By Susana Christie, Senior Developmental Editor, and Rachel Mann, Senior Instructional Designer
Large Language Models (LLMs)
The use of Large Language Models (LLMs), a form of artificial intelligence designed to both understand and create human language, is increasingly common. For some authors, using an LLM in the early stages of content development can help with brainstorming and organization, and jumpstart the writing process.
Content generated by LLMs has some recognizable characteristics, regardless of the subject matter or level of the textbook. Repetitive wording, excessive reliance on bullet points, phrases instead of sentences and paragraphs, and generic examples are all characteristics of such content. These characteristics are now widely recognized by students. They can be a barrier to an author writing in their own original voice or making full use of the opportunity to convey their own original ideas.
A recent article published by San Jose State University noted the following:
- Numerous series of lists and bullet points can read as random pieces of information, rather than cohesive concepts, which undermines reading comprehension, since students may struggle to remember what was on each list and how these things connect.
- Content that relies extensively on a repeated structure (the same wording appearing over and over again), makes it hard to distinguish ideas from one another, since everything reads “the same.”
- The lack of sentence variety can undermine reader engagement, causing students to “tune out,” or read on autopilot, which also undermines comprehension.
When it comes to examples, relying on a Large Language Model may even result in inadvertently misinforming readers.
In this toolkit you will read about several concrete, practical, and easy-to-implement ways to take content that has been overly influenced by a Large Language Model and revise that content to more truly and accurately represent your own work and writing.
Strategies
Select one of the hyperlinks below to review a particular strategy, or select the “next” button to continue.
Strategy Overview: How to Work Chapter by Chapter and Learn as You Go
Strategy #1: Revising to Avoid Repetition of Vocabulary and Transition Wording
Strategy #2: Combine Repeated Content Fragments to Create Robust, Intentional Content Features
Strategy #3: Write the Main Body in Paragraphs Rather than Numbered or Bullet Point Lists
Strategy #4: Turn Long Passages with Bare, Repetitive Structure into Clear, Concise Tables