---
# System prepended metadata

title: 'Drafting, or enhancing, fragments of prose'

---

# Drafting, or enhancing, fragments of prose

![alt text](https://files.slack.com/files-pri/T0HTW3H0V-F060SPMUMN0/out_022.png?pub_secret=139e4ec3dc)

            prompt used: "Drafting, or enhancing, fragments of prose"
   
## description
Students could use an AI tool to draft fragments of prose. Students could experiment, for instance, with using AI to help them turn a list of features about a given object into a richer description, or they could use an AI tool to help them develop a short paragraph from their notes. Depending on the course goals, this type of engagement with AI might give students too much direction or content. You might want to set guidelines for appropriate or inappropriate use. 

## activity one
1. Log into chatGPT using the Harvard AI Sandbox
2. From search bar at the bottom of the page, specify whichever AI tool you'd like to use. 
* ![alt text](https://files.slack.com/files-pri/T0HTW3H0V-F0612HG51ND/video_to_gif__6_..gif?pub_secret=4e1c91c9ce)
    * NOTE: to do image transcription, you must use chatGPT 4 from the OpenAI website. As of 10/11/2023, the sandbox does not have this functionality.
3. Use the AI tool to transcribe your hand-written notes or prose. 

![alt text](https://files.slack.com/files-pri/T0HTW3H0V-F060BCWJQGP/screenshot_2023-10-11_at_4.39.02_pm.png?pub_secret=af5537986e)
* NOTE: As you will see in the activity transcript below, the transcription is not perfect and will need your editing. The given transcript is provided without edits, to demonstrate the accuracy you can expect from these transcripts.

4. Then type your questions and/or your prompt for the AI. Remember: 
    * If you only hit Enter or Return, this will automatically submit your prompt. 
    * You can also add three ticks (''') to indicate a paragraph break if you prefer.
5. Ask the AI to turn a chunk of notes into the form of a well-ordered paragraph.
    * You might specify what the ultimate use of this paragraph will be, to see how that shapes what the AI tool outputs. For instance, if you have a chunk of notes that describes claims from a book, you might specify that you'd like the paragraph to take the form of a summary.

![alt text](https://files.slack.com/files-pri/T0HTW3H0V-F060K9UKVSS/screenshot_2023-10-11_at_4.40.23_pm.png?pub_secret=b911602473)

## activity two 
1. Log into chatGPT using the Harvard AI Sandbox
2. From search bar at the bottom of the page, specify whichever AI tool you'd like to use. 
* ![alt text](https://files.slack.com/files-pri/T0HTW3H0V-F0612HG51ND/video_to_gif__6_..gif?pub_secret=4e1c91c9ce)
3. Then type your questions and/or your prompt for the AI. Remember: 
    * If you only hit Enter or Return, this will automatically submit your prompt. 
    * You can also add three ticks (''') to indicate a paragraph break if you prefer.
4. Ask the AI to turn a chunk of notes into a new form (well-ordered paragraph, talk description, etc.)
    * You could also experiment with taking a paragraph of prose you've recently written and asking it to enhance the prose style.

![alt text](https://files.slack.com/files-pri/T0HTW3H0V-F060KN4JH8W/screenshot_2023-10-11_at_6.14.40_pm.png?pub_secret=bf9e1c2cdd)

* NOTE: these results were quite impressive. Transcript for activity two is below. 



---

## transcript of activity one: 

* USER:
    * Please transcribe this image of academic notes:
        * ![alt text](https://files.slack.com/files-pri/T0HTW3H0V-F060RTY8W1Y/img_2831.jpg?pub_secret=bd0616f361)
* AI:
    * LEFT PAGE:
        * **SUBJECT:** Wood & Isa's rhodora
            - First record of use dates to neolithic. Used across Eurasia.
            - Also used in ancient tattoo practices.
            - *yellow flowers*
            - *zaphirius blue dye*

    * RIGHT PAGE:

        * **SUBJECT:** Encyclopedia of Medieval dress & textile
            - prepared by Hazel Uzzell
            - There is very little factual description of actual clothing pieces pre-15th century in northern Europe.
            - Most evidence is derived from archaeological artifacts and literary descriptions of clothing & trade.
                - e.g. Accounts (13th-14th) of houses used by dyers.
        - Three types of dyes:
            1. **Direct**
                *  Coloring materials that can dye a fiber without a mordant.
                    - i.e. woad, madder, weld
            3. Mordant
                - (Specific dye details: "mostly metals, also some plant and shellfish dyes that do not require a mordant")
        - Colors:
            - **Red:** madder, kermes
            - **Yellow:** weld, greenweed, lichen, saffron
            - **Blue:** woad

