How to detect ai writing when you have 50 papers to read?

Professors and TAs, I need your collective wisdom! Grading 50 freshman comp essays is already a slog, and now I have to be a detective on top of it. I don't have time to run every single paper through three different detectors. What are your biggest, fastest red flags?

For me, it's often the introduction. AI loves to start with a broad, vague statement about "In today's society..." that goes nowhere.

What are your quick-and-dirty methods for how to detect ai writing during a marathon grading session? I need the "cliff notes" version of AI detection! Share your tips, please!

Graded 80 papers last week. My shortcut? Scan for the "perfect paragraph" problem. AI writes in neat little boxes—each paragraph has a clear topic sentence, three supporting points, and a tidy conclusion. Real students meander. They go on tangents. Their paragraphs are messy and uneven. If every paragraph looks like it was built from the same mold, I get suspicious.

Also, check the conclusion. AI loves ending with "In conclusion" followed by a bland summary. Real students sometimes just... stop.