Trickle or Torrent? A Novel Algorithmic Approach to Reclaim Successful Academic Writing in the Face of Artificial Intelligence

Oct 15, 2026

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Artificial intelligence is reshaping academic writing through tools that generate text, intensifying debates about integrity, cheating, and plagiarism while challenging the depth and creativity of authorship. The paper introduces a conceptual “trickle filter” algorithmic model designed to protect author agency and improve authentic writing outcomes. It provides scaffolded, flexible, iterative decision-making, emphasizing well-being, psycho-social determinants, and reader meaning as the model’s educational contribution.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

AI and academic integrity concerns

Well-being literature foundations

Identification of Key Well-Being Themes

Emergent themes and model stages

Trickle filter mapping and outcomes

Trickle or Torrent? A Novel Algorithmic Approach to Reclaim Successful Academic Writing in the Face of Artificial Intelligence A journal of educational research and practice 2024 Vol. 33 (1) 166-179 [https://journals.library.brocku.ca/brocked](https://journals.library.brocku.ca/brocked) Donna Poade 1* , Russell M. Crawford2** 1 Cornwall Business School, Falmouth University 2 Vice Chancellor ’s Office, Falmouth University Abstract The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in academia has prompted various debates on the uses, threats, and limitations of tools that can create text for numerous academic purposes. Critics argue that these advancements may provide opportunities for cheating and plagiarism and even replace the art of writing entirely. To reclaim the creativity and depth that academic writing holds, we propose both an innovative approach to safeguard the creativity and depth of academic writing and a scaffolded way to enhance success in terms of authenticity for the author and, by extension, meaning for the reader. This novel conceptual algorithmic trickle filter model aims to inform successful academic writing and embody the writer’s agency—a task too sophisticated for current AI tools. Our model provides a scaffolded decision-making process in a highly personal, flexible, and iterative individual writing development tool applied in a health-conscious way. We position this model as a step towards a pedagogic paradigm shift in reclaiming academic writing that, rather than competing with AI , doubles down on the personal self-evaluative aspects that academic writing offers both author and reader. Keywords: well-being, academic writing, artificial intelligence, healthy practices, personal effectiveness * [donna.poade@falmouth.ac. uk](donna.poade@falmouth.ac. uk) ** [russell.crawford@falmouth.ac. uk](russell.crawford@falmouth.ac. uk) Introduction As technology advances in education, artificial intelligence (AI) has been hailed as a revolutionary hero in the writing landscape and scorned by critics concerned for academic integrity (Sullivan et al. , 2023) . The emergence of specific tools such as ChatGPT has intensified concerns that AI may open the door to cheating and plagiarism (Baidoo-Anu & Owusu Ansah, 2023) . We define academic writing as a specialized form of communication that imparts ideas in a scholarly way. As such, to reclaim the creativity and depth that academic writing holds, we propose an innovative approach to academic writing and postulate the factors of academic writing success to aid authors in producing authentic outputs. Built on a clear literatureinformed pedagogy, we present a novel conceptual algorithmic model to inform successful academic writing that is authentic and creative , better communicating and embodying for the audience a writer’s agency across the academic writing landscape. This innovation draws together success factors and variables identified in the literature that contribute to and enhance successful academic writing while acknowledging the impetus for well-being and other related psycho-social determinants in the face of evolving AI and its potential impacts on academic writing as a skill-based discipline. While defining successful writing can be difficult given the subjective nature of success to the writer, it does typically involve focus, development, and strategies of writing that take into account evidence and information through a personal and cultural lens. To develop our novel model, we started by exploring the well-being literature, which demonstrated that healthy practices (e.g. , incorporating creative expression, agency, and identity) enhance student learning, writing composition, and a sense of well-being (Woloshyn et al. , 2022); deepen our understanding of the writing processes and writer identity; and enhance creativity and joy. Furthermore, our model starts to account for several important psycho-social factors in the concept of ide

FAQs

What concerns does the paper associate with AI-generated academic writing?

It highlights risks related to cheating and plagiarism, and the potential replacement of the craft and creativity of writing.

What is the “trickle filter” model proposed in the paper?

It is a novel conceptual algorithmic model that uses scaffolded, staged decision-making to support authentic academic writing and strengthen writer agency.

How does the model connect academic writing success with well-being?

It builds on well-being research, emphasizing healthy practices, identity, belonging, confidence, and non-judgment, positioning these as contributors to writing development and outcomes.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Blitz