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Can You Use ChatGPT for Your College Essay?

College Admissions , College Essays

ChatGPT has become a popular topic of conversation since its official launch in November 2022. The artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot can be used for all sorts of things, like having conversations, answering questions, and even crafting complete pieces of writing.

If you’re applying for college, you might be wondering about ChatGPT college admissions’ potential.  Should you use a ChatGPT college essay in your application ?

By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll know much more about ChatGPT, including how students can use it responsibly and if it’s a good idea to use ChatGPT on college essays . We’ll answer all your questions, like:

• What is ChatGPT and why are schools talking about it?
• What are the good and bad aspects of ChatGPT?
• Should you use ChatGPT for college essays and applications?
• Can colleges detect ChatGPT?
• Are there other tools and strategies that students can use, instead?

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Schools and colleges are worried about how new AI technology affects how students learn. (Don't worry. Robots aren't replacing your teachers...yet.)

What Is ChatGPT and Why Are Schools Talking About It?

ChatGPT (short for “Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer”) is a chatbot created by OpenAI , an artificial intelligence research company. ChatGPT can be used for various tasks, like having human-like conversations, answering questions, giving recommendations, translating words and phrases—and writing things like essays. 

In order to do this, ChatGPT uses a neural network that’s been trained on thousands of resources to predict relationships between words. When you give ChatGPT a task, it uses that knowledge base to interpret your input or query. It then analyzes its data banks to predict the combinations of words that will best answer your question. 

So while ChatGPT might seem like it’s thinking, it’s actually pulling information from hundreds of thousands of resources , then answering your questions by looking for patterns in that data and predicting which words come next.  

Why Schools Are Concerned About ChatGPT

Unsurprisingly, schools are worried about ChatGPT and its misuse, especially in terms of academic dishonesty and plagiarism . Most schools, including colleges, require students’ work to be 100% their own. That’s because taking someone else’s ideas and passing them off as your own is stealing someone else’s intellectual property and misrepresenting your skills. 

The problem with ChatGPT from schools’ perspective is that it does the writing and research for you, then gives you the final product. In other words, you’re not doing the work it takes to complete an assignment when you’re using ChatGPT , which falls under schools’ plagiarism and dishonesty policies.  

Colleges are also concerned with how ChatGPT will negatively affect students’ critical thinking, research, and writing skills . Essays and other writing assignments are used to measure students’ mastery of the material, and if students submit ChatGPT college essays, teachers will just be giving feedback on an AI’s writing…which doesn’t help the student learn and grow. 

Beyond that, knowing how to write well is an important skill people need to be successful throughout life. Schools believe that if students rely on ChatGPT to write their essays, they’re doing more than just plagiarizing—they’re impacting their ability to succeed in their future careers. 

Many Schools Have Already Banned ChatGPT

Schools have responded surprisingly quickly to AI use, including ChatGPT. Worries about academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and mis/disinformation have led many high schools and colleges to ban the use of ChatGPT . Some schools have begun using AI-detection software for assignment submissions, and some have gone so far as to block students from using ChatGPT on their internet networks. 

It’s likely that schools will begin revising their academic honesty and plagiarism policies to address the use of AI tools like ChatGPT. You’ll want to stay up-to-date with your schools’ policies. 

ChatGPT is pretty amazing...but it's not a great tool for writing college essays. Here's why.

ChatGPT: College Admissions and Entrance Essays

College admissions essays—also called personal statements—ask students to explore important events, experiences, and ideas from their lives. A great entrance essay will explain what makes you you !  

ChatGPT is a machine that doesn’t know and can’t understand your experiences. That means using ChatGPT to write your admissions essays isn’t just unethical. It actually puts you at a disadvantage because ChatGPT can’t adequately showcase what it means to be you. 

Let’s take a look at four ways ChatGPT negatively impacts college admissions essays.

#1: ChatGPT Lacks Insight

We recommend students use u nexpected or slightly unusual topics because they help admissions committees learn more about you and what makes you unique. The chat bot doesn’t know any of that, so nothing ChatGPT writes can’t accurately reflect your experience, passions, or goals for the future. 

Because ChatGPT will make guesses about who you are, it won’t be able to share what makes you unique in a way that resonates with readers. And since that’s what admissions counselors care about, a ChatGPT college essay could negatively impact an otherwise strong application.  

#2: ChatGPT Might Plagiarize 

Writing about experiences that many other people have had isn’t a very strong approach to take for entrance essays . After all, you don’t want to blend in—you want to stand out! 

If you write your essay yourself and include key details about your past experiences and future goals, there’s little risk that you’ll write the same essay as someone else. But if you use ChatGPT—who’s to say someone else won’t, too? Since ChatGPT uses predictive guesses to write essays, there’s a good chance the text it uses in your essay already appeared in someone else’s.  

Additionally, ChatGPT learns from every single interaction it has. So even if your essay isn’t plagiarized, it’s now in the system. That means the next person who uses ChatGPT to write their essay may end up with yours. You’ll still be on the hook for submitting a ChatGPT college essay, and someone else will be in trouble, too.

#3: ChatGPT Doesn’t Understand Emotion 

Keep in mind that ChatGPT can’t experience or imitate emotions, and so its writing samples lack, well, a human touch ! 

A great entrance essay will explore experiences or topics you’re genuinely excited about or proud of . This is your chance to show your chosen schools what you’ve accomplished and how you’ll continue growing and learning, and an essay without emotion would be odd considering that these should be real, lived experiences and passions you have!

