AI Showcase: Paraphrasing Tools
Instructor
Heidi Evans, M.A., Distinguished Teaching Professor, Global English Language Learning and Teaching
Course
English as a Second Language 117 Academic Writing I
Assignment
Navigating American academic integrity expectations can be daunting for students who are refining their linguistic skills.
With the rapid rise of generative AI, I noticed that our students often feel caught between a desire to use these tools for language support and a fear of committing academic misconduct. I wanted to move away from a deficit-based, punitive approach to AI and instead create a proactive, scaffolded framework.
The idea for this assignment came from wanting to show students that AI is not a replacement for their own voice, but a collaborative partner. By designing a workflow that explicitly requires manual paraphrasing through a “Grammar Toolbox” before introducing AI feedback, I aimed to give students the opportunity to analyze, critique, and direct the technology rather than relying on it blindly.
The primary learning outcomes are designed to strengthen academic language mechanics and foster critical AI literacy:
- Students will review the features of an effective paraphrase.
- Students will practice applying multiple grammatical strategies (e.g., using synonyms and changing parts of speech) to construct accurate, manual paraphrases.
- Students will use an AI tool to improve their manually written paraphrase.
- Students will practice their critical AI evaluation skills, to compare machine-generated output with their own writing.
Here are the steps I used to implement this assignment:
- Scaffolding and paraphrasing introduction (in-class): We began with low-stakes pair work to introduce the concept and mechanics of paraphrasing through the “Tell a Friend Method.” In this activity, students read a short text, cover it to remove visual reliance, and orally explain the idea to a partner. Next, students were introduced to the “Grammar Toolbox,” which teaches students six discrete linguistic transformations, or “tools,” to alter a sentence without losing its original meaning (e.g., shifting active to passive voice, converting verbs to nouns, or substituting synonyms). We practiced these tools together using short chunks of text from authentic academic articles to ensure students understood the features of an effective paraphrase and emphasize the importance of combining multiple tools. For both tasks, students were directed to evaluate their paraphrases using the criteria of an effective paraphrase (e.g. retains the same meaning as the original, appropriately changes vocabulary and grammatical structure, and includes a citation).
- Application (homework): Students were tasked with manually paraphrasing chunks of text (2-3 sentences) from articles we were reading in class for an upcoming essay. After writing their own versions, they fed their drafts into an AI tool of their choice to generate an improved version.
- Critical reflection (homework): Students analyzed how effective the AI changes were, deciding whether the AI truly improved their writing or accidentally altered the original meaning.
Paraphrasing Tools Homework (opens in Google Docs)
Results
The outcome was encouraging. By validating AI as a legitimate tool for linguistic refinement rather than treating it as a forbidden shortcut, students engaged with the assignment with a high degree of honesty and enthusiasm.
Linguistically, the scaffolded steps and practice using the “Grammar Toolbox” tools prevented the common issue of “patchwriting” (merely swapping out synonyms), as students utilized structural sentence changes. From an AI literacy standpoint, the final reflections revealed that students became more discerning consumers of technology. Many noted that while the AI was good at polishing syntax and offering appropriate vocabulary substitutions, it was less effective at changing the overall structure of a paraphrase and it occasionally smoothed over the precise meaning or altered citation mechanics.
In my feedback on their homework, I highlighted instances where their manual paraphrases were superior to AI refined versions. This realization surprised students and built their confidence, as they recognized that their own human oversight and language skills remain irreplaceable. Ultimately, this assignment also served as a touchstone for future writing tasks, allowing us to recall the limitations of AI and the importance of human intervention.
This assignment highlighted for me how crucial it is to integrate AI literacy directly into the higher education English language support curriculum. For international students, navigating academic integrity in a second language can be stressful. Providing them with learning opportunities like this one demystifies generative AI while strengthening their academic language skills. My goal was to shift the narrative around technology, turning a potential academic trap into an empowering equity tool that supports our students’ academic writing journeys.