Sample Task Design
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Here are some task design samples adapted from AI that teachers may use as reference when creating their own learning activities:
Sample Adapted/Designed Tasks
Sample Task 1 – Writing a Summary of an Academic Journal Article
Task:
Discuss in teams to identify which Version (1 or 2) of the academic summary is better and the reasons for this.
Use the following questions to guide your understanding
Discuss in teams to identify which Version (1 or 2) of the academic summary is better and the reasons for this.
Use the following questions to guide your understanding
Source used:
Bernstein, D. A., Cameron, E. L., Khanna, M. M., McGee, J., Smith, E. I., Bihun, J. T., McBride, E., Uruena-Agnes, A. R., Stanley, C. M., & Lamana-Finn, K. (2023). Misconceptions about psychology after taking introductory psychology. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000374
Bernstein, D. A., Cameron, E. L., Khanna, M. M., McGee, J., Smith, E. I., Bihun, J. T., McBride, E., Uruena-Agnes, A. R., Stanley, C. M., & Lamana-Finn, K. (2023). Misconceptions about psychology after taking introductory psychology. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000374
Version 1 (click to expand)
The study explores the persistence of psychological misconceptions among college students who have completed an introductory psychology course. Over 1,400 students from seven universities were surveyed at the beginning and end of their intro psych classes to assess their understanding of common psychological concepts.
The results revealed that students continued to hold numerous inaccurate beliefs even after finishing the course. For instance, substantial proportions of students incorrectly thought that people only use 10% of their brain capacity, that opposites attract romantically, and that human memory functions like a video recorder.
The authors propose several potential explanations for this finding. First, intro psych courses tend to cover a wide range of topics superficially, with insufficient time dedicated to correcting specific misconceptions. Additionally, psychology as a field involves ongoing debates and revisions, making it challenging for students to develop a cohesive understanding. Furthermore, some misconceptions may be deeply entrenched, as they are often reinforced by popular culture and societal beliefs.
To address this issue, the authors recommend that instructors more proactively confront and correct common misconceptions throughout the introductory course, rather than assuming students will naturally overcome them. They also suggest incorporating more interactive and engaging learning activities, such as hands-on demonstrations and peer discussions, to help students develop a more robust and accurate grasp of psychological principles.
Overall, the study highlights the persistent challenge of helping students overcome deeply ingrained misconceptions in psychology and other scientific disciplines. By addressing these issues more intentionally, educators can better support students in developing a deeper, more accurate understanding of human behaviour and cognition.
The results revealed that students continued to hold numerous inaccurate beliefs even after finishing the course. For instance, substantial proportions of students incorrectly thought that people only use 10% of their brain capacity, that opposites attract romantically, and that human memory functions like a video recorder.
The authors propose several potential explanations for this finding. First, intro psych courses tend to cover a wide range of topics superficially, with insufficient time dedicated to correcting specific misconceptions. Additionally, psychology as a field involves ongoing debates and revisions, making it challenging for students to develop a cohesive understanding. Furthermore, some misconceptions may be deeply entrenched, as they are often reinforced by popular culture and societal beliefs.
To address this issue, the authors recommend that instructors more proactively confront and correct common misconceptions throughout the introductory course, rather than assuming students will naturally overcome them. They also suggest incorporating more interactive and engaging learning activities, such as hands-on demonstrations and peer discussions, to help students develop a more robust and accurate grasp of psychological principles.
Overall, the study highlights the persistent challenge of helping students overcome deeply ingrained misconceptions in psychology and other scientific disciplines. By addressing these issues more intentionally, educators can better support students in developing a deeper, more accurate understanding of human behaviour and cognition.
Version 2 (click to expand)
The article by Bernstein et al. (2023) highlights that undergraduate students taking introductory Psychology (IP) courses in the U.S. often hold deeply-ingrained misconceptions about Psychology even after taking these courses. A study was conducted to investigate this phenomenon and the implications for educators are provided.