#4: ChatGPT Produced Mediocre Results

If you’re still curious what would happen if you submitted a ChatGPT college essay with your application, you’re in luck. Both Business Insider and Forbes asked ChatGPT to write a couple of college entrance essays, and then they sent them to college admissions readers to get their thoughts. 

The readers agreed that the essays would probably pass as being written by real students—assuming admissions committees didn’t use AI detection software—but that they both were about what a “very mediocre, perhaps even a middle school, student would produce.” The admissions professionals agreed that the essays probably wouldn’t perform very well with entrance committees, especially at more selective schools.  

That’s not exactly the reaction you want when an admission committee reads your application materials! So, when it comes to ChatGPT college admissions, it’s best to steer clear and write your admission materials by yourself. 

Can Colleges Detect ChatGPT?

We’ve already explained why it’s not a great idea to use ChatGPT to write your college essays and applications , but you may still be wondering: can colleges detect ChatGPT? 

In short, yes, they can! 

Software Can Detect ChatGPT

As technology improves and increases the risk of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and mis/disinformation, software that can detect such technology is improving, too. For instance, OpenAI, the same company that built ChatGPT, is working on a text classifier that can tell the difference between AI-written text and human-written text .  

Turnitin, one of the most popular plagiarism detectors used by high schools and universities, also recently developed the AI Innovation Lab —a detection software designed to flag submissions that have used AI tools like ChatGPT. Turnitin says that this tool works with 98% confidence in detecting AI writing. 

Plagiarism and AI companies aren’t the only ones interested in AI-detection software. A 22-year old computer science student at Princeton created an app to detect ChatGPT writing, called Zero GPT. This software works by measuring the complexity of ideas and variety of sentence structures.  

Human Readers Can Detect ChatGPT 

It’s also worth keeping in mind that teachers can spot the use of ChatGPT themselves , even if it isn’t confirmed by a software detector. For example, if you’ve turned in one or two essays to your teacher already, they’re probably familiar with your unique writing style. If you submit a college essay draft essay that uses totally different vocabulary, sentence structures, and figures of speech, your teacher will likely take note.

Additionally , admissions committees and readers may be able to spot ChatGPT writing, too. ChatGPT (and AI writing, in general) uses more simplistic sentence structures with less variation, so that could make it easier to tell if you’ve submitted a ChatGPT college essay. These professionals also read thousands of essays every year, which means they know what a typical essay reads like. You want your college essay to catch their attention…but not because you used AI software! 

If you use ChatGPT responsibly, you can be as happy as these kids.

Pros and Cons of ChatGPT: College Admissions Edition

ChatGPT is a brand new technology, which means we’re still learning about the ways it can benefit us. It’s important to think about the pros and the cons to any new tool …and that includes artificial intelligence!

Let’s look at some of the good—and not-so-good—aspects of ChatGPT below. 

ChatGPT: The Good

It may seem like we’re focused on just the negatives of using ChatGPT in this article, but we’re willing to admit that the chatbot isn’t all bad. In fact, it can be a very useful tool for learning if used responsibly !

Like we already mentioned, students shouldn’t use ChatGPT to write entire essays or assignments. They can use it, though, as a learning tool alongside their own critical thinking and writing skills.

Students can use ChatGPT responsibly to:

• Learn more about a topic . It’s a great place to get started for general knowledge and ideas about most subjects.
• Find reputable and relevant sources on a topic. Students can ask ChatGPT for names and information about leading scholars, relevant websites and databases, and more. 
• Brainstorm ideas for assignments. Students can share the ideas they already have with ChatGPT, and in return, the chatbot can suggest ideas for further exploration and even organization of their points.
• Check work (that they’ve written themselves!) for errors or cla rity. This is similar to how spell- and grammar-checking software is used. ChatGPT may be even better than some competitors for this, because students can actually ask ChatGPT to explain the errors and their solutions—not just to fix them. 

Before you use ChatGPT—even for the tasks mentioned above—you should talk to your teacher or school about their AI and academic dishonesty policies. It’s also a good idea to include an acknowledgement that you used ChatGPT with an explanation of its use. 

This guy made some bad decisions using ChatGPT. Don't be this guy.

ChatGPT: The Bad

The first model of ChatGPT (GPT-3.5) was formally introduced to the public in November 2022, and the newer model (GPT-4) in March 2023. So, it’s still very new and there’s a lot of room for improvement .  

There are many misconceptions about ChatGPT. One of the most extreme is that the AI is all-knowing and can make its own decisions. Another is that ChatGPT is a search engine that, when asked a question, can just surf the web for timely, relevant resources and give you all of that information. Both of these beliefs are incorrect because ChatGPT is limited to the information it’s been given by OpenAI . 

Remember how the ‘PT’ in ChatGPT stands for “Pre-trained”? That means that every time OpenAI gives ChatGPT an update, it’s given more information to work with (and so it has more information to share with you). In other words, it’s “trained” on information so it can give you the most accurate and relevant responses possible—but that information can be limited and biased . Ultimately, humans at OpenAI decide what pieces of information to share with ChatGPT, so it’s only as accurate and reliable as the sources it has access to.

For example, if you were to ask ChatGPT-3.5 what notable headlines made the news last week, it would respond that it doesn’t have access to that information because its most recent update was in September 2021!

You’re probably already familiar with how easy it can be to come across misinformation, misleading and untrue information on the internet. Since ChatGPT can’t tell the difference between what is true and what isn’t, it’s up to the humans at OpenAI to make sure only accurate and true information is given to the chatbot . This leaves room for human error , and users of ChatGPT have to keep that in mind when using and learning from the chatbot.

