For one activity, I decided to experiment with Copilot to see how much of the work it could handle. After learning about Twine in a PIDP 2025 course unit, I thought it might be a good candidate. Creating a Twine activity from scratch isn’t overly complex, but I hoped Copilot could save me the effort of building each branch and connection by generating a SugarCube script. My goal was for Copilot to suggest the questions, break down the decision points, and create the script—essentially handling the entire process from start to finish.
Here is the full Copilot conversation. Warning: it’s a long read.
Co-Pilot Discussion (unedited)
Prompt:
draft a twine story about an undergraduate student selecting credible sources with branches that include choosing all credible sources, choosing a few credible and some not credible sources, and one branch where they don’t choose anything credible. include questions and choices and results.
Response:
Here’s a **draft Twine story outline** you can use as a starting point. It includes branching paths for three outcomes: all credible sources chosen, mixed choices, and none credible.
***
### **Title:** *Choosing Credible Sources*
***
#### **Passage 1: Introduction**
You’re writing your first research essay. Your professor expects you to use credible sources. You’ve found five options online. Which ones will you choose?
[Continue]
***
#### **Passage 2: The Sources**
Here are your options:
1. A peer-reviewed journal article from a university database.
2. A Wikipedia article.
3. A blog post by an unknown author.
4. A government report (.gov).
5. A YouTube video by a popular influencer.
Select the sources you want to use:
[[Choose Sources]]
***
#### **Passage 3: Choice Interaction**
(Use checkboxes or links for each source in Twine.)
Which sources will you include in your essay?
[[Journal Article]] -> $journal = true
[[Wikipedia]] -> $wiki = true
[[Blog Post]] -> $blog = true
[[Government Report]] -> $gov = true
[[YouTube Video]] -> $youtube = true
[[Submit Choices]]
***
#### **Passage 4: Results Logic**
Use conditional statements to branch:
(if: $journal and $gov and not $wiki and not $blog and not $youtube)[
You chose all credible sources! Great job. Your essay will be strong and well-supported.
[[Play Again]]
]
(else-if: $journal or $gov)[
You chose some credible sources, but also included questionable ones. This could weaken your argument. Consider revising your choices.
[[Review Tips]]
]
(else)[
None of your sources are credible. Your essay will lack academic integrity and may fail. Learn how to identify reliable sources.
[[Review Tips]]
]
***
#### **Passage 5: Review Tips**
Credible sources are usually:
– Peer-reviewed articles
– Government or institutional reports
– Books from reputable publishers
Avoid:
– Wikipedia (good for background, not citation)
– Blogs without credentials
– Influencer videos
[[Try Again]]
***
### **Branch Outcomes**
* **All credible:** Positive feedback + option to replay.
* **Mixed:** Constructive feedback + tips.
* **None credible:** Strong warning + learning resources.
***
Would you like me to **write the full Twine script in SugarCube format with variables and conditional logic ready to copy-paste**, or **create a visual storyboard diagram showing the branching paths**? Or both?
SugarCube Script generated:
twine isn’t fully supported. Syntax highlighting is based on Plain Text.
:: StoryInit
<<set $journal = false>>
<<set $wiki = false>>
<<set $blog = false>>
<<set $gov = false>>
<<set $youtube = false>>
:: Start
You’re writing your first research essay. Your professor expects you to use credible sources. You’ve found five options online. Which ones will you choose?
[[Continue->Sources]]
:: Sources
Here are your options:
1. A peer-reviewed journal article from a university database.
2. A Wikipedia article.
3. A blog post by an unknown author.
4. A government report (.gov).
5. A YouTube video by a popular influencer.
Select the sources you want to use:
[[Journal Article->Choose Journal]]
[[Wikipedia->Choose Wiki]]
[[Blog Post->Choose Blog]]
[[Government Report->Choose Gov]]
[[YouTube Video->Choose YouTube]]
When you’re ready:
[[Submit Choices->Results]]
:: Choose Journal
<<set $journal = true>>
You selected the **Journal Article**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Wiki
<<set $wiki = true>>
You selected **Wikipedia**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Blog
<<set $blog = true>>
You selected the **Blog Post**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Gov
<<set $gov = true>>
You selected the **Government Report**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose YouTube
<<set $youtube = true>>
You selected the **YouTube Video**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Results
<<if $journal and $gov and not $wiki and not $blog and not $youtube>>
You chose **all credible sources**! Great job. Your essay will be strong and well-supported.
[[Play Again->Restart]]
<<elseif $journal or $gov>>
You chose **some credible sources**, but also included questionable ones. This could weaken your argument. Consider revising your choices.
