Your AI-generated essay reads well. The grammar is perfect. The arguments are logical. And your professor can tell in 30 seconds it's not yours. Here's why — and exactly how to fix it.
AI essays get flagged because they're too perfect. Real student writing has personality quirks, occasional awkward phrasing, and opinions that come from lived experience. AI writing is uniformly polished — and that uniformity is the tell.
What AI essays do wrong:
- • Every paragraph follows the same structure
- • Sentences are all roughly the same length
- • Uses "Furthermore" and "Moreover" constantly
- • Never takes a strong personal position
- • Zero sensory details or anecdotes
- • Vocabulary is unnaturally consistent
What human essays do right:
- • Varied paragraph lengths and structures
- • Mix of short and long sentences
- • Natural transitions (or none at all)
- • Clear personal voice and opinions
- • Specific examples from experience
- • Occasional informal language
7 Editing Techniques That Work
Rewrite the introduction yourself
The intro sets the voice for the entire essay. Write it from scratch — even if it's imperfect. Professors read the first paragraph most carefully.
Add one personal connection per section
"This reminds me of..." or "In my experience..." — even one sentence of genuine personal reflection per section transforms the essay.
Break the sentence rhythm
Find any paragraph where all sentences are 15-20 words. Make one sentence 5 words. Make another 30. This alone defeats burstiness analysis.
Replace AI vocabulary
Search for 'crucial,' 'landscape,' 'multifaceted,' 'comprehensive,' and 'furthermore.' Replace with simpler words. See our full list of AI words to avoid.
Add a counterargument you actually disagree with
AI always presents balanced views. Humans have biases. Include a counterpoint and then explain why you think it's wrong. This signals authentic thinking.
Use contractions
"It is important" → "It's important." "They are" → "They're." AI defaults to formal non-contracted forms. Humans use contractions naturally.
Include a specific, verifiable detail
"A 2024 study by MIT found..." or "According to page 47 of the textbook..." — specific citations that AI wouldn't fabricate signal real research.
Before & After: Essay Paragraph
"Climate change is a pressing global issue that requires immediate attention. Rising temperatures have led to significant environmental consequences, including melting ice caps and rising sea levels. It is crucial that governments and individuals work together to address this multifaceted challenge."
"I grew up in Miami. My grandparents' street floods now during high tide — not storms, just regular Tuesday high tide. That wasn't happening 20 years ago. The data backs up what I've seen firsthand: NOAA reports sea levels in South Florida rose 6 inches since 2000. This isn't abstract. It's my grandmother's living room."
A Note on Ethics
Using AI as a writing assistant is increasingly accepted in education — but submitting pure AI output as your own work is academic dishonesty at most institutions. The ethical approach:
- Use AI for brainstorming, outlining, and getting past writer's block
- Always rewrite AI output in your own voice with your own examples
- Check your institution's AI policy — they vary widely
- Disclose AI use when required by your professor or institution
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