These are just the most obvious problems with ChatGPT. Some other problems with the chatbot include:

• A lack of common sense. ChatGPT can create seemingly sensical responses to many questions and topics, but it doesn’t have common sense or complete background knowledge.
• A lack of empathy. ChatGPT doesn’t have emotions, so it can’t understand them, either. 
• An inability to make decisions or problem solve . While the chatbot can complete basic tasks like answering questions or giving recommendations, it can’t solve complex tasks. 

While there are some great uses for ChatGPT, it’s certainly not without its flaws.

Our bootcamp can help you put together amazing college essays that help you get into your dream schools—no AI necessary.

What Other Tools and Strategies Can Help Students Besides ChatGPT?

While it’s not a good idea to use ChatGPT for college admissions materials, it’s not the only tool available to help students with college essays and assignments.

One of the best strategies students can use to write good essays is to make sure they give themselves plenty of time for the assignment. The writing process includes much more than just drafting! Having time to brainstorm ideas, write out a draft, revise it for clarity and completeness, and polish it makes for a much stronger essay. 

Teachers are another great resource students can use, especially for college application essays. Asking a teacher (or two!) for feedback can really help students improve the focus, clarity, and correctness of an essay. It’s also a more interactive way to learn—being able to sit down with a teacher to talk about their feedback can be much more engaging than using other tools.

Using expert resources during the essay writing process can make a big difference, too. Our article outlines a complete list of strategies for students writing college admission essays. It breaks down what the Common Application essay is, gives tips for choosing the best essay topic, offers strategies for staying focused and being specific, and more.

You can also get help from people who know the college admissions process best, like former admissions counselors. PrepScholar’s Admissions Bootcamp guides you through the entire application process , and you’ll get insider tips and tricks from real-life admissions counselors that’ll make your applications stand out. Even better, our bootcamp includes step-by-step essay writing guidance, so you can get the help you need to make sure your essay is perfect.

If you’re hoping for more technological help, Grammarly is another AI tool that can check writing for correctness. It can correct things like misused and misspelled words and grammar mistakes, and it can improve your tone and style. 

It’s also widely available across multiple platforms through a Windows desktop app, an Android and iOS app, and a Google Chrome extension. And since Grammarly just checks your writing without doing any of the work for you, it’s totally safe to use on your college essays. 

The Bottom Line: ChatGPT College Admissions and Essays

ChatGPT will continue to be a popular discussion topic as it continues evolving. You can expect your chosen schools to address ChatGPT and other AI tools in their academic honesty and plagiarism policies in the near future—and maybe even to restrict or ban the use of the chatbot for school admissions and assignments.

As AI continues transforming, so will AI-detection. The goal is to make sure that AI is used responsibly by students so that they’re avoiding plagiarism and building their research, writing, and critical thinking skills. There are some great uses for ChatGPT when used responsibly, but you should always check with your teachers and schools beforehand.

ChatGPT’s “bad” aspects still need improving, and that’s going to take some time.Be aware that the chatbot isn’t even close to perfect, and it needs to be fact-checked just like other sources of information.

Similarly to other school assignments, don’t submit a ChatGPT college essay for college applications, either. College entrance essays should outline unique and interesting personal experiences and ideas, and those can only come from you.  

Just because ChatGPT isn’t a good idea doesn’t mean there aren’t resources to help you put together a great college essay. There are many other tools and strategies you can use instead of ChatGPT , many of which have been around for longer and offer better feedback. 

What’s Next?

Ready to write your college essays the old-fashioned way? Start here with our comprehensive guide to the admissions essays.  

Most students have to submit essays as part of their Common Application . Here's a complete breakdown of the Common App prompts —and how to answer them.

The most common type of essay answers the "why this college?" prompt. We've got an expert breakdown that shows you how to write a killer response , step by step. 

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Should I Use ChatGPT to Write My Essays?

Everything high school and college students need to know about using — and not using — ChatGPT for writing essays.

Jessica A. Kent

ChatGPT is one of the most buzzworthy technologies today.

In addition to other generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, it is expected to change the world. In academia, students and professors are preparing for the ways that ChatGPT will shape education, and especially how it will impact a fundamental element of any course: the academic essay.

Students can use ChatGPT to generate full essays based on a few simple prompts. But can AI actually produce high quality work, or is the technology just not there yet to deliver on its promise? Students may also be asking themselves if they should use AI to write their essays for them and what they might be losing out on if they did.

AI is here to stay, and it can either be a help or a hindrance depending on how you use it. Read on to become better informed about what ChatGPT can and can’t do, how to use it responsibly to support your academic assignments, and the benefits of writing your own essays.

What is Generative AI?

Artificial intelligence isn’t a twenty-first century invention. Beginning in the 1950s, data scientists started programming computers to solve problems and understand spoken language. AI’s capabilities grew as computer speeds increased and today we use AI for data analysis, finding patterns, and providing insights on the data it collects.

But why the sudden popularity in recent applications like ChatGPT? This new generation of AI goes further than just data analysis. Instead, generative AI creates new content. It does this by analyzing large amounts of data — GPT-3 was trained on 45 terabytes of data, or a quarter of the Library of Congress — and then generating new content based on the patterns it sees in the original data.

It’s like the predictive text feature on your phone; as you start typing a new message, predictive text makes suggestions of what should come next based on data from past conversations. Similarly, ChatGPT creates new text based on past data. With the right prompts, ChatGPT can write marketing content, code, business forecasts, and even entire academic essays on any subject within seconds.

But is generative AI as revolutionary as people think it is, or is it lacking in real intelligence?