Previous research indicates that undergraduate students taking an IP course frequently believe 24%–71% of inaccurate explanations of human behaviour or thinking processes (e.g., Bamberger et al., 2023; Best, 1982; McKeachie, 1960, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023). These misconceptions include that polygraphs can detect lies accurately while teaching methods have to address students’ learning styles. Due to this, the American Psychological Association stresses that IP courses should not only focus on course content but also critical thinking skills on how Psychology can combat misconceptions (Gurung & Neufeld, 2022, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023).
Bernstein et al. (2023) conducted a study with 933 participants from eight universities/colleges/schools in the U.S. to investigate whether students’ misconceptions were lower at the end of an IP course using a quiz. The key finding was that most students still believed around 55% of the misconceptions they held. This is attributed to instructors’ insufficient focus on misconceptions in the course.
Based on this, more emphasis should be placed on correcting misconceptions in IP courses since failure to do so may affect students’ decision-making. Further, as misconceptions are frequently observed among students having a lower GPA (Bensley et al., 2014; Meinz et al., 2022, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023), this group of students requires more attention. Pedagogical methods that incorporate critical reading passages and activities involving active engagement in correcting misconceptions can possibly help to counter misconceptions (Ecker et al., 2019; Hughes et al., 2013; Kowalski & Taylor, 2009, 2017; LaCaille, 2015; Lassonde et al., 2016; McCarthy & Frantz, 2016, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023). More research is needed on evaluating the pedagogical methods that can combat misconceptions so that educators can draw on them to counter misconceptions in classes in future.
Previous research indicates that undergraduate students taking an IP course frequently believe 24%–71% of inaccurate explanations of human behaviour or thinking processes (e.g., Bamberger et al., 2023; Best, 1982; McKeachie, 1960, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023). These misconceptions include that polygraphs can detect lies accurately while teaching methods have to address students’ learning styles. Due to this, the American Psychological Association stresses that IP courses should not only focus on course content but also critical thinking skills on how Psychology can combat misconceptions (Gurung & Neufeld, 2022, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023).
Bernstein et al. (2023) conducted a study with 933 participants from eight universities/colleges/schools in the U.S. to investigate whether students’ misconceptions were lower at the end of an IP course using a quiz. The key finding was that most students still believed around 55% of the misconceptions they held. This is attributed to instructors’ insufficient focus on misconceptions in the course.
Based on this, more emphasis should be placed on correcting misconceptions in IP courses since failure to do so may affect students’ decision-making. Further, as misconceptions are frequently observed among students having a lower GPA (Bensley et al., 2014; Meinz et al., 2022, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023), this group of students requires more attention. Pedagogical methods that incorporate critical reading passages and activities involving active engagement in correcting misconceptions can possibly help to counter misconceptions (Ecker et al., 2019; Hughes et al., 2013; Kowalski & Taylor, 2009, 2017; LaCaille, 2015; Lassonde et al., 2016; McCarthy & Frantz, 2016, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023). More research is needed on evaluating the pedagogical methods that can combat misconceptions so that educators can draw on them to counter misconceptions in classes in future.
Questions to Guide Your Discussion in Teams (these questions are based on the rubrics):
Content and Sources/Citations/Reference
- What is the article about?
- Are important definitions of terms/concepts given?
- Are the details of the summary accurate, for example, number of participants and what was done (if the method was given)?
- What explanations were given for the findings?
- What is the conclusion of the study?
- Were all the sources accurately cited and are they correct?
- How well do you understand the topic? [1: not at all 10: I know a lot now]
- Are the paragraphs linked logically?
- Give your comments on the grammar, vocabulary, and writing style used.
- Other comments.
Suggested answers:
Content and Sources/In-text Citations
Version 2 is better due to its Accuracy in Content and Understanding of the Article.
1. The details given are accurate, for example, the study was done on 933 students in 8 colleges/universities/schools. Version 1 gives inaccurate information – the study was done with 1400 students in 7 universities. This is one of AI’s major weakness – hallucinating – making up false information and not offering an accurate understanding of the article.
2. In para. 2 – Version 1 – ‘inaccurate beliefs’ is given but it is not clear what this refers to. AI sometimes may not explain crucial information. Version 2 states that this is about ‘human behavior or thinking processes.’
