Essay 1
Week 4
Fariza Tolesh
Lesson Objectives
• General feedback on CR
• Next assignment
• Week 4 readings
• Practice activity
General feedback
• Good essay structure and logical flow but some papers were
without thesis statement
• Use of sources was mostly effective but most of you struggled
to explain how the evidence relates to your position
• Critical analysis was the most difficult part and was often
missing
• Some issues with academic writing style, grammar and
vocabulary
• Good application of APA Style but often in-text citation was
not correct and sometimes references were missing
• Conclusions need strengthening
Assignments Weight Description Due Date
Respond critically to an assigned course reading
using one’s own critical engagement, argument,
and reason, as well as insights that may have Week 3
Critical Response 20% been developed in conversation with other
course readings 06.09.2025
Write the essay in class
Develop & support an original argument in a 4–5-
page academic essay using sources limited to in- Week 7
class readings (15% out of 20%)
Essay #1 Final Draft 20%
Participate in a panel-style academic discussion of
the students’ chosen essay topic with other Week 9
students, in front of the class (5% out of 20%)
Summarize, assess, rhetorically analyze, and evaluate
Annotated Bibliography 20% 3 sources for use as evidence in Essay #2 Week 11
Develop and support an original argument in a 6–7- Start of
Essay #2 Final Draft 25% page academic essay using sources from your own Week 16
bibliographical research efforts
Upcoming Assignment: Argumentative
Essay
• Weight: 20% of course grade
• Length: 4–5 pages (not incl. title/reference
page)
• Formatting: double-spaced, 12-pt font, 1-inch
margins, APA style
• Submit in Word (.doc/.docx) only
Essay 1 Topic
One topic for everyone
What are the opportunities and
challenges presented by artificial
intelligence in education today?
You can choose a focus. Examples:
• AI technologies in teaching and learning
environments
• The ethical and practical considerations of
integrating AI in educational systems
• AI and accessibility and inclusivity in education
• AI and the roles of teachers and students in
the future
• AI and educational assessment and feedback
Purpose of the Essay
• Persuade reader your thesis is valid
• Show skills: paraphrasing, summarizing,
quoting
• Use logical arguments + evidence
• Demonstrate original thinking through analysis
Sources
• Limited to class texts covered so far
• Minimum of 3 sources required
• APA citations and References list
Essay Development Process
• Class workshops & discussions
• Outlining and peer feedback
• One-on-one consultation with teacher
• Final draft must align with process work
Essay Structure: Introduction
• Hook/interesting opening
• Context and definitions
• References to sources
• Thesis statement at the end
Essay Structure: Body Paragraphs
• Topic sentence states main point
• Supporting evidence (examples, quotes, data)
• Analysis: explain relevance and meaning
• Concluding/transition sentence
Counterargument
• Anticipate reader objections
• Discuss limitations of evidence
• Address other perspectives
• Strengthens your argument
Conclusion
• Restate thesis and main points
• Highlight findings from analysis
• Explain significance of essay
• Point to bigger implications
Language & Style
• Formal academic tone
• Avoid casual/emotional expressions
• Be clear, precise, specific
• Explain your citations—don’t just insert them
Reminders
• Must submit final draft to pass the course
• Topic changes must be approved in advance
• Length penalties: -10% (±0.5 page), -20% (±1
page), -30% (±1.5–2 pages)
Week 4
Readings
Shahzad et al. (2024)
Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Student and
Academic Well-being
• Benefits of AI in Education:
– Supports personalized learning and adaptive feedback
– Reduces routine workload for faculty
– Expands access to educational resources
• Concerns:
– Overreliance may reduce critical thinking skills
– Raises ethical and privacy issues
– Emotional well-being at risk if AI replaces human connection
• AI can enhance learning, but balance is needed to
protect academic and student well-being.
MIT Study (2025)
The Gen Divide: AI Business 2025
• Main Finding:
– 95% of AI initiatives show no significant ROI (Return on
Investment ) so far
• Challenges Highlighted:
– Integration into existing business structures is complex
– Lack of alignment between AI capabilities and real-world
needs
– Generational differences in expectations toward AI
adoption
• The promise of AI in business is high, but
implementation hurdles limit its effectiveness today.
Why AI Will Lose the Creativity War
• Author: Alex Hughes (BBC Science Focus,
2023)
• AI-generated art is technically impressive
• But lacks emotional depth and true originality
• Creativity tied to human experience and intent
AI Will Never Think Like Humans
• Author: Dr. Kate Darling (BBC Science Focus,
2022)
• AI = pattern recognition, not true
understanding
• Humans think flexibly and contextually
• We should accept AI as a different kind of
intelligence
Comparative Insights
• AI: impressive outputs, but context-blind, lacks
originality
• Humans: contextual, emotional, original
thinkers
• AI as tool to augment—not replace—human
creativity
Discussion Questions
• Have you used AI tools in creative work?
• Can AI-generated art move you emotionally?
• Do you agree AI will never think like humans?
Why or why not?
Chapter 4. Writing and Revising
Academic Projects
Key Elements of Academic Writing
• Academic essays go beyond the 5-paragraph
structure
• A strong essay develops a working academic
argument
• Important to address the “So what?” question
→ shows why the argument matters
Revision Strategies
• Revision = re-seeing your argument with a
critical eye
• Strengthen essays by:
– Anticipating and addressing disagreements (insert
the “naysayer”)
– Avoiding binary thinking → make arguments
nuanced and complex
– Ensuring evidence directly supports claims
Improving Through Feedback &
Multimodality
• Mindful reading helps spot weaknesses in
arguments
• Use peer/teacher feedback to refine clarity,
depth, and evidence
• Consider multimodal composing (text, visuals,
media) when appropriate
• Final check: test strength of argument and
alignment of claims + evidence
Assignments Weight Description Due Date
Respond critically to an assigned course reading
using one’s own critical engagement, argument,
and reason, as well as insights that may have Week 3
Critical Response 20% been developed in conversation with other
course readings 06.09.2025
Write the essay in class
Develop & support an original argument in a 4–5-
page academic essay using sources limited to in- Week 7
class readings (15% out of 20%)
Essay #1 Final Draft 20%
Participate in a panel-style academic discussion of
the students’ chosen essay topic with other Week 9
students, in front of the class (5% out of 20%)
Summarize, assess, rhetorically analyze, and evaluate
Annotated Bibliography 20% 3 sources for use as evidence in Essay #2 Week 11
Develop and support an original argument in a 6–7- Start of
Essay #2 Final Draft 25% page academic essay using sources from your own Week 16
bibliographical research efforts
Annotation
• An annotation in academic writing is essentially a note or a short
explanatory comment added to a text or source to help the reader
understand it better. It often summarizes the content, assesses its
relevance or quality, and may include a critical evaluation or reflection.
Annotations are used in annotated bibliographies, as margin notes
while reading, or as comments within digital documents to engage
deeply with the material, clarify complex points, or connect ideas.
• Annotations serve as a tool for active reading and thinking by capturing
key points, questions, insights, or critiques about the source. This helps
scholars and students interact meaningfully with texts, organize their
research, and participate in academic conversations by building on or
responding to others’ work.
Sourse: https://
[Link]/student/managing-your-studies/academic-skills-support/toolkit/refe
rencing/annotated-bibliography
Sample annotation
Sourse: [Link]
Homework
• Start thinking about the essay 1 focus
• Choose a focus
• Annotate two of the Week 4 readings that
might be useful for your essay 1
• Upload to Moodle
• Not graded but gives participation points