The Drawbacks of Generative AI

It seems simple. You’ve been assigned an essay to write for class. You go to ChatGPT and ask it to write a five-paragraph academic essay on the topic you’ve been assigned. You wait a few seconds and it generates the essay for you!

But ChatGPT is still in its early stages of development, and that essay is likely not as accurate or well-written as you’d expect it to be. Be aware of the drawbacks of having ChatGPT complete your assignments.

It’s not intelligence, it’s statistics

One of the misconceptions about AI is that it has a degree of human intelligence. However, its intelligence is actually statistical analysis, as it can only generate “original” content based on the patterns it sees in already existing data and work.

It “hallucinates”

Generative AI models often provide false information — so much so that there’s a term for it: “AI hallucination.” OpenAI even has a warning on its home screen , saying that “ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.” This may be due to gaps in its data, or because it lacks the ability to verify what it’s generating. 

It doesn’t do research  

If you ask ChatGPT to find and cite sources for you, it will do so, but they could be inaccurate or even made up.

This is because AI doesn’t know how to look for relevant research that can be applied to your thesis. Instead, it generates content based on past content, so if a number of papers cite certain sources, it will generate new content that sounds like it’s a credible source — except it likely may not be.

There are data privacy concerns

When you input your data into a public generative AI model like ChatGPT, where does that data go and who has access to it? 

Prompting ChatGPT with original research should be a cause for concern — especially if you’re inputting study participants’ personal information into the third-party, public application. 

JPMorgan has restricted use of ChatGPT due to privacy concerns, Italy temporarily blocked ChatGPT in March 2023 after a data breach, and Security Intelligence advises that “if [a user’s] notes include sensitive data … it enters the chatbot library. The user no longer has control over the information.”

It is important to be aware of these issues and take steps to ensure that you’re using the technology responsibly and ethically. 

It skirts the plagiarism issue

AI creates content by drawing on a large library of information that’s already been created, but is it plagiarizing? Could there be instances where ChatGPT “borrows” from previous work and places it into your work without citing it? Schools and universities today are wrestling with this question of what’s plagiarism and what’s not when it comes to AI-generated work.

To demonstrate this, one Elon University professor gave his class an assignment: Ask ChatGPT to write an essay for you, and then grade it yourself. 

“Many students expressed shock and dismay upon learning the AI could fabricate bogus information,” he writes, adding that he expected some essays to contain errors, but all of them did. 

His students were disappointed that “major tech companies had pushed out AI technology without ensuring that the general population understands its drawbacks” and were concerned about how many embraced such a flawed tool.

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How to Use AI as a Tool to Support Your Work

As more students are discovering, generative AI models like ChatGPT just aren’t as advanced or intelligent as they may believe. While AI may be a poor option for writing your essay, it can be a great tool to support your work.

Generate ideas for essays

Have ChatGPT help you come up with ideas for essays. For example, input specific prompts, such as, “Please give me five ideas for essays I can write on topics related to WWII,” or “Please give me five ideas for essays I can write comparing characters in twentieth century novels.” Then, use what it provides as a starting point for your original research.

Generate outlines

You can also use ChatGPT to help you create an outline for an essay. Ask it, “Can you create an outline for a five paragraph essay based on the following topic” and it will create an outline with an introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, and a suggested thesis statement. Then, you can expand upon the outline with your own research and original thought.

Generate titles for your essays

Titles should draw a reader into your essay, yet they’re often hard to get right. Have ChatGPT help you by prompting it with, “Can you suggest five titles that would be good for a college essay about [topic]?”

The Benefits of Writing Your Essays Yourself

Asking a robot to write your essays for you may seem like an easy way to get ahead in your studies or save some time on assignments. But, outsourcing your work to ChatGPT can negatively impact not just your grades, but your ability to communicate and think critically as well. It’s always the best approach to write your essays yourself.

Create your own ideas

Writing an essay yourself means that you’re developing your own thoughts, opinions, and questions about the subject matter, then testing, proving, and defending those thoughts. 

When you complete school and start your career, projects aren’t simply about getting a good grade or checking a box, but can instead affect the company you’re working for — or even impact society. Being able to think for yourself is necessary to create change and not just cross work off your to-do list.

Building a foundation of original thinking and ideas now will help you carve your unique career path in the future.

Develop your critical thinking and analysis skills

In order to test or examine your opinions or questions about a subject matter, you need to analyze a problem or text, and then use your critical thinking skills to determine the argument you want to make to support your thesis. Critical thinking and analysis skills aren’t just necessary in school — they’re skills you’ll apply throughout your career and your life.

Improve your research skills

Writing your own essays will train you in how to conduct research, including where to find sources, how to determine if they’re credible, and their relevance in supporting or refuting your argument. Knowing how to do research is another key skill required throughout a wide variety of professional fields.

Learn to be a great communicator

Writing an essay involves communicating an idea clearly to your audience, structuring an argument that a reader can follow, and making a conclusion that challenges them to think differently about a subject. Effective and clear communication is necessary in every industry.

Be impacted by what you’re learning about : 

Engaging with the topic, conducting your own research, and developing original arguments allows you to really learn about a subject you may not have encountered before. Maybe a simple essay assignment around a work of literature, historical time period, or scientific study will spark a passion that can lead you to a new major or career.

Resources to Improve Your Essay Writing Skills

While there are many rewards to writing your essays yourself, the act of writing an essay can still be challenging, and the process may come easier for some students than others. But essay writing is a skill that you can hone, and students at Harvard Summer School have access to a number of on-campus and online resources to assist them.

