AI Writing Anti-Patterns
Field guide for detecting and revising AI-generated content indicators based on Wikipedia's "Signs of AI writing" guide.
When to Use
Invoke this skill:
- •Before finalizing ANY AI-assisted writing
- •When reviewing text for AI writing indicators
- •When editing content to sound more natural
- •After completing writing tasks (automatic via hooks)
The Iron Law
Check every piece of AI-assisted writing against these patterns before submission.
This is not optional. AI writing patterns are detectable and undermine credibility.
Quick Screening Order
Start with the most objective indicators:
| Priority | Section | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPT Artifacts | turn0search0, oaicite, contentReference |
| 2 | Citation Problems | Hallucinated DOIs, dead links, non-existent sources |
| 3 | Prompt Refusals | "As an AI language model...", "I hope this helps" |
| 4 | Puffery | "stands as", "plays a vital role", "rich tapestry" |
| 5 | Structure | Section summaries, "Despite challenges", rule of three |
Critical Patterns to Avoid
CRITICAL Severity (Immediate Revision Required)
These patterns are unambiguous AI artifacts:
ChatGPT-Specific Artifacts:
- •
turn0search0,turn1search2(internal search references) - •
oaicite:X(citation placeholders) - •
contentReference[oaicite:X](unresolved references) - •JSON attribution blocks in output
Prompt Refusals:
- •"As an AI language model..."
- •"I cannot provide..."
- •"I hope this helps!"
- •"I hope this email finds you well"
HIGH Severity (Strong Revision Recommended)
Puffery and Exaggeration:
- •"stands as" (a testament/example/beacon)
- •"plays a vital/crucial/pivotal role"
- •"rich tapestry of"
- •"nestled in/among"
- •"it's important to note that"
- •"delves into"
- •"the landscape of"
Promotional Language:
- •"groundbreaking", "transformative", "revolutionary"
- •"unparalleled", "unprecedented"
- •"cutting-edge", "state-of-the-art"
MEDIUM Severity (Review and Consider)
Structural Patterns:
- •Section summaries that repeat the heading
- •"Despite [challenge], [positive outcome]" formula
- •Negative parallelisms: "However... Nevertheless..."
- •Rule of three: exactly three examples every time
- •Weasel wording: "some experts say", "it is believed"
Stylistic Quirks:
- •Elegant variation (synonym cycling to avoid repetition)
- •False ranges ("from X to Y" without real data)
- •Title Case In All Headings
- •Em dash overuse (—)
- •Excessive boldface for emphasis
How to Revise
For Puffery
| AI Pattern | Human Alternative |
|---|---|
| "stands as a testament to" | "shows" or "demonstrates" |
| "plays a vital role in" | "affects" or just state the effect |
| "rich tapestry of" | describe specifically what it contains |
| "nestled in the heart of" | "in" or "located in" |
| "delves into" | "examines" or "covers" |
For Structure
| AI Pattern | Human Alternative |
|---|---|
| Section summary of heading | Start with substance, not meta-commentary |
| "Despite challenges..." | State the reality directly without formula |
| Exactly three examples | Use the number that fits: 2, 4, 5, or just 1 |
| "It's important to note" | Just state the important thing |
For Promotional Language
| AI Pattern | Human Alternative |
|---|---|
| "groundbreaking" | describe what it actually does |
| "revolutionary" | compare to what came before |
| "cutting-edge" | specify the technology |
| "transformative" | show the transformation with evidence |
Reference Files
For detailed patterns and extensive examples, consult:
| File | Contents |
|---|---|
references/_index.md | Overview and quick screening guide |
references/01-puffery-and-exaggeration.md | "Stands as", superficial analyses |
references/02-promotional-language.md | "Rich tapestry", disclaimers |
references/03-structural-patterns.md | Section summaries, negative parallelisms |
references/04-stylistic-quirks.md | Elegant variation, false ranges |
references/05-formatting-and-typography.md | Boldface, em dashes, emojis |
references/06-communication-patterns.md | Subject lines, "I hope this helps" |
references/07-template-artifacts.md | Mad Libs patterns, placeholders |
references/08-markup-issues.md | Markdown vs wikitext confusion |
references/09-chatgpt-specific-artifacts.md | turn0search, oaicite |
references/10-citation-problems.md | Hallucinated DOIs, dead links |
references/11-meta-indicators.md | Abrupt cutoffs, style discrepancies |
Automatic Detection
This plugin includes PostToolUse hooks that automatically scan Write/Edit output for anti-patterns. When patterns are detected:
- •Hook emits a warning with specific patterns found
- •Claude immediately revises the content
- •Revision removes or replaces flagged patterns
The hook checks for all CRITICAL and HIGH severity patterns automatically.
Red Flags - Stop If You Think
| Thought | Why It's Wrong | Do Instead |
|---|---|---|
| "This sounds professional" | AI puffery sounds generic, not professional | Use concrete, specific language |
| "I'll add emphasis" | "Very important" and bold are AI tells | Let content speak for itself |
| "Let me summarize the section" | Section summaries are formulaic | Start with substance |
| "Three examples is a good number" | Rule of three is an AI pattern | Use the right number for the content |
Key Principles
From Wikipedia's guide:
- •These are signs, not proof - Multiple indicators strengthen the case
- •Context matters - Some patterns appear in human writing too
- •Focus on deeper issues - Surface defects point to synthesis and quality problems
- •Don't rely on detection tools - Human judgment required
Related Skills
- •
/writing- Core writing principles from Elements of Style - •
/writing-legal- Legal writing (Phase 2) - •
/writing-econ- Economics writing (Phase 2)