[[Review Tips->Tips]]
<<else>>
None of your sources are credible. Your essay will lack academic integrity and may fail. Learn how to identify reliable sources.
[[Review Tips->Tips]]
<</if>>
:: Tips
Credible sources are usually:
– Peer-reviewed articles
– Government or institutional reports
– Books from reputable publishers
Avoid:
– Wikipedia (good for background, not citation)
– Blogs without credentials
– Influencer videos
[[Try Again->Restart]]
:: Restart
<<set $journal = false>>
<<set $wiki = false>>
<<set $blog = false>>
<<set $gov = false>>
<<set $youtube = false>>
[[Start]]
Decision flowchart ver 1
Revised prompt:
add in a page in the twine story about what distinguishes a credible from a non-credible source
revised sugarcube script:
:: StoryInit
<<set $journal = false>>
<<set $wiki = false>>
<<set $blog = false>>
<<set $gov = false>>
<<set $youtube = false>>
:: Start
You’re writing your first research essay. Your professor expects you to use credible sources. You’ve found five options online. Which ones will you choose?
[[Continue->Sources]]
:: Sources
Here are your options:
1. A peer-reviewed journal article from a university database.
2. A Wikipedia article.
3. A blog post by an unknown author.
4. A government report (.gov).
5. A YouTube video by a popular influencer.
Select the sources you want to use:
[[Journal Article->Choose Journal]]
[[Wikipedia->Choose Wiki]]
[[Blog Post->Choose Blog]]
[[Government Report->Choose Gov]]
[[YouTube Video->Choose YouTube]]
When you’re ready:
[[Submit Choices->Results]]
:: Choose Journal
<<set $journal = true>>
You selected the **Journal Article**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Wiki
<<set $wiki = true>>
You selected **Wikipedia**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Blog
<<set $blog = true>>
You selected the **Blog Post**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Gov
<<set $gov = true>>
You selected the **Government Report**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose YouTube
<<set $youtube = true>>
You selected the **YouTube Video**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Results
<<if $journal and $gov and not $wiki and not $blog and not $youtube>>
You chose **all credible sources**! Great job. Your essay will be strong and well-supported.
[[Play Again->Restart]]
<<elseif $journal or $gov>>
You chose **some credible sources**, but also included questionable ones. This could weaken your argument. Consider revising your choices.
[[Review Tips->Tips]]
<<else>>
None of your sources are credible. Your essay will lack academic integrity and may fail. Learn how to identify reliable sources.
[[Review Tips->Tips]]
<</if>>
:: Tips
Credible sources are usually:
– Peer-reviewed articles
– Government or institutional reports
– Books from reputable publishers
Avoid:
– Wikipedia (good for background, not citation)
– Blogs without credentials
– Influencer videos
Want to learn more?
[[What Makes a Source Credible?->Credible]]
[[Try Again->Restart]]
:: Credible
**What Makes a Source Credible?**
Credible sources typically:
– Are written by experts or scholars with verifiable credentials.
– Are published by reputable organizations (universities, government, recognized publishers).
– Include citations and references to support claims.
– Are peer-reviewed or fact-checked.
– Are current and relevant to your topic.
Non-credible sources often:
– Lack author credentials or transparency.
– Are published on personal blogs or social media without evidence.
– Contain biased or promotional language.
– Lack citations or rely on opinions instead of facts.
[[Back to Tips->Tips]]
:: Restart
<<set $journal = false>>
<<set $wiki = false>>
<<set $blog = false>>
<<set $gov = false>>
<<set $youtube = false>>
[[Start]]
Decision flowchart designed by Microsoft Co-Pilot ver 2
Prompt: give this twine a catchy title to catch students’ attention
Response:
Here are some catchy, student-friendly title ideas for your Twine story:
“Source Sleuth: Can You Spot What’s Credible?”
“The Research Quest: Choose Wisely!”
“Credible or Not? Your Essay Depends on It!”
“Mission: Reliable Sources”
“Fact or Fluff? Test Your Source Skills”
“The Credibility Challenge: Will You Pass?”
“Choose Your Sources: The Academic Survival Game”
Each one adds a sense of fun and challenge while clearly signaling the learning goal.
Do you want me to pick one and update the Twine script with this title, or give you a short tagline to go with the title for extra engagement?
Prompt: Choose title 5 and create a tagline
Response:
Great choice! Here’s your title and tagline:
Title:
Fact or Fluff? Test Your Source Skills
Tagline:
Can you separate solid research from shaky claims? Your essay depends on it!