Students can start with the Harvard Summer School Writing Center , where writing tutors can offer you help and guidance on any writing assignment in one-on-one meetings. Tutors can help you strengthen your argument, clarify your ideas, improve the essay’s structure, and lead you through revisions. 

The Harvard libraries are a great place to conduct your research, and its librarians can help you define your essay topic, plan and execute a research strategy, and locate sources. 

Finally, review the “ The Harvard Guide to Using Sources ,” which can guide you on what to cite in your essay and how to do it. Be sure to review the “Tips For Avoiding Plagiarism” on the “ Resources to Support Academic Integrity ” webpage as well to help ensure your success.

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The Future of AI in the Classroom

ChatGPT and other generative AI models are here to stay, so it’s worthwhile to learn how you can leverage the technology responsibly and wisely so that it can be a tool to support your academic pursuits. However, nothing can replace the experience and achievement gained from communicating your own ideas and research in your own academic essays.

About the Author

Jessica A. Kent is a freelance writer based in Boston, Mass. and a Harvard Extension School alum. Her digital marketing content has been featured on Fast Company, Forbes, Nasdaq, and other industry websites; her essays and short stories have been featured in North American Review, Emerson Review, Writer’s Bone, and others.

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Student Opinion

Should Students Let ChatGPT Help Them Write Their College Essays?

If so, how? Tell us what you are thinking, and what practical and ethical questions these new A.I. tools raise for you.

Natasha Singer

Hey, ChatGPT, can you help me write my college admissions essays?

Absolutely! Please provide me with the essay prompts and any relevant information about yourself, your experiences, and your goals.

By Katherine Schulten

Teachers: We also have a lesson plan that accompanies this Student Opinion forum.

Are you working on a college application essay? Have you sought help from an adult? How about from an A.I. chatbot like ChatGPT or Bard? Were either useful? If so, how?

The New York Times recently published two articles about the questions these new tools are raising for the college process. One explores how A.I. chatbots are upending essay-writing. The other details what happened when a reporter fed application questions from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth to different bots.

Here’s how the first article, “ Ban or Embrace? Colleges Wrestle With A.I.-Generated Admissions Essays ,” explains what’s going on:

The personal essay has long been a staple of the application process at elite colleges, not to mention a bane for generations of high school students. Admissions officers have often employed applicants’ essays as a lens into their unique character, pluck, potential and ability to handle adversity. As a result, some former students say they felt tremendous pressure to develop, or at least concoct, a singular personal writing voice. But new A.I. tools threaten to recast the college application essay as a kind of generic cake mix, which high school students may simply lard or spice up to reflect their own tastes, interests and experiences — casting doubt on the legitimacy of applicants’ writing samples as authentic, individualized admissions yardsticks.

The piece continues:

Some teachers said they were troubled by the idea of students using A.I. tools to produce college essay themes and texts for deeper reasons: Outsourcing writing to bots could hinder students from developing important critical thinking and storytelling skills. “Part of the process of the college essay is finding your writing voice through all of that drafting and revising,” said Susan Barber, an Advanced Placement English literature teacher at Midtown High School, a public school in Atlanta. “And I think that’s something that ChatGPT would be robbing them of.” In August, Ms. Barber assigned her 12th-grade students to write college essays. This week, she held class discussions about ChatGPT, cautioning students that using A.I. chatbots to generate ideas or writing could make their college essays sound too generic. She advised them to focus more on their personal views and voices. Other educators said they hoped the A.I. tools might have a democratizing effect. Wealthier high school students, these experts noted, often have access to resources — alumni parents, family friends, paid writing coaches — to help them brainstorm, draft and edit their college admissions essays. ChatGPT could play a similar role for students who lack such resources, they said, especially those at large high schools where overworked college counselors have little time for individualized essay coaching.

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Mastering ChatGPT: The Ultimate Prompts Guide for Academic Writing Excellence

ChatGPT, with its advanced AI capabilities, has emerged as a game-changer for many. Yet, its true potential is unlocked when approached with the right queries. The prompts listed in this article have been crafted to optimize your interaction with this powerful tool. By leveraging them, you not only streamline your writing process but also enhance the quality of your research and insights. As we wrap up, we urge you not to take our word for it. Dive into the world of ChatGPT, armed with these prompts, and witness the transformation in your academic writing endeavors firsthand.

ChatGPT Prompts for Idea Generation

If you’re stuck or unsure where to begin, ChatGPT can help brainstorm ideas or topics for your paper, thesis, or dissertation.

• Suggest some potential topics on [your broader subject or theme] for an academic paper.
• Suggest some potential topics within the field of [your broader subject] related to [specific interest or theme].
• I’m exploring the field of [broader subject, e.g., “psychology”]. Could you suggest some topics that intersect with [specific interest, e.g., “child development”] and are relevant to [specific context or region, e.g., “urban settings in Asia”]?
• Within the realm of [broader subject, e.g., “philosophy”], I’m intrigued by [specific interest, e.g., “existentialism”]. Could you recommend topics that bridge it with [another field or theme, e.g., “modern technology”] in the context of [specific region or era, e.g., “21st-century Europe”]?
• Act as my brainstorming partner. I’m working on [your broader subject or theme]. What topics could be pertinent for an academic paper?
• Act as my brainstorming partner for a moment. Given the broader subject of [discipline, e.g., ‘sociology’], can you help generate ideas that intertwine with [specific theme or interest, e.g., ‘social media’] and cater to an audience primarily from [region or demographic, e.g., ‘South East Asia’]?

ChatGPT Prompts for Structuring Content

The model can provide suggestions for how to organize your content, including potential section headers, logical flow of arguments, etc.

