From Mechanics to Meaning: the Role of Writing Assignments in Political Science Education

In the era of AI and increasing polarisation, designing effective writing assignments presents both challenges and opportunities. This paper explores different approaches to crafting assignments that assess student learning and promote academic impartiality. It focuses on two key aspects of assignment design: first, strategies for creating tasks that evaluate student output in an AI-influenced environment by emphasising critical thinking and argumentation over mechanical writing skills. Second, it examines methods for fostering academic impartiality, encouraging engagement with diverse perspectives and critical source evaluation through clear assessment criteria. By incorporating process-oriented components, such as outlines and drafts, educators can enhance student accountability and learning outcomes. Addressing these design elements allows writing assignments to remain relevant and effective in assessing learning while cultivating essential skills in academic impartiality amidst the challenges posed by AI and polarisation. Additionally, increasing students’ awareness of these challenges is a crucial aspect in keeping them on board.