Article or Trick? How to Spot AI-Generated Writing in the Classroom

There is growing frustration among teachers lately: 'How can we tell if a student’s work is truly their own, or if it was generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI)?' Does this question resonate with you as a teacher? It is clear that it can be challenging to verify whether an essay is created by the student or if AI tools, like ChatGPT, have been used. While AI can be a helpful tool, it is crucial to ensure that students are submitting original writing. But how can we spot if AI has been used? 

This article will explore how AI-generated content works, what AI hallucinations are, and how you can spot AI-written essays. We will also discuss the role of critical thinking in helping students produce their own work, and share tips on how you, as a teacher, can more easily spot the difference. 

Why AI in Our Classroom is Both a Blessing and a Challenge 

AI tools like ChatGPT can be a game-changer for students. They can generate essays, research papers, and even help with brainstorming or editing, which can save students a ton of time. But here is the catch: AI is not perfect. While it can produce coherent and grammatically correct text, it lacks understanding and nuance. It means AI-generated writing can sometimes feel mechanical or surface-level, which is usually easy for experienced educators to spot. 

AI is helpful when used as a support tool, but when students rely on it to do their work for them, they might lose the chance to develop their own critical thinking and writing skills. That is why it is important for us teachers to learn how to identify contents or essays from AI so we can help students get back to producing their own original work. 

How AI Writing Works (and Why It Can Be Off!) 

AI tools like ChatGPT create writing by learning from huge amounts of data including books, articles, websites, and more. But these tools do not think the way humans do. Instead, they predict what words or phrases should come next based on patterns they have learned from their training data. 

So, while AI can put together grammatically correct text, it does not have real-life experiences or the ability to analyze things deeply. It might sound convincing, but it often misses the original thought and personal perspective that people bring to their writing. That is why even well-written AI essays can sometimes feel a little "off" when you read them closely. 

AI also tends to produce hallucinations. What are AI Hallucinations? In the context of AI-generated content, hallucinations refer to the phenomenon where the AI produces information that is false, inaccurate, or nonsensical, even though it might sound plausible. These hallucinations occur because the AI lacks true understanding; it is simply predicting text based on patterns learned from vast datasets, and sometimes those predictions can be completely disconnected from reality.  

As a simple check, try asking ChatGPT to cite research in a general area, like climate change or education. Have you tried this before? You might be surprised! You might find that it generates text that seems to reference real sources, but does not provide proper citations or reliable research. This simple example shows the importance of carefully checking the AI-generated content to ensure accuracy, especially in academic or classroom settings 

How to Spot AI-Generated Writing 

So, what can you do to spot if a student used AI to write their paper? You can use some of the key signs below: 

1. Vague or Repetitive Phrases

AI often relies on general phrases that sound okay but do not add much to the conversation. These phrases might pop up often throughout the paper. Since AI pulls from a broad range of sources, it can overuse certain terms and ideas without adding new insights. The writing ends up sounding a bit hollow, like it is trying to sound important without saying anything specific. 

What to look for: 

• Repeated use of vague phrases like “society is changing” or “technology is important,” which do not offer new information. 
• The same ideas or phrases popping up multiple times without offering new angles or examples. 
• A lack of detail or specific examples to support the main points. 

For example: 

• Student Writing:  

“In my school, we’ve started using technology to enhance learning. I’ve noticed that students are more engaged when they use tablets to work on assignments, especially in science class.” 

• AI Writing:  

“Technology is changing the world. It is having an impact on people’s lives. Many industries are using technology to change how they work.” 

Notice how the student’s version has more detail and is tied to their personal experience, while the AI version just repeats vague concepts. 

2. No Personal Insight or Original Ideas

AI can summarize and report facts, but it cannot offer the personal insights or unique perspective that a student would naturally bring to their writing. AI-generated essays are typically generic, without showing a personal connection to the topic. If a paper feels like it could have been written by anyone or lacks reflection on the student’s experiences or learning, that is a red flag. 

What to look for:  

• The absence of personal reflections or examples. 
• A tone that sounds formal or detached, which does not align with the student's usual writing style. 
• Writing that lacks individuality or critical thinking. 

For example: 

• Student Writing:  

“I attended a local climate change rally last month, and seeing so many people passionate about making a difference really opened my eyes. It made me want to do more for the environment.” 

• AI Writing:  

“Climate change is a pressing global issue. Many people have joined movements to combat it. These movements are helping to raise awareness.” 

The AI version sticks to the facts without adding anything personal or unique, while the student’s version is grounded in their personal experience. 

3. Weird of Incorrect Information

AI can generate text quickly, but it does not always get the facts right. Since it pulls information from various sources without fully understanding them, sometimes the details can be incorrect or even fabricated. If you come across information that does not quite match what you know to be true, it could be a sign that AI generated that part of the paper. 