• How should I structure my paper on [your specific topic]? Provide an outline or potential section headers.
• I’m writing a paper about [your specific topic]. How should I structure it and which sub-topics should I cover within [chosen section, e.g., “Literature Review”]?
• For a paper that discusses [specific topic, e.g., “climate change”], how should I structure the [chosen section, e.g., “Literature Review”] and integrate studies from [specific decade or period, e.g., “the 2010s”]?
• I’m compiling a paper on [specific topic, e.g., “biodiversity loss”]. How should I arrange the [chosen section, e.g., “Discussion”] to incorporate perspectives from [specific discipline, e.g., “socio-economics”] and findings from [specified region or ecosystem, e.g., “tropical rainforests”]?
• Act as an editor for a moment. Based on a paper about [your specific topic], how would you recommend I structure it? Are there key sections or elements I should include?
• Act as a structural consultant for my paper on [topic, e.g., ‘quantum physics’]. Could you suggest a logical flow and potential section headers, especially when I aim to cover aspects like [specific elements, e.g., ‘quantum entanglement and teleportation’]?
• Act as my editorial guide. For a paper focused on [specific topic, e.g., “quantum computing”], how might I structure my [chosen section, e.g., “Findings”]? Especially when integrating viewpoints from [specific discipline, e.g., “software engineering”] and case studies from [specified region, e.g., “East Asia”]?

ChatGPT Prompts for Proofreading

While it might not replace a human proofreader, ChatGPT can help you identify grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, or inconsistencies in your writing.

• Review this passage for grammatical or stylistic errors: [paste your text here].
• Review this paragraph from my [type of document, e.g., “thesis”] for grammatical or stylistic errors: [paste your text here].
• Please review this passage from my [type of document, e.g., “dissertation”] on [specific topic, e.g., “renewable energy”] for potential grammatical or stylistic errors: [paste your text here].
• Kindly scrutinize this segment from my [type of document, e.g., “journal article”] concerning [specific topic, e.g., “deep-sea exploration”]. Highlight any linguistic or structural missteps and suggest how it might better fit the style of [target publication or audience, e.g., “Nature Journal”]: [paste your text here].
• Act as my proofreader. In this passage: [paste your text here], are there any grammatical or stylistic errors I should be aware of?
• Act as my preliminary proofreader. I’ve drafted a section for my [type of document, e.g., “research proposal”] about [specific topic, e.g., “nanotechnology”]. I’d value feedback on grammar, coherence, and alignment with [target publication or style, e.g., “IEEE standards”]: [paste your text here].

ChatGPT Prompts for Citation Guidance

Need help formatting citations or understanding the nuances of different citation styles (like APA, MLA, Chicago)? ChatGPT can guide you.

• How do I format this citation in [desired style, e.g., APA, MLA]? Here’s the source: [paste source details here].
• I’m referencing a [type of source, e.g., “conference paper”] authored by [author’s name] in my document. How should I format this citation in the [desired style, e.g., “Chicago”] style?
• Act as a citation guide. I need to reference a [source type, e.g., ‘journal article’] for my work. How should I format this using the [citation style, e.g., ‘APA’] method?
• Act as my citation assistant. I’ve sourced a [type of source, e.g., “web article”] from [author’s name] published in [year, e.g., “2018”]. How should I present this in [desired style, e.g., “MLA”] format?

ChatGPT Prompts for Paraphrasing

If you’re trying to convey information from sources without plagiarizing, the model can assist in rephrasing the content.

• Can you help me paraphrase this statement? [paste your original statement here].
• Help me convey the following idea from [source author’s name] in my own words: [paste the original statement here].
• I’d like to reference an idea from [source author’s name]’s work on [specific topic, e.g., “quantum physics”]. Can you help me paraphrase this statement without losing its essence: [paste the original statement here]?
• Act as a wordsmith. I’d like a rephrased version of this statement without losing its essence: [paste your original statement here].
• Act as my rephraser. Here’s a statement from [author’s name]’s work on [topic, e.g., ‘cognitive development’]: [paste original statement here]. How can I convey this without plagiarizing?
• Act as my plagiarism prevention aid. I’d like to include insights from [source author’s name]’s research on [specific topic, e.g., “solar energy”]. Help me convey this in my own words while maintaining the tone of my [type of work, e.g., “doctoral thesis”]: [paste the original statement here].

ChatGPT Prompts for Vocabulary Enhancement

If you’re looking for more sophisticated or subject-specific terminology, ChatGPT can suggest synonyms or alternative phrasing.

• I want a more academic or sophisticated way to express this: [paste your sentence or phrase here].
• In the context of [specific field or subject], can you suggest a more academic way to express this phrase: [paste your phrase here]?
• I’m writing a paper in the field of [specific discipline, e.g., “bioinformatics”]. How can I convey this idea more academically: [paste your phrase here]?
• Within the purview of [specific discipline, e.g., “astrophysics”], I wish to enhance this assertion: [paste your phrase here]. What terminologies or phrasing would resonate more with an audience well-versed in [related field or topic, e.g., “stellar evolution”]?
• Act as my thesaurus. For this phrase: [paste your sentence or phrase here], is there a more academic or sophisticated term or phrase I could use?
• Act as a lexicon expert in [field, e.g., ‘neuroscience’]. How might I express this idea more aptly: [paste your phrase here]?

ChatGPT Prompts for Clarifying Concepts

If you’re working in a field that’s not your primary area of expertise, the model can provide explanations or definitions for unfamiliar terms or concepts.