3. In para 3., Version 1 mentions ‘popular culture and societal beliefs’ as an explanation. This was Not mentioned by the authors in the article. It is also mentioned that psychology involves ongoing debates and revisions, making it challenging for students to develop a cohesive understanding. This was NOT mentioned by the authors. This is one of AI’s weakness – hallucinating – creating false information and not offering an accurate understanding of the article.
4. Some important information is missing – e.g. misconceptions are frequently observed among students having a lower GPA (Bensley et al., 2014; Meinz et al., 2022, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023).
5. In-text citations (e.g. Bernstein et al., 2023) and secondary citations (Bensley et al., 2014; Meinz et al., 2022, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023) are missing in Version 1. AI may not cite all sources accurately and may miss them at times. This is one of its weaknesses.
6. The reference is correct in both versions.
1. The details given are accurate, for example, the study was done on 933 students in 8 colleges/universities/schools. Version 1 gives inaccurate information – the study was done with 1400 students in 7 universities. This is one of AI’s major weakness – hallucinating – making up false information and not offering an accurate understanding of the article.
2. In para. 2 – Version 1 – ‘inaccurate beliefs’ is given but it is not clear what this refers to. AI sometimes may not explain crucial information. Version 2 states that this is about ‘human behavior or thinking processes.’
3. In para 3., Version 1 mentions ‘popular culture and societal beliefs’ as an explanation. This was Not mentioned by the authors in the article. It is also mentioned that psychology involves ongoing debates and revisions, making it challenging for students to develop a cohesive understanding. This was NOT mentioned by the authors. This is one of AI’s weakness – hallucinating – creating false information and not offering an accurate understanding of the article.
4. Some important information is missing – e.g. misconceptions are frequently observed among students having a lower GPA (Bensley et al., 2014; Meinz et al., 2022, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023).
5. In-text citations (e.g. Bernstein et al., 2023) and secondary citations (Bensley et al., 2014; Meinz et al., 2022, as cited in Bernstein et al., 2023) are missing in Version 1. AI may not cite all sources accurately and may miss them at times. This is one of its weaknesses.
6. The reference is correct in both versions.
Organization and Coherence of Ideas
Version 2 is better since it follows a logical organizational structure, making it easy for the reader to follow.
Para 1. What the article is about/focuses on
Para 2. Definition of key terms and pointing out the importance of the topic
Para 3. How the study was done – the method
Para 4. Key findings and explanation
Para 5. Conclusion – recommendations/implications for teaching and further areas for research
Version 1 follows the following organizational structure:
Para. 1- What the article is about/focuses on and some details of the method used in the study
Para 2. - Key findings
Para 3. - Explanations
Para 4 and 5 - Conclusion – recommendations/implications for teaching
Problems with this structure in Version 1:
1. Details of the method can be placed in Para 2.
2. The importance of the topic should be highlighted and definitions should be given before the method and key findings.
Para 1. What the article is about/focuses on
Para 2. Definition of key terms and pointing out the importance of the topic
Para 3. How the study was done – the method
Para 4. Key findings and explanation
Para 5. Conclusion – recommendations/implications for teaching and further areas for research
Version 1 follows the following organizational structure:
Para. 1- What the article is about/focuses on and some details of the method used in the study
Para 2. - Key findings
Para 3. - Explanations
Para 4 and 5 - Conclusion – recommendations/implications for teaching
Problems with this structure in Version 1:
1. Details of the method can be placed in Para 2.
2. The importance of the topic should be highlighted and definitions should be given before the method and key findings.
Language
• Both Version 1 and Version 2 are grammatically accurate, use a wide range of vocabulary and sentence structures, and adopt an appropriate style.
• Version 2 is slightly better with respect to using reporting verbs when mentioning sources.
e.g. Previous research indicates that…
Bernstein et al. (2023) conducted a study…
• Version 2 is slightly better with respect to using reporting verbs when mentioning sources.
e.g. Previous research indicates that…
Bernstein et al. (2023) conducted a study…
Sample Task 2 – Formal Academic Writing Skills
Task:
First, consult AI on what a formal academic writing style refers to. Then, rewrite the following sentences in pairs using an academic writing style.
