignment encourages students to revise their essays based on feedback from both human peers and AI-generated suggestions. This dual feedback mechanism helps students refine their drafts more comprehensively, considering diverse perspectives and improving the quality of their writing.
Development of Prompt Engineering Skills
Students learn the art of prompt engineering by crafting specific questions and instructions for the AI to analyze their essays. This skill is critical for effectively leveraging AI tools in writing and helps students understand how to guide AI outputs to meet their revision needs.