11 Overcoming Writer’s Block
Faculty Objective
- Use Generative AI to start or restart writing projects
Teaching involves a lot of writing – whether for presentations, assignment briefs, lecture notes, reference letters or any number of other things. Writer’s block can be a time consuming process in a busy teaching schedule.
Often you know exactly what it is you want to say or explain, but get caught up that you just can’t get it right. Although tricks like starting by writing informally, and freewriting that is more stream-of-consciousness than directed can help us start, Generative AI can provide a different starting point to help you along.
Considerations
- Academic Integrity should be top of mind in using this technique. Include an acknowledgement of any use of generative AI that specifies how it was used.
- Use of Generative AI to create content may limit your ability to claim something as your own Intellectual Property or to share it through Open Licenses. These are topics that are still being debated.
- Please refer to cautions in the Introduction that apply to all activities using Generative AI.
Example Prompts
- Explain [term related to your subject] in language suited to an introductory level college course.
- Give me an analogy to explain [topic in your subject] to first year college level students.