First, consult AI on what a formal academic writing style refers to. Then, rewrite the following sentences in pairs using an academic writing style.
- It is difficult to come up with examples for this case.
- A lot of students are late for class.
- Many articles have proved that smoking is linked to cancer.
- Export figures won’t improve unless the economy is stronger.
- In my opinion, students should be taught digital literacy.
- As everyone knows, creativity is vital in a thriving economy.
- Researchers have shown that people never exercise regularly.
- The issue of whether digital literacy should be integrated into the curriculum is a hot topic.
- In a nutshell, students should learn digital literacy so that they can be more competitive.
- I think the findings sort of show that depression is linked to other diseases.
Suggested Answers (Click to expand)
Example of an AI-generated explanation
Certainly! Here’s a detailed explanation of formal academic writing at a B2 English level, with clear examples.
What is Formal Academic Writing?
Formal academic writing is the style of writing used in universities, colleges, and scholarly publications. It is used to communicate ideas, research, and arguments in a clear, structured, and professional way.
Key Features of Formal Academic Writing
Formal Tone
Common Phrases in Formal Academic Writing
What is Formal Academic Writing?
Formal academic writing is the style of writing used in universities, colleges, and scholarly publications. It is used to communicate ideas, research, and arguments in a clear, structured, and professional way.
Key Features of Formal Academic Writing
Formal Tone
- Avoids casual or conversational language.
- Uses polite and respectful language.
- Informal: “Kids these days don’t like reading.”
- Formal: “Many young people today do not enjoy reading.”
- Focuses on facts, evidence, and arguments, not personal opinions.
- Avoids using “I”, “we”, or “you” unless necessary.
- Informal: “I think climate change is a big problem.”
- Formal: “Climate change is a significant global issue.”
- Uses specific and clear words.
- Avoids slang, idioms, and contractions (like “don’t”, “can’t”).
- Informal: “Lots of students don’t hand in their homework on time.”
- Formal: “A large number of students submit their assignments late.”
- Follows a logical order (introduction, body, conclusion).
- Uses paragraphs for different ideas.
- Introduction: “This essay discusses the effects of social media on communication skills.”
- Body paragraph: “One major effect of social media is the reduction of face-to-face interaction.”
- Conclusion: “In conclusion, social media has both positive and negative impacts on communication.”
- Supports ideas with facts, examples, and references from reliable sources.
- “According to a study by Smith (2022), students who read regularly perform better academically.”
Common Phrases in Formal Academic Writing
- “This essay will discuss…”
- “It can be argued that…”
- “The evidence suggests that…”
- “In conclusion,…”
Informal |
Formal Academic Writing |
Kids these days… |
Many young people today… |
I think… |
It can be argued that… |
Don’t, can’t, won’t |
Do not, cannot, will not |
A lot of |
Many / a large number of |
As everyone knows… |
Research indicates that… |
In summary:
Formal academic writing is clear, objective, and well-organized. It uses formal language, avoids personal opinions, and supports ideas with evidence.
If you have a specific topic or example you want to practice with, let me know!
Formal academic writing is clear, objective, and well-organized. It uses formal language, avoids personal opinions, and supports ideas with evidence.
If you have a specific topic or example you want to practice with, let me know!
Explanation generated by GPT4.1 via HKBU GenAI Platform, accessed 10 April 2026, using the prompt: "I am a university first-year student learning about academic writing. Explain what "formal academic writing" is in detail and give examples that are suitable to my English level (~B2)."
