Academic Coaching Blog

So your thesis or dissertation draft has been submitted to TurnItIn, and the report says you used a lot of AI.  Even if you didn't actually use AI, a certain style of writing can raise red flags when software is used to look for content that is not original.  Supervisors and examiners may also think that the writing is not your own authentic work if it's too formulaic. Here's a short video I recorded, to offer three tips for changing the way you present your content, so that it doesn't sound AI-generated: Get in touch if you're having trouble using...

Faced with the ubiquitous use of AI by students, written exams and other forms of written evaluations will have to be replaced by oral examinations. Students will have to defend their work by explaining it in a spoken presentation, so they can talk about what they learned, instead of submitting a paper, which they may or may not have written.  That's not just my opinion. It's the opinion I just heard expressed by Derek Thompson, a journalist who has become a media sensation since he co-published Abundance with Ezra Klein. Here's his interview with Fareed Zakaria today: https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/07/politics/video/gps-0907-ai-threat-in-schools In the past few...

I have a testimonials page, and I proudly share the kind words from the graduate students who achieve their goals with my help. But today I thought I'd share an entire email from a recent graduate (with his permission), to celebrate his achievements and my satisfaction in contributing to them.  I worked with this candidate for more than a year from early drafts of chapters to reviewing the entire thesis for submission.  His success in earning his PhD gives me great joy and I hope that his achievement encourages others to keep going and get it done.  This particular email...

A new client told me yesterday that she had used ChatGPT to write her Introduction chapter.  She said that she had asked that AI assistant what should go into that chapter, and had written it up accordingly. But now she's not happy with it. It sounds awkward and stiff. She asked me if I would be able to help her add a human touch.   And of course that's the problem with using a robot (by any fancy name) to help in communicating with other humans.  No matter how sophisticated the software, it still lacks that certain something that infuses a...

In the 20th century, graduate students spent all their time at a university, learning how to conduct research and master academic writing.  In this 21st century, students have come to rely more on robot-supported aids, and AI, to try and improve their skills.  But now there is a move towards writing without AI. What does this mean for coaches like me?