Prompt: Today we discussed why academic writing must reflect your own thinking and understanding rather than relying on artificial intelligence to generate your ideas. After learning about the expectations for authentic writing, reflect on why it is important for students to write essays in their own words.

 Prompt response: It is important for students to write essays in their own words because writing helps us develop our thinking skills and deepen our understanding of the material we are learning. When we write our own ideas, we have to think carefully about the text, form our own opinions, and explain our reasoning. Writing in your own words also helps teachers understand what we truly know and what we still need to improve. If a student uses artificial intelligence to generate their ideas, the teacher cannot accurately see the student’s understanding of the topic. This can prevent the student from receiving helpful feedback that would improve their writing skills.