CABE Essay Competition
Join us in helping psychology students prepare for how artificial intelligence (AI) may present challenges and opportunities in the ways we learn, teach, and work.
The APA Committee on Associate and Baccalaureate Education (CABE) invites undergraduate psychology students to share their insights on how we can think critically about AI-generated content and use AI tools ethically for teaching, learning, and working in psychology.
Award details
CABE will award up to two prizes of $250 each to undergraduate students (current majors or 2024 graduates) for the best essays on the theme: AI Challenges and Opportunities in the Field of Psychology.
To help current and future psychology students, we encourage you to write an essay (up to 750 words) that addresses how to think critically about using AI-generated content that could include misrepresented or false information. Also, your essay should address how to use generative AI tools and content ethically in the classroom or the workforce.
All essays should consider the following:
- How can psychology students or psychology professionals think critically about AI-generated content?
- How can psychology students or psychology professionals use AI tools ethically?
- Essays that illustrate or otherwise support the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion are judged more positively.
Entries will be judged for relevance to the call, impact, illustration/support of EDI values, and quality of writing by a panel of psychology faculty members who serve as CABE members.
Students who win the award will receive $250 and may have their essays published on the APA website.
Applicants are encouraged to review the rubric that CABE members will use to judge the essay. Applicants who are considering using AI to assist in the planning or writing of their essay should read the instructions below on how to credit AI before starting that process.
Please complete the brief application form and upload your essay and the exact text generated by your AI prompt if AI was used by October 8. Essays will be reviewed by CABE members. Decisions will be announced by November 25.
Instructions on crediting AI
Students must disclose if they used AI in the drafting of their essay and provide the prompt used and the exact text generated in response to the prompt.
In the essay itself, applicants using AI must:
- Name the tool that was used (e.g., ChatGPT)
- Describe how it was used (including the specific prompt)
- Identify any information in the essay that should be attributed to the AI tool.
- The APA style blog provides an example of how to cite AI.
- Keep in mind that APA style recommends that you generally paraphrase sources (including AI) rather than directly quoting them because paraphrasing allows you to fit the information into the flow of your writing. Direct quotes are most appropriate for specific definitions or memorable statements. If you do choose to quote an AI tool verbatim, make sure to identify the statement as a quote (for more on using direct quotations in APA style writing, see APA Style).
When completing the essay competition form, you will be directed to upload a copy of the exact text that was generated by your prompt.
Student essay rubric
Essays will be judged on the extent to which the essay meets the following criteria:
Relevance to the call
- Addresses how psychology students and psychology professionals think critically about using AI-generated content that could include misrepresented or false information
- Addresses how to use generative AI tools ethically
Impact
- Has a central message that is precisely stated, compelling, and memorable
- Is impactful
Equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Illustrates or otherwise supports the values of equity, diversity and inclusion
Quality of writing
- Is well-organized, concise, grammatically correct, free from typos, and appropriately pitched to the intended audience
For those essays that include AI-generated text,
- The essay properly cites AI
- Appropriate documentation is provided
2024 award winners
- Chandan Das, Sikkim University
How to Think Critically about using AI-generated Content that could include Misrepresented or False Information - Shivani Shrotri, Cornell University
Smart Tools, Smart Choices: Navigating AI in Psychology
2023 award winners
- Nicole Drapluk, Delaware State University
Carolina in My Mind: Utilizing Skills Learned as an HBCU Graduate - Mikayla Blankenship, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Thriving in Careers with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
2022 award winners
- Sabrina Chan, University of Toronto
Thriving in Careers with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology - Monique Santoso, Middlebury College
Thriving in Careers with an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree
Honorable mentions
- Nakyah Bourgeois, California State University, Los Angeles
CABE Essay Submission - Allston Lewis, Texas Christian University
Why Psychology? - Folakemi Sampson, Washington and Jefferson College
Applying Psychology to Success Coaching
2021 award winners
- Victoria R. Everett, Augusta University
Applying Skills Learned in Psychology Courses to the Pursuit of a Career - Nehme G. Melhem, University of Massachusetts
CABE Essay Submission
Honorable mentions
- Alivia Carlin, University of Massachusetts—Boston
Careers in Psychology with an Associate or Baccalaureate Degree - Madison Estep, West Liberty University
CABE Essay Submission - Micha Gonzalez, West Liberty University
Careers in Psychology - Lexi Kinard, Kennesaw State University
Fulfillment in a Psychology Degree - Maggie Lee, Texas A&M—Texarkana
Careers in Psychology