Convincing the Machine: Using Rhetoric to Get the Most Out of AI Writing Assistants in Proposal Writing

Ronald B. Cole, Lauren N. Maher, and Rich Rice

Assignments & Activities Archive

Assignment Description

This assignment teaches students to treat generative AI as a rhetorical collaborator that must be convinced through recursive prompting, strategic data curation, and continuous adjustment. Students assume the role of grant writers advocating for a project, community, or initiative of their choosing. Across four activities they learn to diagnose how the AI represents what a funder wants, recognize where it misses the mark, and rhetorically shape its output toward audience expectations. Designed for first-year writing, technical communication, and professional writing courses, these activities offer students hands-on experience within a professional genre while also giving instructors flexible and scalable lessons based in rhetorical theory and sound educational practices.