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Writing Guides

MacEwan University Writing Centre

Critical AI Literacy

⚠️ Ethical Concerns 

There are myriad ethical considerations relating to the use of GenAI, from intellectual property and copyright to data privacy, from academic integrity to environmental sustainability.  

Here are some best practices concerning academic integrity and the use of AI to support writing. 

  • Always disclose your use of AI tools according to your instructor's guidelines. Different courses and disciplines may have different policies about AI use. At MacEwan, there are three possible scenarios for the ethical use of GenAI:
    1. permitted with acknowledgement;
    2. permitted with prior permission;
    3. not permitted. 
  • Use GenAI as a thought partner and drafting tool, not as a replacement for your own writing process 
  • Your own knowledge and judgment are crucial to evaluating the AI's output 

📚 Developing Your Own Expertise 

Pigg (2024) found that there are important differences between how experts and students use these tools.

  1. Experts tend to use AI to speed up familiar processes they already understand
  2. Students sometimes rely on AI when struggling with comprehension or getting started

This suggests that while GenAI can be a useful tool, it's most valuable when you already have some understanding of your topic. Being aware of your motivations for using GenAI can therefore help you to adjust your expectations and value your own intellectual contributions. 

The 4P Praxis

When it comes to writing with GenAI, there are particular concerns for international, multilingual, and marginalized students. AI writing tools often standardize language and erase culturally diverse knowledge, making it difficult for students to preserve their authentic voices and points of view (Owusu-Ansah 2023; Ghimire 2025). Ghimire developed the 4P Praxis to empower writers to engage with GenAI critically and preserve their own voice. While this praxis was developed with multilingual students in mind, it is a useful rubric for anyone who wants to retain agency over the AI writing process. 

The 4P Praxis: Encouraging Critical AI Literacy Adapted from Ghimire, A. (2025). Utilizing ChatGPT to integrate world English and diverse knowledge: A transnational perspective in critical artificial intelligence (AI) literacy. Computers and Composition, 75, 102913. Empowering International, Multilingual, and Marginalized Students A framework for integrating ChatGPT and other AI tools in classrooms while preserving students' linguistic diversity and cultural knowledge. These practices help students maintain agency when using AI writing tools. Pause Take time to read and reflect on the entire response generated by the AI. This involves stepping back to consider what the AI has produced before accepting it.  Ponder Critically evaluate whether the AI responses align with your authentic voice and authorial intentions. This involves comparing what you have written with what the AI has produced. Consider the differences in voice, argument, and representation of knowledge. Pose Questions Ask further questions or seek clarifications to refine the AI-generated content. This is the analytical phase where you evaluate your own knowledge against the choices made by the AI. Prioritize Center your own critical thinking and ideas over the AI's suggestions. This involves making conscious persuasive decisions about whether to retain your original writing or incorporate elements from the AI, emphasizing your own knowledge and perspectives as well as your research, if applicable.

References

Ghimire, A. (2025). Utilizing ChatGPT to integrate world English and diverse knowledge: A transnational perspective in critical artificial intelligence (AI) literacy. Computers and Composition, 75, 102913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2024.102913  

Owusu-Ansah, A. L. (2023). Defining moments, definitive programs, and the continued erasure of missing people. Composition Studies, 51(1), 143-148.

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