• Can you explain the concept of [specific term or concept] in the context of academic research?
• In [specific field, e.g., “sociology”], what does [specific term or concept] mean? And how does it relate to [another term or concept]?
• In the realm of [specific discipline, e.g., “neuroscience”], how would you define [term or concept A], and how does it differentiate from [term or concept B]?
• Act as my tutor. I’m a bit lost on the concept of [specific term or concept]. Can you break it down for me in the context of [specific academic field]?
• Act as my academic tutor for a moment. I’ve encountered some challenging terms in [specific discipline, e.g., “metaphysics”]. Could you elucidate the distinctions between [term A], [term B], and [term C], especially when applied in [specific context or theory, e.g., “Kantian philosophy”]?

ChatGPT Prompts for Draft Review

You can share sections or excerpts of your draft, and ChatGPT can provide general feedback or points for consideration.

• Please provide feedback on this excerpt from my draft: [paste excerpt here].
• Could you review this excerpt from my [type of document, e.g., “research proposal”] and provide feedback on [specific aspect, e.g., “clarity and coherence”]: [paste excerpt here]?
• I’d appreciate feedback on this fragment from my [type of document, e.g., “policy analysis”] that centers on [specific topic, e.g., “renewable energy adoption”]. Specifically, I’m looking for guidance on its [specific aspect, e.g., “argumentative flow”] and how it caters to [intended audience, e.g., “policy-makers in Southeast Asia”]: [paste excerpt here].
• Act as a reviewer for my journal submission. Could you critique this section of my draft: [paste excerpt here]?
• Act as my critique partner. I’ve written a segment for my [type of document, e.g., “literature review”] on [specific topic, e.g., “cognitive biases”]. Could you assess its [specific quality, e.g., “objectivity”], especially considering its importance for [target audience or application, e.g., “clinical psychologists”]: [paste excerpt here].

ChatGPT Prompts for Reference Pointers

If you’re looking for additional sources or literature on a topic, ChatGPT can point you to key papers, authors, or studies (though its knowledge is up to 2022, so it won’t have the latest publications).

• Can you recommend key papers or studies related to [your topic or research question]?
• I need references related to [specific topic] within the broader field of [your subject area]. Can you suggest key papers or authors?
• I’m researching [specific topic, e.g., “machine learning in healthcare”]. Can you suggest seminal works from the [specific decade, e.g., “2000s”] within the broader domain of [your general field, e.g., “computer science”]?
• My study orbits around [specific topic, e.g., “augmented reality in education”]. I’m especially keen on understanding its evolution during the [specific time frame, e.g., “late 2010s”]. Can you direct me to foundational papers or figures within [your overarching domain, e.g., “educational technology”]?
• Act as a literature guide. I’m diving into [your topic or research question]. Do you have suggestions for seminal papers or must-read studies?
• Act as my literary guide. My work revolves around [specific topic, e.g., “virtual reality in pedagogy”]. I’d appreciate direction towards key texts or experts from the [specific era, e.g., “early 2000s”], especially those that highlight applications in [specific setting, e.g., “higher education institutions”].

ChatGPT Prompts for Writing Prompts

For those facing writer’s block, ChatGPT can generate prompts or questions to help you think critically about your topic and stimulate your writing.

• I’m facing writer’s block on [your topic]. Can you give me some prompts or questions to stimulate my thinking?
• I’m writing about [specific topic] in the context of [broader theme or issue]. Can you give me questions that would enhance my discussion?
• I’m discussing [specific topic, e.g., “urban planning”] in relation to [another topic, e.g., “sustainable development”] in [specific region or country, e.g., “Latin America”]. Can you offer some thought-provoking prompts?
• Act as my muse. I’m struggling with [your topic]. Could you generate some prompts or lead questions to help steer my writing?
• Act as a muse for my writer’s block. Given the themes of [topic A, e.g., ‘climate change’] and its impact on [topic B, e.g., ‘marine ecosystems’], can you generate thought-provoking prompts?

ChatGPT Prompts for Thesis Statements

If you’re struggling with framing your thesis statement, ChatGPT can help you refine and articulate it more clearly.

• Help me refine this thesis statement for clarity and impact: [paste your thesis statement here].
• Here’s a draft thesis statement for my paper on [specific topic]: [paste your thesis statement]. How can it be made more compelling?
• I’m drafting a statement for my research on [specific topic, e.g., “cryptocurrency adoption”] in the context of [specific region, e.g., “European markets”]. Here’s my attempt: [paste your thesis statement]. Any suggestions for enhancement?
• Act as my thesis advisor. I’m shaping a statement on [topic, e.g., ‘blockchain in finance’]. Here’s my draft: [paste your thesis statement]. How might it be honed further?

ChatGPT Prompts for Abstract and Summary

The model can help in drafting, refining, or summarizing abstracts for your papers.

• Can you help me draft/summarize an abstract based on this content? [paste main points or brief content here].
• I’m submitting a paper to [specific conference or journal]. Can you help me summarize my findings from [paste main content or points] into a concise abstract?
• I’m aiming to condense my findings on [specific topic, e.g., “gene therapy”] from [source or dataset, e.g., “recent clinical trials”] into an abstract for [specific event, e.g., “a biotech conference”]. Can you assist?
• Act as an abstracting service. Based on the following content: [paste main points or brief content here], how might you draft or summarize an abstract?
• Act as my editorial assistant. I’ve compiled findings on [topic, e.g., ‘genetic modifications’] from my research. Help me craft or refine a concise abstract suitable for [event or publication, e.g., ‘an international biology conference’].

ChatGPT Prompts for Methodological Assistance

If you’re unsure about the methodology section of your paper, ChatGPT can provide insights or explanations about various research methods.