Answers
• It is difficult to offer examples for this case. (avoid using phrasal/prepositional verbs in academic writing)
• A considerable number of students are late for class. (use more formal vocabulary)
• Prior research has shown that smoking is linked to cancer. (use more formal academic vocabulary and avoid using ‘prove’ in academic writing)
• Export figures will not improve unless the economy is stronger. (avoid using contractions in academic writing)
• It is argued that students should be taught digital literacy. (adopt an impersonal tone)
• Creativity is vital in a thriving economy. (adopt an impersonal tone)
• Researchers have shown that most people tend not to exercise regularly. (use more formal vocabulary and avoid sweeping generalizations)
• The issue of whether digital literacy should be integrated into the curriculum is a subject of immense debate. (avoid using cliches/idioms)
• To conclude/In conclusion, students should learn digital literacy so that they can be more competitive. (avoid using cliches/idioms)
• The findings show/indicate that depression is linked to other diseases. (adopt an impersonal tone and be more concise/precise)
• It is difficult to offer examples for this case. (avoid using phrasal/prepositional verbs in academic writing)
• A considerable number of students are late for class. (use more formal vocabulary)
• Prior research has shown that smoking is linked to cancer. (use more formal academic vocabulary and avoid using ‘prove’ in academic writing)
• Export figures will not improve unless the economy is stronger. (avoid using contractions in academic writing)
• It is argued that students should be taught digital literacy. (adopt an impersonal tone)
• Creativity is vital in a thriving economy. (adopt an impersonal tone)
• Researchers have shown that most people tend not to exercise regularly. (use more formal vocabulary and avoid sweeping generalizations)
• The issue of whether digital literacy should be integrated into the curriculum is a subject of immense debate. (avoid using cliches/idioms)
• To conclude/In conclusion, students should learn digital literacy so that they can be more competitive. (avoid using cliches/idioms)
• The findings show/indicate that depression is linked to other diseases. (adopt an impersonal tone and be more concise/precise)
Sample Task 3 – Synthesizing Ideas and Evaluating AI Responses
Task:
- Read the two sources and write your own synthesis of their ideas.
- Then, use an AI tool to generate a synthesis of the same sources.
- Finally, compare your synthesis with the AI-generated version.
Sources to be synthesized:
Seng et al. (2020, p. 13) |
“Participants reported their lack of control and trust in facial-recognition-based authentication, where they are afraid that such technology would mistakenly authenticate adversaries allowing them access to valuable information and belongings. This lack of trust on efficacy is also one of the reasons why participants see a limited benefit in using facial recognition to get personalized offers.” |
McClellan (2020, pp. 375-376) |
“Another serious concern is the potential for data breaches in facial recognition technology. When an account or social security number is breached, the password or number can be changed and replaced (Yurieff, 2017). However, when a fingerprint or facial recognition is compromised, there is no way to replace it—once a breach has occurred, there is almost no way to remedy it (See 740 ILL. COMP. STAT. 14/5, 2008).” |
Suggested Answers (click to expand)
SUGGESTED ANSWER GENERATED BY AI:
Both Seng et al. (2020) and McClellan (2020) highlight significant concerns regarding facial recognition (FR) technology, focusing on issues of trust and security. Seng et al. (2020) note that users lack confidence in FR-based authentication due to fears of erroneous authentication, which could allow unauthorized access to sensitive information or assets, leading to skepticism about its benefits, such as personalized offers (p. 13). Similarly, McClellan (2020) emphasizes the severe consequences of data breaches in FR systems, pointing out that unlike passwords or social security numbers, compromised biometric data like facial recognition cannot be replaced, posing a significant and irreparable risk (pp. 375-376; 740 ILL. COMP. STAT. 14/5, 2008). Together, these sources underscore the critical challenges of trust and irremediable security risks in adopting facial recognition technology.
The example is effective because:
Clarity and Structure:
• The paragraph is clearly written, with a logical flow. It begins by introducing the shared focus of both sources (concerns with FR technology), then discusses each source’s specific contribution, and concludes by tying them together under the broader theme of trust and security challenges.
• The language is academic yet accessible, avoiding jargon while maintaining precision (e.g., “erroneous authentication” and “irremediable security risks” reflect the sources’ ideas accurately).
Accuracy and Fidelity to Sources:
• The answer accurately reflects the main ideas from the provided excerpts. For Seng et al. (2020), it captured the participants’ lack of trust in FR’s efficacy and their skepticism about its benefits (p. 13). For McClellan (2020), it emphasized the permanent risk of biometric data breaches (pp. 375-376) and referenced the cited statute (740 ILL. COMP. STAT. 14/5, 2008). Proper Use of APA 7th Citation Style:
• The in-text citations follow APA 7th edition guidelines, correctly formatted as (Author, Year, p. Page Number) for direct references to specific pages (e.g., Seng et al., 2020, p. 13; McClellan, 2020, pp. 375-376).
