Wr_20: PRESENCE Decisions, decisions: When (not) to use generative ‘AI’ for academic writing

For researchers from all research fields | Level all

Workshop in person

Date: 17.09.2025
Time: 10:00–14:00 h with breaks 
Trainer: Nadine Lordick
Language: English
Participants: max. 20 persons
Credit Point: acknowledged with 0,25 CP for the doctoral training programme of RUB-RS Certificate

Course description

Generative models like ChatGPT promise to make writing faster and easier. While there are certainly many cases in which you can use an LLM (Large Language Model) to support your writing, there are also circumstances under which it might be better to do it without one. In this workshop, we’ll tackle the questions you need to ask yourself to decide when and how you want to use LLMs as a writing aid. 

At the end of this workshop participants will:

• know the basic structure of LLMs like ChatGPT
• know common prompting strategies
• have reflected their own writing practices and the goals they associate with (academic) writing
• have considered ethical and legal implications of the use of LLMs
• (hopefully) be able to make an informed decision on when, how, and why they want to use LLMs for their writing.

Methods

Input by the trainer, group discussion, exercises with LLMs, exercises to reflect on writing processes and practices

Participants need to 

• bring a device with internet access
• register for GPT@RUB (if they don’t already have an account for another chatbot application they use)

Specific workshop focus:

This workshop does not focus on ‘best practice’ examples or teaching the most productive/efficient use of LLMs. It focuses on the participants’ individual writing practices as well as the broader discussion of how the scientific community should (or shouldn’t) use LLMs.

Trainer:

Nadine Lordick is part of the project team of ‘KI:edu.nrw’ and the RUB’s writing centre. She supports teachers, students and researchers regarding questions about the use of ‘AI’ in academic writing.

Please click here to register for the workshop: REGISTRATION

After you logged in for the registration you can identify the workshop by the first four characters (e.g. Wr_01, Pr_01) together with title and date.