Reflexive Quiz with Options: Authority and AI
Read this in its entirety before you make a plan.
Solo Writing Option In-Class (45 minutes). Available during zero period for one week.
I. What authority do you claim for yourself to ask AI for feedback on an assigned piece of writing? For our purposes, assignments can be self-originated and self-executed, e.g., “complete a Bakhtinian analysis of Charlie Kirk’s hate speech.” (5 pts.)
II. When you do ask AI for feedback on a piece of assigned writing, what degree of epistemic domain authority does the AI wield over you? In other words, in which domains does a bot speak more authoritatively to you? How is that related to your level of expertise in the domain? Give two examples. (13 pts.)
III. When you ask AI to give you a) feedback on an idea or to b) complete organizational or repetitive tasks or to c) explore options, what degree of authority does the AI wield over you? In other words, when does a bot speak or act more authoritatively in relation to you? What degree of authority do you have over the AI? (Pts. a = 7, b = 3, c = 2)
IV. Who has liability for the contents of an AI chat emerging from pirated texts, for which billion dollar fines have been levied in civil court, relied on during an assigned piece of writing? (15 pts.)
V. When you consider AI feedback on an idea or on an assigned piece of writing, who is doing the thinking? Why do you think so? Give specific examples. (60 pts.)
TAKE HOME (five days) EXTRA CREDIT OPTION (100 possible pts):
Permission to use AI
Choose one. Document, analyze, and reflect on your prompting in relation to the output. Provide evidence of your original thinking through solo writing with paper and pen. Asterisks intended. Deadline extension of five (5) days.
Option A: Trace the **A chain** of authority from **protected human speech** to the original **human bot trainers** through their algorithmic alchemy, steering, and tuning to the **final feedback** you receive from the language machine.
Option B; Trace the **B chain** of authority from the **teacher** who assigns **writing** for ** evaluative purposes** through the **prompt** to the **student** to the **interface** to the **chat window** to ** algorithmic linguistic digital stats technoneurons** to a **menu** to a **copy and past command* to a **save** to a **publish**.
Discuss in detail at least three takeaways from this work.
RUBRIC
100+ = A+
93-100 = A
88-92 = B
82-87 = C
79 - 81 = C-
Strategic Path Analysis for Grade Optimization
A strategically-minded student faces significant decision trees with different risk-reward profiles. Important decisions about grades should be made with care. Students who follow their interests make higher grades.
Option 1: Quiz Only (Conservative Strategy) Total possible points: 100
Complete all five questions for full credit
Can afford to lose 7 points and still earn an A (93-100 range)
Strategic approach: Focus heavily on Question V (60 points) since it's worth more than half the total
Skip or minimally address Questions II-b (3 points) and IV-c (2 points) to save time for the high-value question
Risk level: Low, but ceiling capped at A
Option 2: Extra Credit Only (High Risk/High Reward) Total possible points: 100+ (A+ possible)
Choose either Option A or Option B
Requires "solo writing with paper and pen" plus digital documentation
Five-day extension available
Must produce "evidence of original thinking"
Risk level: High, but A+ achievable
Option 3: Hybrid Strategy (Optimal for Grade Maximization) The most mathematically advantageous approach:
Complete the quiz strategically, aiming for 93+ points
Also complete extra credit for additional buffer
This creates multiple pathways to A+ while providing insurance against poor performance on either component
Within-Quiz Optimization Tactics:
The point distribution reveals strategic priorities:
Question V (60 pts): Absolutely critical—this single question determines success or failure
Question IV (15 pts): Second priority—substantial points for liability discussion
Question II (13 pts): Worth significant effort
Questions I, III-a: Moderate value (5-7 points each)
Questions III-b, III-c: Minimal investment needed (2-3 points each)
Time Allocation Strategy:
Spend 50% of available time on Question V with specific examples
Allocate 20% to Question IV (liability analysis)
Distribute remaining 30% across other questions based on point values
Use the "can lose 7 points" cushion to skip the lowest-value components if time runs short
The Hidden Optimization: The design rewards you who recognize that the extra credit isn't really "extra.” It is in fact an alternative pathway that might be easier in a much harder sort of way for you if you have strong analytical and writing skills. A student confident in their ability to trace authority chains and document their thinking process might find the extended, open-ended format more insightful than the constrained quiz format—and infinitely more interesting.
Risk Assessment: The structure penalizes you if you try to hedge by doing minimal work on both options. That’s the idea. The quiz requires focused effort on high-value questions, while the extra credit demands sustained analytical work. You must commit fully to one approach or risk mediocre performance on both.
This design forces students like you to make authentic choices about their learning approach rather than simply completing assigned tasks, which itself becomes a lesson about agency and strategic thinking in educational contexts.
Actually, this sounds very do-able. It reminds me of study for my ham radio exams; what each part does, how they are wired, current flows through the circuits, how individual circuits work together.