Synthesis Over Summary:
• The synthesis highlights complementary concerns—user distrust in FR’s reliability (Seng et al.) and the technological risk of unfixable breaches (McClellan)—demonstrating a deeper understanding of how the sources relate.
Answer generated by Grok 3, accessed 8 July 2025, using the prompt: "Use the two academic sources below, write a short paragraph synthesizing the main ideas. Seng et al. (2020, p. 13) "Participants reported their lack of control and trust in FR-based authentication, where they are afraid that such technology would mistakenly authenticate adversaries allowing them access to valuable information and belongings. This lack of trust on efficacy is also one of the reasons why participants see a limited benefit in using FR to get personalized offers." McClellan (2020, p. 375-376) "Another serious concern is the potential for data breaches in facial recognition technology. When an account or social security number is breached, the password or number can be changed and replaced (Yurieff, 2017). However, when a fingerprint or facial recognition is compromised, there is no way to replace it—once a breach has occurred, there is almost no way to remedy it (See 740 ILL. COMP. STAT. 14/5, 2008)."
Both Seng et al. (2020) and McClellan (2020) highlight significant concerns regarding facial recognition (FR) technology, focusing on issues of trust and security. Seng et al. (2020) note that users lack confidence in FR-based authentication due to fears of erroneous authentication, which could allow unauthorized access to sensitive information or assets, leading to skepticism about its benefits, such as personalized offers (p. 13). Similarly, McClellan (2020) emphasizes the severe consequences of data breaches in FR systems, pointing out that unlike passwords or social security numbers, compromised biometric data like facial recognition cannot be replaced, posing a significant and irreparable risk (pp. 375-376; 740 ILL. COMP. STAT. 14/5, 2008). Together, these sources underscore the critical challenges of trust and irremediable security risks in adopting facial recognition technology.
The example is effective because:
Clarity and Structure:
• The paragraph is clearly written, with a logical flow. It begins by introducing the shared focus of both sources (concerns with FR technology), then discusses each source’s specific contribution, and concludes by tying them together under the broader theme of trust and security challenges.
• The language is academic yet accessible, avoiding jargon while maintaining precision (e.g., “erroneous authentication” and “irremediable security risks” reflect the sources’ ideas accurately).
Accuracy and Fidelity to Sources:
• The answer accurately reflects the main ideas from the provided excerpts. For Seng et al. (2020), it captured the participants’ lack of trust in FR’s efficacy and their skepticism about its benefits (p. 13). For McClellan (2020), it emphasized the permanent risk of biometric data breaches (pp. 375-376) and referenced the cited statute (740 ILL. COMP. STAT. 14/5, 2008). Proper Use of APA 7th Citation Style:
• The in-text citations follow APA 7th edition guidelines, correctly formatted as (Author, Year, p. Page Number) for direct references to specific pages (e.g., Seng et al., 2020, p. 13; McClellan, 2020, pp. 375-376).
Synthesis Over Summary:
• The synthesis highlights complementary concerns—user distrust in FR’s reliability (Seng et al.) and the technological risk of unfixable breaches (McClellan)—demonstrating a deeper understanding of how the sources relate.
Answer generated by Grok 3, accessed 8 July 2025, using the prompt: "Use the two academic sources below, write a short paragraph synthesizing the main ideas. Seng et al. (2020, p. 13) "Participants reported their lack of control and trust in FR-based authentication, where they are afraid that such technology would mistakenly authenticate adversaries allowing them access to valuable information and belongings. This lack of trust on efficacy is also one of the reasons why participants see a limited benefit in using FR to get personalized offers." McClellan (2020, p. 375-376) "Another serious concern is the potential for data breaches in facial recognition technology. When an account or social security number is breached, the password or number can be changed and replaced (Yurieff, 2017). However, when a fingerprint or facial recognition is compromised, there is no way to replace it—once a breach has occurred, there is almost no way to remedy it (See 740 ILL. COMP. STAT. 14/5, 2008)."