* USER:
    * Please transform these notes into a well-structured paragraph, as a basis description for a lecture on pre-medieval and medieval dyeing practices in Northern Europe.
* AI: 
    * In the history of dyeing practices in Northern Europe, particularly during the pre-medieval and medieval periods, the use of natural elements was paramount. One notable example is the wood and Isa's rhodora. The earliest records of its utilization can be traced back to the neolithic era, where it was widely employed across Eurasia. Intriguingly, this plant was not solely used for its dyeing properties; ancient tattoo practices also harnessed its pigment. The rhodora produced a distinctive yellow flower, which was potentially used to extract the zaphirius blue dye. In the context of medieval textile and dress, the "Encyclopedia of Medieval Dress & Textile" prepared by Hazel Uzzell provides a crucial insight. There is a sparse factual description of the actual clothing from Northern Europe before the 15th century. Most of what we know is derived from archaeological artifacts and literary descriptions, such as accounts from 13th-14th centuries that detail the houses used by a group known as the dyers. The medieval era showcased three primary dye types: direct, mordant, and coloring materials that could dye a fiber using a mordant. Among the colors produced were reds from madder and kermes, yellows from weld, greenweed, lichen, and saffron, and blues predominantly from woad.


--- 

## transcript of activity two: 

* USER:
    * Take these small notes written by an audience member at a history of science talk and then imagine the talk's topic and claims and write a summary of what they might be:
        * Impressionism and non-Euclidean space
        * Color spectrum not represented on 2_D surfce
        * Artists learning about this? Incorporating into painting somehow?
            * Or is it coincidentl?
        * The Hilbert space (in the sense of Minkowski's and Hilbert's development of functional analysis)
        * Monet, water
        * Reflections and mutedness
        * Manuals and diagrams
            * function spaces, continuous
        * complexity

* NOTE: added typos were intentional, to demonstrate chatGPT's functionality and ability to parse through typos

* AI: 
    * Talk Title: The Intersection of Impressionism and Advanced Mathematical Concepts in Art
        * Summary
            * In today's intriguing discussion, the presenter explored the unexpected intersection between Impressionism, a popular art movement from the 19th century, and advanced mathematical concepts, particularly the idea of non-Euclidean space and functional analysis. These concepts are known to challenge our understanding of geometry and spatial dimensions.
                * Impressionism and Perception of Space: The talk began by delving into how Impressionist artists, like Monet, perceived and portrayed space in their artworks. Their use of color, light, and shadow often presented the world in a way that did not adhere strictly to classical or realistic visual paradigms.
                * Color and 2-D Limitations: There was an emphasis on the limitations of representing the full color spectrum on a 2-D surface, which is something Impressionist painters grappled with. As they aimed to capture the essence or "impression" of a scene rather than its literal appearance, their approaches to color sometimes appeared more abstract and non-representational.
                * Non-Euclidean Space and Art: The talk touched on the idea of non-Euclidean spaces, areas that do not follow the traditional rules of Euclidean geometry. The question raised was: were artists like Monet indirectly influenced by these mathematical concepts, intentionally or unintentionally incorporating them into their work? Or were the parallels merely coincidental?
                * The Hilbert Space and Functional Analysis: The discussion delved deeper into the mathematical realm by introducing the Hilbert space, as developed by Minkowski and Hilbert. This concept, central to functional analysis, explores the idea of infinite-dimensional spaces. The presenter drew connections between this abstract mathematical realm and how Impressionist artists like Monet represented water—with its complex reflections and muted tones—on canvas.
                * Function Spaces and Continuous Complexity: The presenter also discussed the concept of function spaces, which deal with spaces of functions rather than points. They raised the idea that the continuous complexity of these spaces might parallel the Impressionists' approach to capturing the continuous, evolving nature of light and color in their paintings.
                * Artistic Manuals and Diagrams: As a concluding note, the talk explored whether artists of the time had access to manuals or diagrams that might have introduced them to these advanced mathematical concepts. While it's uncertain how much direct exposure they had, it's tantalizing to consider the confluence of art and science during this pivotal time in history.
            * In sum, while the intersections between Impressionism and advanced mathematical concepts are not conclusively documented, today's discussion illuminated the fascinating overlaps and potential influences between these two seemingly disparate realms.

