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Month: July 2025

Using AI to detect empty rhetoric (instead of just generating it)

Published by Joni on July 23, 2025

In addition to generating it (!), AI can be used for *detecting* empty rhetoric. Is the sentence below empty rhetoric? “By addressing both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors, AI-based chatbots can play a key role in creating effective learning environments.” >> Yes, it’s empty rhetoric – the sentence sounds academic but conveys no real substance: >> It makes a sweeping…

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Factors that affect evaluation complexity

Published by Joni on July 23, 2025

evaluation complexity increases when: *task is more subjective*you have more coders*you have more categories*you have more data to code chance-adjusted agreement (as opposed to percentage agreement) metrics typically aim to consider these factors in their calculation (though there’s no easy way to quantify “subjectivity” except after the calculation; a low score can be of indicative of the subjective nature of…

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The Dance of Dynamics

Published by Joni on July 21, 2025

Research involves some interesting “back and forth” dynamics. Two of them are: 1. “Zoom in, zoom out” dance 2. Expand, simplify The first one deals with how to write paragraphs. For example: “There is little research on the effects of persona modality on users’ attention” (<= zoom out sentence = talks about the big picture). “However, of those studies that…

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“AI didn’t replace thinking—it demanded more of it”

Published by Joni on July 21, 2025

A quote from a panel discussion I participated recently:“AI didn’t replace thinking—it demanded more of it.” It is indeed our solemn duty, now more than ever, to ensure that the future generations get educated in thinking, whether logical, critical, or hypothetical. I don’t believe in the “calculator hypothesis” (=you don’t need to count because we have calculators; same way you…

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How to cope with failure?

How to cope with failure?

Published by Joni on July 20, 2025

Failing is painful in academia. Rejection hurts, mentally and almost physically. And you get plenty of it. You get it MUCH MORE than success. So, it’s very tough. We need to learn to cope with failing to survive. Here’s a simple formula: Recharge … regroup … retry 1. Recharge = rest enough, take some time off from the screen, eat,…

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