For a long time, you may have been taught the "Five Paragraph Essay" as the gold standard. While it is a helpful starting point, professional writers and Canadian scholars often use more fluid, engaging structures to prove their points. In this assignment, you will move beyond the template.
You will use an AI assistant to generate several "candidate" essays based on your analysis of Macbeth or your chosen novel, and then you will act as the Lead Editor—selecting, refining, and combining the best elements into a polished final piece.
Before you can write, you need a "lens." Which of these approaches allows you to discuss something you truly care about?
Research Phase: Spend 15 minutes jotting down your own thoughts and favorite quotes. Then, use your AI to help supplement that list and find evidence you might have missed.
There are many ways to prove a thesis. Use your AI to explore which "genre" fits your argument best. You might choose a Persuasive approach to argue a point, a Literary analysis to dive into the text, or even a Narrative style to weave your argument into a story.
Task: Consult with your AI to find three potential approaches that suit your thesis.
This is where your skill as a "Human-in-the-loop" shines.
Generate 2–3 "finalist" essays. Your job is to take the best parts of each and combine them into one seamless, powerful final product.
Submit a Screencast explaining:
Before you submit, please complete the Pre-Submission Self-Assessment.
Google Doc with annotated prompt development steps and essay versions
Google Doc with the polished final essay
Screencast explaining your editorial process and decision-making
We are learning to:
Select and apply effective strategies to develop and organise complex content for a specific audience
Use revision and AI-assisted iteration purposefully to identify and refine the most effective writing strategies
Communicate complex editorial and creative processes clearly through verbal explanation
I can:
generate and refine complex writing by using iterative prompts and evaluating AI-generated outputs for quality and relevance
organise a non-traditional essay using structures and genres that best suit my specific topic and audience
reflect on my writing process by explaining how I used technology to enhance, rather than replace, my own critical thinking
| Category | Level 4 | Level 3 | Level 2 | Level 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge/Understanding | Revisions and final essay demonstrate an exceptional understanding of diverse writing techniques and editorial approaches | Revisions and final essay demonstrate understanding of many writing techniques and approaches | Revisions and final essay demonstrate understanding of some writing techniques | Revisions and final essay demonstrate understanding of a few writing techniques |
| Thinking/Inquiring | Editorial strategies and prompt engineering are ideally suited to the topic and audience, showing deep critical engagement | Editorial strategies and prompt engineering are appropriate for the topic and audience | Selected strategies are somewhat appropriate for the topic and audience | Selected strategies show limited appropriateness for the topic |
| Application | Expertly synthesises multiple AI outputs into a cohesive, high-quality final product that maintains a clear human voice | Effectively combines AI outputs into a clear and cohesive final product | Combines AI outputs with some success, though transitions may be less smooth | Shows limited success in combining different elements into a final product |
| Communication | Screencast explanation is very engaging, expertly organized, and easy to follow | Screencast explanation is engaging and easy to follow | Screencast explanation is somewhat engaging and mostly easy to follow | Screencast explanation is limited in engagement or clarity |
Revisions and final essay demonstrate an exceptional understanding of diverse writing techniques and editorial approaches
Revisions and final essay demonstrate understanding of many writing techniques and approaches
Revisions and final essay demonstrate understanding of some writing techniques
Revisions and final essay demonstrate understanding of a few writing techniques
Editorial strategies and prompt engineering are ideally suited to the topic and audience, showing deep critical engagement
Editorial strategies and prompt engineering are appropriate for the topic and audience
Selected strategies are somewhat appropriate for the topic and audience
Selected strategies show limited appropriateness for the topic
Expertly synthesises multiple AI outputs into a cohesive, high-quality final product that maintains a clear human voice
Effectively combines AI outputs into a clear and cohesive final product
Combines AI outputs with some success, though transitions may be less smooth
Shows limited success in combining different elements into a final product
Screencast explanation is very engaging, expertly organized, and easy to follow
Screencast explanation is engaging and easy to follow
Screencast explanation is somewhat engaging and mostly easy to follow
Screencast explanation is limited in engagement or clarity