Presenters: Kristin Terrill and Elena Cotos

Abstract: GenAI has demonstrated functionality that seems, uncannily, to parallel reading and writing by identifying/reformulating information from source texts and generating novel content. These skills are essential yet very challenging for students tasked with producing literature reviews. This study investigates the feasibility of a human-in-the-loop (Tang, 2020) GenAI-facilitated literature review writing process. The human-in-the-loop concept posits that complex processes can be deconstructed and compartmentalized, and that component functions needed for these processes can be delegated to machines while humans contribute to, and control, the overall process. This study explores the hypothesis that certain functions of the literature review might be reliably and ethically delegated to GenAI. For that, it will test and evaluate prompts designed to elicit GenAI output that simulates human-like performance indicative of reading comprehension and written composition. Prompts testing is grounded in Kim’s (2020) Interactive and Dynamic Literacy Model which deconstructs and compartmentalizes reading and writing skills and theorizes their interaction. The results will inform the development of a practical framework that will highlight the capabilities and limitations of GenAI in the context of teaching novices to leverage technology-supported processes while composing literature reviews. Important implications are foreseen for both writing theory and pedagogy as well as for policy guidance related to ethical uses of GenAI for scholarly communication. 

Kim, Y.-S. G. (2020). Interactive dynamic literacy model: An integrative theoretical framework for reading and writing relations. In R. Alves, T. Limpo, & M. Joshi (Eds.), Reading-writing connections: Towards integrative literacy science (pp.11-34). Netherlands: Springer. 

Tang, B. (2020). The Chiron imperative – A framework of six human-in-the-loop paradigms to create wise and just AI-human centaurs. In S.A. Bhatti, S. Chishti, A. Datoo and D. Indjic (Eds) The LegalTech Book. Wiley.