How the ‘show your work’ approach is redefining student writing

^{Originally published on 16 October 2025, this post has been updated to ensure the latest guidance and context.}

In the United States, secondary school educators are the fastest adopters of AI platforms, leaning into new tools to support student engagement and AI literacy.

But to protect authentic student writing, many have found themselves returning to handwritten assignments – a time-consuming safeguard from the analog era.

As a former educator myself, I’m here to tell you there is another way.

Applying the familiar ‘show your work’ approach from STEM subjects to student writing offers a way forward, one that many educators have already adopted.

It provides a much-needed window into the workings of the student mind at a time when GenAI can bypass authentic cognition and composition. However, it isn’t always the most time-efficient process.

Fortunately, new technology is rising to that challenge, helping educators protect both authentic student writing AND their precious teaching time. Let’s dig deeper…

What is the ‘show your work’ concept, and why is it pedagogically valuable?

The ‘show your work’ concept in student writing requires learners to submit pieces at different stages of the writing process, rather than just submitting a finished essay. This approach is valuable because it allows educators to assess the "how" of learning, ensuring that students develop core composition skills.

Any math teacher can tell you that the ‘show your work’ approach isn’t about students answering a question, it’s about showing how they arrived at their answer.

This provides invaluable insights into students’ knowledge of the topic, techniques, and any gaps in their learning – information that would be hidden if not for them showing their work.

However, this approach isn’t just beneficial in math and sciences. The concept of shining a light on students’ approach to their subject is universally valuable.

How does the ‘show your work’ approach strengthen student writing?

The ‘show your work’ approach strengthens student writing by increasing the transparency of the humanities classroom, requiring process artifacts – such as outlines, drafts, and revision logs – that provide visibility into how students think, plan, structure an argument, and use sources.

This allows educators to identify areas for improvement and provide personalized feedback to support students’ future work.

Increased transparency is particularly important in the so-called ‘Intelligence Age’, where AI-powered tools are prevalent and students may rely too heavily on Generative AI in their writing process.

Why the ‘show your work’ approach is challenging to implement

The ‘show your work’ approach to written assignments can be time-consuming – requiring rounds of formative feedback at each stage – and many educators are concerned about the impact on their already heavy workloads if they use it more often. Without the right digital infrastructure, managing multiple drafts and process logs for every student can lead to significant administrative bloat and teacher burnout.

let’s look at what the experts say about AI in the student writing process. Because it isn’t all bad. It’s about how it is integrated.

What are the risks and benefits of AI in the student writing process?

The risks and benefits of AI in the student writing process depend entirely on whether the technology is used to augment or replace the student's cognitive effort. While AI can offer real-time grammar support and brainstorming assistance, it also poses a risk of "prompt-and-paste" submissions that bypass the development of critical thinking.

Pros of AI in student writing

On one hand, tools like Grammarly, WordTune, and QuillBot can help learners strengthen grammar and develop their writing skills independently (Yeo, 2023).

Plus, AI’s interactive interface and real-time responses support immersive learning experiences and help students understand complex concepts (Lim et al., 2023).

And, of course, using AI helps students prepare for the AI-ready workforce of the near future.

Cons of AI in student writing

On the other hand, prompt-and-paste approach denies the student the opportunity to develop critical thinking and composition skills and to deepen their subject knowledge.

• 26% of students admitted to using GenAI to create entire assignments with minimal or no student input (HEPI).
• There are concerns that this may ‘hinder people’s growth, skills, and intellectual development over time’ (Chan and Hu, 2023).

On balance, education leaders are leaning into AI as a tool to enhance learning and employability – but with appropriate safeguards to protect authentic knowledge and skill development.

How are schools responding to AI in student writing? Insights from the United States

US schools are responding to AI in student writing by redesigning their assessments to reduce the risk of student misconduct and missteps.

Designing assignments that require process documentation and iterative development – ‘show your work’ – is one approach. Other educators have found themselves reverting to more traditional assignments, using handwritten work and oral presentations.

While these approaches may be effective in reducing access to AI tools, they can create other issues for students and teachers:

• Feedback timeliness: Research shows when response time exceeds 10 days (Bond University)
• Teacher burnout: K-12 workers already experiencing high levels of burnout (Gallup) which is exacerbated by the grading workload of manual assignments.
• AI fatigue: Teachers face a growing sense of overwhelm caused by constant vigilance and authenticity checks perceived to be needed in the age of AI.