Would you like me to update the Twine script with this title and tagline at the start page, and make the introduction more engaging to match the tone?
Prompt: add the tagline and title to the twine script and make the introduction more engaging to match the tone
Here’s the **updated Twine script** with your chosen title, tagline, and a more engaging introduction:
***
### **Updated SugarCube Script**
“`twine
:: StoryInit
<<set $journal = false>>
<<set $wiki = false>>
<<set $blog = false>>
<<set $gov = false>>
<<set $youtube = false>>
:: Start
**Fact or Fluff? Test Your Source Skills**
*Can you separate solid research from shaky claims? Your essay depends on it!*
You’re about to start your first research essay. The stakes are high: your professor expects credible sources, and your grade depends on making smart choices.
You’ve found five possible sources online. Some are trustworthy, others… not so much. Can you pick the right ones?
[[Start the Challenge->Sources]]
:: Sources
Here are your options:
1. A peer-reviewed journal article from a university database.
2. A Wikipedia article.
3. A blog post by an unknown author.
4. A government report (.gov).
5. A YouTube video by a popular influencer.
Select the sources you want to use:
[[Journal Article->Choose Journal]]
[[Wikipedia->Choose Wiki]]
[[Blog Post->Choose Blog]]
[[Government Report->Choose Gov]]
[[YouTube Video->Choose YouTube]]
When you’re ready:
[[Submit Choices->Results]]
:: Choose Journal
<<set $journal = true>>
You selected the **Journal Article**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Wiki
<<set $wiki = true>>
You selected **Wikipedia**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Blog
<<set $blog = true>>
You selected the **Blog Post**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose Gov
<<set $gov = true>>
You selected the **Government Report**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Choose YouTube
<<set $youtube = true>>
You selected the **YouTube Video**.
[[Back->Sources]]
:: Results
<<if $journal and $gov and not $wiki and not $blog and not $youtube>>
✅ You chose **all credible sources**! Great job. Your essay will be strong and well-supported.
[[Play Again->Restart]]
<<elseif $journal or $gov>>
⚠️ You chose **some credible sources**, but also included questionable ones. This could weaken your argument. Consider revising your choices.
[[Review Tips->Tips]]
<<else>>
❌ None of your sources are credible. Your essay will lack academic integrity and may fail. Learn how to identify reliable sources.
[[Review Tips->Tips]]
<</if>>
:: Tips
Credible sources are usually:
– Peer-reviewed articles
– Government or institutional reports
– Books from reputable publishers
Avoid:
– Wikipedia (good for background, not citation)
– Blogs without credentials
– Influencer videos
Want to learn more?
[[What Makes a Source Credible?->Credible]]
[[Try Again->Restart]]
:: Credible
**What Makes a Source Credible?**
Credible sources typically:
– Are written by experts or scholars with verifiable credentials.
– Are published by reputable organizations (universities, government, recognized publishers).
– Include citations and references to support claims.
– Are peer-reviewed or fact-checked.
– Are current and relevant to your topic.
Non-credible sources often:
– Lack author credentials or transparency.
– Are published on personal blogs or social media without evidence.
– Contain biased or promotional language.
– Lack citations or rely on opinions instead of facts.
[[Back to Tips->Tips]]
:: Restart
<<set $journal = false>>
<<set $wiki = false>>
<<set $blog = false>>
<<set $gov = false>>
<<set $youtube = false>>
[[Start]]
“`
***
✅ **Title and tagline added**
✅ **Introduction rewritten for engagement** (challenge framing, stakes, tone)
✅ **Visual cues** (✅, ⚠️, ❌) for feedback
***
Would you like me to **also add a quick self-check quiz on the “Credible” page** (e.g., “Which of these is most credible?” with clickable answers), or **create a matching H5P activity to complement this Twine scenario for your portfolio**?
Results and Reflection
Results: The scripts did not work and I ended up creating everything manually.
Using Copilot for creating Twine content proved challenging. The prompts needed to be extremely explicit; without detailed instructions, the exercises lacked quality, and even improved prompts placed content in the wrong sections. Media suggestions to enhance Twine were missing entirely. The output defaulted to American conventions, such as .gov instead of .gc.ca. While generation was fast at first glance, refining and regenerating content consumed significant time. The tool was somewhat helpful for drafting Twine scripts but not for decision trees, which contained numerous errors and non-functional scripts. The flowcharts generated were erroneous as well. I had to research how to run SugarCube in Twine and ultimately built the Twine manually, updating the flowcharts myself. This process took more time than expected and offset any perceived time savings.
You can see my manually created Twine on the eLearning Modules page.