What to look for: 

• Facts that sound right but are actually wrong. 

• Misleading or confused details that don’t add up. 

• Information that doesn’t match your own knowledge or research. 

For example: “Albert Einstein invented the telephone.” 

Obviously, this is incorrect. Einstein did not invent the telephone; Alexander Graham Bell did. If something sounds off, like a historical mix-up or technical mistake, it might be a product of AI, which does not understand context fully. 

There was an interesting real story in 2023 that might be useful for teachers. A professor at Texas A&M University-Commerce once mistakenly accused his entire class of using ChatGPT for their final essays. He asked ChatGPT if the essays were AI-generated, and the tool incorrectly flagged all of them. As a result, he gave every student a grade of "Incomplete," not realizing that ChatGPT is not designed to reliably detect AI-generated text. This incident shows why it is important to use AI tools carefully, as they can sometimes lead to mistakes without us realizing it! 

4. Choppy Flow or Lack of Coherence

AI does not always produce writing that flows naturally. While it can string together sentences that sound fine on their own, the overall structure can feel awkward, disjointed, or poorly organized. AI often jumps from one idea to another without proper transitions or explanations; something human writers usually do much better. 

Some might describe AI’s language as "poetical" or "flowery," meaning it uses fancy words or complicated phrasing, which may seem like the writer is trying too hard to impress. However, this doesn’t always match how students naturally write. 

What to look for: 

• Sudden, unexplained shifts in ideas or topics. 
• Awkward or unnatural transitions between sentences or paragraphs. 
• Writing that feels stilted, overly formal, or hard to follow. 

For example: 

• Student Writing:  

“Technology has completely transformed how I communicate. Smartphones, in particular, have become an essential part of my daily life. They help me stay connected with my family and keep up with work, no matter where I am. For instance, I use my smartphone to manage my calendar, chat with friends, and even shop for groceries” 

• AI Writing:  

“The evolution of technology has changed communication. The impact of smartphones is clear. They have become an essential part of our daily lives. People use them to stay connected, work, and shop. It is changing the world.” 

The student's version is more coherent, linking each idea together in a logical sequence, while the AI's writing feels more disconnected.

5. Overuse of Complex or Formal Language  

AI often leans on using big words and complex sentence structures to sound more professional. While it may seem like this is a sign of academic writing, it can be a red flag if the language does not match the student’s usual style. AI might use these fancy terms even when simpler language would make the point just as well. 

What to look for:  

• Unnecessary jargon or complicated sentences. 
• Overuse of formal language that feels out of place for the student’s level of writing. 
• Fancy-sounding words that do not quite fit or seem like they are “borrowed” from somewhere else. 

For example: 

• Student Writing:  

“Technology has had a big impact on society, and it changes how we communicate with each other.” 

• AI Writing:  

“The proliferation of technological innovations has had a profound effect on society, fundamentally altering the way individuals interact with one another.” 

The student’s version is clearer and easier to read, while the AI version seems a bit too formal. 

6. Repetitive Sentence Structures

AI tends to use the same sentence patterns over and over again. It is not as good at varying sentence structures or mixing things up the way humans do naturally. If you notice repetitive sentence constructions or phrases, it might be AI-generated. 

What to look for:  

• The same sentence structure is being used repeatedly. 
• Overuse of transition words like “however,” “therefore,” or “in conclusion.” 
• The feeling that the sentences don’t vary much from one to the next. 

For example: 

• Student Writing:  

“Climate change is one of the most pressing issues we face today. It’s having an impact on everything from the environment to our daily lives. If we don’t take action, the consequences will be even more severe.” 

• AI Writing:  

“Climate change is a global issue. It affects the environment. It has serious consequences. It impacts people’s lives.” 

The AI version feels like a broken record, while the student version varies in sentence structure and adds more depth.

7. Superficial or Shallow Analysis  

AI can provide a lot of information, but it often lacks deep analysis or original ideas. It is great at summarizing, but when it comes to diving deep into a topic, it tends to stay at the surface. If a paper feels more like a summary or does not provide much insight or analysis, it could be AI-generated. 

What to look for:  

• General statements with no deep analysis. 
• No critical thinking or evaluation of different perspectives. 
• A paper that feels more like a list of facts than a nuanced argument. 

In Conclusion 
While AI tools can be valuable resources, they shouldn’t replace genuine learning or original thought. By looking for signs like vague phrasing, lack of personal insight, and incorrect details, you can spot when AI might have been used. 

Encourage students to think critically and write in their own voice. Critical thinking is essential not only for academic integrity but also for intellectual growth. It helps students analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information, fostering deeper understanding and original thought. 

AI tools can assist with research and brainstorming, but they should never replace the critical thinking that drives authentic academic work. After all, if it’s not the student’s own thinking and effort, can it really be considered learning? Food for thought! 

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