Support Center Teach AI style guide for course content

AI style guide for course content

Owning your knowledge base

Your expertise is the product. AI is the drafting tool.

AI-generated content sounds confident and is often factually wrong. In solar, HVAC, and electrical work, a wrong number or misquoted code means a failed inspection. LLMs are trained on generic scraped text. They do not know your field.
  • –Verify every code citation, efficiency rating, and load calculation yourself
  • –AI does not know the 2023 NEC from the 2021 NEC. You do
  • –Product specs and incentive numbers change. AI training data does not
  • –Your job site experience is not in any dataset. That is your advantage
Where AI genuinely helps
Structuring
Draft outlines, module sequences, and learning objectives. You fill in the knowledge.
Accessibility
Generate subtitles, translations, and plain-language summaries of technical content.
Practice questions
Draft knowledge checks and scenario questions. Verify technical accuracy before publishing.
Visual descriptions
Write alt text, diagram captions, and script drafts for explainer videos.
Editing
Tighten prose and improve clarity after you have written the substance yourself.
Variety
Generate podcast outlines, case study frameworks, and job aid formats.
What we scan for: common AI tells
Patterns our team flags when reviewing AI-assisted content. Each one is shown with a rewrite.
Always flag Em dashes used as stylistic filler
AI slop
Solar installation—when done correctly—requires careful attention to roof load calculations—something many installers overlook—especially on older structures.
Expert voice
Solar installation requires careful attention to roof load calculations. Older structures are the highest risk. Many installers underestimate the added weight.
Why it's a tell: Real technical writers use em dashes sparingly. More than one or two in a paragraph is a sign of AI output.
Always flag "Not only... but also..." constructions
AI slop
Not only does this approach reduce installation time, but it also improves long-term system reliability and not only saves money upfront but also reduces maintenance costs over the life of the system.
Expert voice
This approach cuts installation time and improves long-term reliability. The upfront savings carry through to lower maintenance costs over the system's life.
Why it's a tell: One of the most reliable AI fingerprints. It sounds sophisticated but is just padding. Cut it every time.
Always flag Hollow openers and throat-clearing
AI slop
In today's rapidly evolving landscape, it's more important than ever for professionals to understand the fundamentals of solar energy systems.
Expert voice
A correctly sized string inverter can add 5 to 8% to system yield over its lifetime. Here's how to size one.
Why it's a tell: Real experts start with the substance. If your opening sentences could appear in any course on any topic, cut them.
Always flag Emojis in professional content
AI slop
Let's dive into heat pump installation! 🔥 Remember to check your refrigerant lines ✅ and always prioritize safety ⚠️ before getting started 🚀
Expert voice
Before starting installation, verify refrigerant line sizing against the manufacturer's spec sheet. An undersized line will reduce capacity and trip high-pressure safeties.
Why it's a tell: Emojis belong on LinkedIn, not in certification courses. They signal the content was built for engagement, not learning.
Often flag Listicle inflation: everything becomes a bullet
AI slop
There are several important things to consider:
• Safety is important
• Tools are needed
• Permits may be required
Expert voice
Pull the permit first and check your local AHJ requirements. They vary more than most installers expect.
Why it's a tell: Shallow bullets strip out the judgment calls that make expert knowledge useful. When in doubt, write a sentence.
Always flag Fake precision and hallucinated stats
AI slop
Studies show that 73% of homeowners who install solar panels see a return on investment within 6.2 years.
Expert voice
Payback periods run 6 to 12 years depending on utility rates and incentives. Use your customer's actual bills to estimate.
Why it's a tell: AI invents specific numbers confidently. In technical training, a fabricated stat is a liability. If you cannot cite the source, cut the number.
Often flag "Delve," "leverage," "robust," and other AI cliches
AI slop
In this module, we will delve into the robust framework that leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver a seamless and holistic learning experience for practitioners.
Expert voice
This module covers the sizing calculations you'll use on every residential job.
Why it's a tell: Words like delve, leverage, robust, seamless, holistic, transformative, paramount are heavily overrepresented in AI output. They mean nothing. Search your draft and delete them.
Often flag Symmetrical three-part structures
AI slop
Effective solar installation requires three key elements: proper planning, precise execution, and thorough documentation. By focusing on planning, execution, and documentation, professionals can achieve superior results in all three areas.
Expert voice
The documentation step is where most residential installers lose time on permit approval. Here's a checklist that gets it right the first time.
Why it's a tell: AI loves triads. Real expertise is messier. Forced symmetry signals template-filling, not genuine instruction.
Always flag A robot narrator nobody knows
AI slop
Hello and welcome to this comprehensive training module. Today we will explore best practices for photovoltaic system installation across a variety of residential contexts.
Expert voice
I've been on probably 400 residential roofs. The thing that surprises most new installers is the variation in rafter spacing, even within the same neighborhood. Here's what I check first.
Why it's a tell: If learners don't know who's teaching them, they have no reason to trust it. AI can write the words. You have to own them.
Before you publish
  • ✗Search for em dashes (—). More than two in a section? Rewrite.
  • ✗Search for "not only" and "but also." Delete every instance.
  • ✗Search for: delve, leverage, robust, seamless, holistic, transformative. Replace with plain language.
  • ✗Check every stat and code reference. Can you cite the source? If not, cut it.
  • ✗Read your opening two sentences. Could they appear in any course? If yes, cut them.
  • ✓Does your voice come through? Learners should know this is you.
  • ✓Are your examples from real job conditions, not hypothetical scenarios?
  • ✓Did you verify every technical claim, number, and code reference?
  • ✓Would a journeyman in your field read this and trust it?