This pre-digital approach to assignments also undermines US secondary schools’ otherwise AI-forward approach to integrating new technology and developing student AI literacy.

According to national research:

• 60% of K12 teachers used AI tools during the 2024-2025 school year,
• 66% of high school teachers and 69% of early-career teachers are even more likely to use AI tools.
• 18% increase in teachers who recently started using GenAI prior to the 2025 semester/school year.

Data source: Gallup

So, what’s the answer? Many institutions are experimenting with different ways to design writing assignments for the age of AI. In parallel, edtech software partners are also working on solutions to address the challenge.

How does a ‘show your work’ approach enhance learning in the AI era?

In the AI era, the student writing process is just as important as the final product; if not more so.

Writing isn’t just a process of conveying what a student has learned, but is a learning process in its own right (Klein and Boscolo, 2016). This means authentic authorship must be protected, even as AI tools are integrated into teaching and learning processes.

Recent research shows that visibility into the student writing process enhances achievement and reinforces academic integrity, particularly in relation to GenAI tools (Rasul et al, 2024). Here’s why…

Nurturing authentic skill development

Understanding how students compose their written work lets educators nurture the skills AI can’t replicate, like critical engagement, problem-solving, and reflective thinking over time.

Studies show that metacognitive writing strategies – such as process reflections – boost learning outcomes. By thinking about their process, students and tutors can identify learning habits that lead to higher-quality work (Klein and Boscolo, 2016).

Providing formative feedback

Requiring process artefacts – like planning notes and assignment drafts – allows tutors to provide formative feedback.

This helps shape students reflect on their approach and refine their work prior to final submission. Research suggests that this approach helps instructors identify misconceptions early and tailor feedback more effectively (Kaufhold, 2025).

Shaping AI literacy and ethics

Asking students to disclose any AI used in their process can support AI literacy, shape ethical AI integration, and address instances that stray towards academic misconduct.

AI disclosure is a growing requirement in many academic institutions, particularly in higher education. Instead of asking ‘Did AI write this?’, it is about understanding ‘How did the student use AI? And did that use support their learning rather than undermine it?’

How can educators implement a ‘show your work’ approach to student writing?

To successfully implement a ‘show your work’ approach to student writing, educators can use a combination of evergreen best practices and new digital tools.

Apply writing process best practices

Follow the writing process consistently from pre-writing to publishing, with stops along the way for revision. These best practices have long led to better writing, and the process is more important than ever in the age of AI. Incorporate process checkpoints such as drafts, annotations, or AI usage logs.

Support students to develop AI literacy

Model the metacognition involved in how a writer decides how and when to use AI tools, so that students can integrate it effectively into their workflows. Show students how to critically evaluate AI outputs, as they would any other source. And ask for short reflections where students explain how they planned, revised, or used AI tools.

Use the right tools to make the process manageable

Select tools that support both teaching and learning throughout the writing process. Adopt process-based rubrics that reward effort, reflection, and revision, not just the final product. Plus, use digital tools to reduce the time burden often associated with a ‘show your work’ approach – such as controlled composition spaces that provide an audit trail of the writing process and identify potential overreliance on AI.

Together, these strategies:

• Enhance visibility into the student writing process and support higher attainment
• Protect student-teacher relationships by shifting from AI policing to AI guidance
• Strengthen academic integrity, without adding to ‘AI fatigue’
• Accelerate grading and feedback processes, benefitting both educators and students

Establishing schoolwide guidelines for academic integrity

Helping students become confident, capable writers has always required more than a final draft, which is why so many educators have tried to integrate this approach into their classroom practice. A writing-process approach where students show how their thinking develops over time builds critical thinking, strengthens learning habits, and reinforces academic honesty.

As AI becomes part of how students write, the challenge for secondary educators isn’t whether to address it but how to do so clearly, consistently, and developmentally appropriately. Students need room to learn and practice responsible AI use, while educators need shared expectations that protect learning without stifling growth.

Our guide helps schools build a flexible framework that sets clear expectations for students, teachers, and school leaders.