Overview:
This formative assessment is designed to help students use AI meaningfully—not to bypass the writing process, but to engage with it more critically. Students will practice writing a thesis, use ChatGPT to generate stylistic variations, and evaluate each version based on rhetorical effectiveness, audience awareness, and persuasive strength.
This assignment prepares students not only to write more effectively but also to think more critically about how tone, voice, and purpose affect communication—skills essential for both academic writing and real-world professional contexts.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand how writing style affects audience, tone, and rhetorical effectiveness
- Develop the ability to assess and refine thesis statements
- Practice identifying ethos, pathos, and logos in writing
- Learn to use AI (ChatGPT) as a rhetorical and stylistic tool—not a shortcut
- Reflect on the capabilities and limits of AI-generated writing
Context for Assignment:
This activity is part of a larger essay assignment in which students argue that World War Z is a prophecy of the social and political madness that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. This exercise focuses on developing a strong thesis statement and analyzing its rhetorical potential across different styles.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Students:
- Write Your Original Thesis:
In class, develop a thesis (a clear, debatable claim) that responds to the prompt:
Argue that World War Z is a prophecy of the COVID-19 pandemic and its social/political implications. - Instructor Review:
Show your thesis to your instructor. Once you receive approval, proceed to the next step. - Use ChatGPT to Rewrite Your Thesis in 4 Distinct Styles:
Enter the following four prompts (one at a time) into ChatGPT and paste your original thesis after each prompt:
- “Rewrite the following thesis with acid wit.”
- “Rewrite the following thesis with mild academic language and jargon.”
- “Rewrite the following thesis with excessive academic language and jargon.”
- “Rewrite the following thesis with confident, lucid prose.”
- “Rewrite the following thesis with acid wit.”
- Copy and Paste All 4 Rewritten Versions into your assignment document. Label each version clearly.
- Answer the Following Questions for Each Version:
- How appropriate is this thesis for your intended audience (e.g., a college-level academic essay)?
- Identify the use of ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic) in this version. How do these appeals shape your response to the thesis?
- How persuasive does this version sound? What makes it convincing or unconvincing?
- How appropriate is this thesis for your intended audience (e.g., a college-level academic essay)?
- Final Reflection:
- Of the four thesis versions, which one would you most likely use in your actual essay, and why?
- Based on this exercise, what do you believe are ChatGPT’s strengths and weaknesses as a writing assistant?
- Of the four thesis versions, which one would you most likely use in your actual essay, and why?
What You’ll Submit:
- Your original thesis
- 4 rewritten versions from ChatGPT (clearly labeled)
- Your answers to the rhetorical analysis questions for each version
- A final reflection about your preferred version and ChatGPT’s usefulness as a tool
The Purpose of the Exercise:
In a world where AI is now a writing partner—wanted or not—students need to learn not just how to write, but how to critique writing, understand audience expectations, and adapt voice to purpose. This assignment bridges critical thinking, rhetoric, and digital literacy—helping students learn how to work with AI, not for it.
Other Applications:
This same exercise can be applied to the students’ counterargument-rebuttal and conclusion paragraphs.
Cinemorphosis 
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