AI in Assessment Example: Level 3

Policy Brief (Political Science, 400-Level)

At this “AI Collaboration” level of the five-level AI Assessment Scale (Perkins, et al., 2024) students can use Al to help complete the task, including idea generation, drafting, feedback, and refinement. Students should critically evaluate and modify the Al suggested outputs, demonstrating their own understanding.

Course: POLS 410 – International Policy Analysis

Assignment Title: Writing a Policy Brief on a Current International Issue Using AI Collaboration

Due Date: [Insert Due Date]

Assignment Overview:
In this assignment, you will write a policy brief on a current international issue, utilizing AI tools to assist in drafting and refining the text. AI will help streamline the initial drafting process and provide suggestions for refining your arguments. However, you must critically evaluate the AI-generated content and make necessary adjustments to ensure that the brief aligns with your policy objectives and effectively communicates your recommendations. This assignment emphasizes the collaborative use of AI to enhance your writing process while ensuring that the final brief reflects your analytical and critical thinking skills.

Objectives:

To write a well-structured and persuasive policy brief on a current international issue, using AI tools to assist with drafting and refinement.
To critically evaluate and adjust AI-generated content to ensure alignment with policy objectives and clarity of arguments.
To reflect on the collaborative process with AI, including how you modified and improved the AI-generated draft.

Instructions:

Issue Selection and Research:
- Select a current international issue that you will focus on for your policy brief. The issue should be relevant and timely, with clear implications for international policy.
- Conduct preliminary research on the issue, gathering relevant data, reports, and expert opinions to inform your brief. Identify key stakeholders, policy challenges, and potential solutions.
AI-Assisted Drafting:
- Use AI tools to draft the initial version of your policy brief. AI can assist in structuring the brief, drafting initial arguments, and suggesting ways to present evidence and policy recommendations.
- Review the AI-generated draft carefully, noting areas where the arguments need strengthening, where the content may lack nuance, or where the policy objectives are not fully aligned.
Critical Evaluation and Refinement:
- Critically evaluate the AI-generated draft, identifying areas that require revision or enhancement. Focus on refining the arguments, ensuring that the brief is persuasive, well-supported by evidence, and clearly aligned with the policy objectives.
- Make adjustments to the content, tone, and structure of the brief to improve its effectiveness. This might include rephrasing arguments, adding additional evidence, or reorganizing sections for clarity and impact.
Finalizing the Policy Brief:
- Write the final version of your policy brief, ensuring that it is concise, persuasive, and well-organized. The brief should include:
  - Introduction: A clear statement of the issue and its relevance to international policy.
  - Background: A summary of the key facts, data, and context necessary to understand the issue.
  - Analysis: A critical analysis of the issue, including the challenges, stakeholders, and policy options.
  - Recommendations: A set of well-supported policy recommendations that address the issue and are feasible for the relevant stakeholders.
  - Conclusion: A brief summary of the key points and a call to action for policymakers.
Reflection and Documentation:
- Submit the original AI-generated draft alongside your final policy brief. Document the changes you made by explaining the rationale behind the modifications and how these changes improved the brief’s effectiveness.
- Write a critical reflection (2-3 pages) discussing the collaborative process with AI. Reflect on how AI contributed to the drafting process, the benefits and limitations of using AI, and how you ensured that the final brief reflected your own analytical insights and policy objectives.
Final Submission:
- Submit your complete policy brief, including all required sections, along with the AI-generated draft and your critical reflection.
- Ensure that the brief is well-organized, clearly written, and professionally presented, with appropriate citations where necessary.

Evaluation Criteria:

– Quality of Policy Brief (35%): Demonstrating a thorough understanding of the selected international issue, with well-structured arguments, clear policy recommendations, and alignment with policy objectives.

– Critical Engagement with AI Tools (25%): Effectively using AI to draft and refine the policy brief, with a clear demonstration of critical evaluation and improvement of AI-generated content.

– Clarity and Persuasiveness (20%): Presenting a concise, persuasive, and well-supported policy brief that effectively communicates your recommendations to policymakers.

– Reflection on AI Collaboration (15%): Providing insightful and critical reflections on the role of AI in the drafting process, including how you modified and improved the AI-generated draft.

– Writing and Presentation Quality (5%): Producing a professionally written and well-presented policy brief, with attention to clarity, formatting, and adherence to academic standards.

Support Resources:

– AI Tools and Software: Access to AI tools such as [specify tools, e.g., Grammarly, Jasper, OpenAI’s GPT] will be provided through the university’s writing lab. Tutorials on using these tools for drafting and refining policy briefs will be available at the beginning of the assignment period.

– Workshops and Tutorials: Participate in workshops focused on AI-assisted writing, covering techniques for drafting, refining arguments, and ensuring the clarity and persuasiveness of policy briefs.

– Office Hours: Schedule office hours with your instructor to discuss your policy brief topic, AI tool use, and strategies for critically evaluating and improving AI-generated content.

– Library Resources: The university library offers access to political science journals, policy reports, and databases. Librarians can assist you in finding relevant research and navigating AI tools for writing and analysis.

– Peer Collaboration: Join peer review sessions where you can present your AI-generated drafts and receive feedback on how to refine and enhance your policy brief.

Academic Integrity:
Your final policy brief must reflect your original work, with AI tools used to support the drafting and refinement process. Misuse of AI to generate unoriginal content or failure to critically engage with AI-generated outputs will be considered a violation of academic integrity. All AI tools and methods used must be properly documented and critically assessed in your reflection.

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