• I’m using [specific research method, e.g., qualitative interviews] for my study on [your topic]. Can you provide insights or potential pitfalls?
• For a study on [specific topic], I’m considering using [specific research method]. Can you explain its application and potential challenges in this context?
• I’m considering a study on [specific topic, e.g., “consumer behavior”] using [research method, e.g., “ethnographic studies”]. Given the demographic of [target group, e.g., “millennials in urban settings”], what might be the methodological challenges?
• My exploration of [specific topic, e.g., “consumer sentiment”] deploys [research method, e.g., “mixed-method analysis”]. Given my target demographic of [specific group, e.g., “online shoppers aged 18-25”], what are potential methodological challenges and best practices in [specific setting or platform, e.g., “e-commerce platforms”]?
• Act as a methodological counselor. I’m exploring [topic, e.g., ‘consumer behavior patterns’] using [research technique, e.g., ‘qualitative interviews’]. Given the scope of [specific context or dataset, e.g., ‘online retail platforms’], what insights can you offer?

ChatGPT Prompts for Language Translation

While not perfect, ChatGPT can assist in translating content to and from various languages, which might be helpful for non-native English speakers or when dealing with sources in other languages.

• Please translate this passage to [desired language]: [paste your text here].
• I’m integrating a passage for my research on [specific topic, e.g., “Mesoamerican civilizations”]. Could you assist in translating this content from [source language, e.g., “Nahuatl”] to [target language, e.g., “English”] while preserving academic rigor: [paste your text here]?
• Act as my translation assistant. I have this passage in [source language, e.g., ‘French’] about [topic, e.g., ‘European history’]: [paste your text here]. Can you render it in [target language, e.g., ‘English’] while maintaining academic integrity?

ChatGPT Prompts for Ethical Considerations

ChatGPT can provide a general overview of ethical considerations in research, though specific guidance should come from institutional review boards or ethics committees.

• What are some general ethical considerations when conducting research on [specific topic or population]?
• I’m conducting research involving [specific group or method, e.g., “minors” or “online surveys”]. What are key ethical considerations I should be aware of in the context of [specific discipline or field]?
• My investigation encompasses [specific method or technique, e.g., “genome editing”] on [target population or organism, e.g., “plant species”]. As I operate within the framework of [specific institution or body, e.g., “UNESCO guidelines”], what ethical imperatives should I foreground, especially when considering implications for [broader context, e.g., “global food security”]?
• Act as an ethics board member. I’m conducting research on [specific topic or population]. Could you outline key ethical considerations I should bear in mind?
• Act as an ethics overview guide. My research involves [specific technique or method, e.g., ‘live human trials’] in the realm of [specific discipline, e.g., ‘medical research’]. What general ethical considerations might be paramount, especially when targeting [specific population or group, e.g., ‘adolescents’]?

ChatGPT’s advanced AI capabilities have made it a standout tool in the world of academic writing. However, its real strength shines when paired with the right questions. The prompts in this article are tailored to optimize your experience with ChatGPT. By using them, you can streamline your writing and elevate the depth of your research. But don’t just take our word for it. Explore ChatGPT with these prompts and see the transformation in your academic writing for yourself. Excellent writing is just one prompt away.

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5 ways ChatGPT can help you write an essay

ChatGPT  is capable of doing many different things very well. One of the biggest standout features is its ability to compose all sorts of text within seconds, including songs, poems, bedtime stories, and  essays . 

The chatbot's writing abilities are not only fun to experiment with but can help provide assistance with everyday tasks. Whether you are a student, a working professional, or just trying to get stuff done, we constantly take time to compose emails, texts, reports, and more. ChatGPT can help you claim some of that time back by helping you brainstorm and even compose any text you need. 

How to use ChatGPT to write: Code | Excel formulas | Resumes  | Cover letters  

Contrary to popular belief, ChatGPT can do much more than write an essay for you from scratch (which would be considered plagiarism). A more useful way to use the chatbot is to have it guide your writing process. 

Below, we show you how to use ChatGPT for both writing and assisting and include some other helpful writing tips. 

How ChatGPT can help you write an essay

If you are looking to use ChatGPT to support or replace your writing, here are five different techniques to explore. 

It is also worth noting before you get started that other AI chatbots can output the same results as ChatGPT or are even better, depending on your needs. For example,  Copilot , Perplexity , and Gemini also have access to the internet and include footnotes linking back to the original source for all of their responses, making the chatbots solid alternatives if you rather skip out on ChatGPT. 

Also:  The best AI chatbots of 2024: ChatGPT and alternatives

Regardless of which AI chatbot you pick, you can use the tips below to get the most out of your prompts and AI assistance.

1. Use ChatGPT to generate essay ideas

Before you start writing an essay, you need to flesh out the idea. When professors assign essays, they generally give students a prompt that gives them leeway for their own self-expression and analysis. 

As a result, students have the task of finding the angle to approach the essay on their own. If you have written an essay recently, you know that finding the angle is often the trickiest part -- and this is where ChatGPT can help. 

Also: How do AI checkers actually work?

All you need to do is input the assignment topic, include as much detail as you'd like -- such as what you're thinking about covering -- and let ChatGPT do the rest. For example, based on a paper prompt I had in college, I asked:

Can you help me come up with a topic idea for this assignment, "You will write a research paper or case study on a leadership topic of your choice." I would like it to include Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid and possibly a historical figure. 

Within seconds, the chatbot produced a response that provided me with the title of the essay, options of historical figures on which to focus my article, insight into what information I could include in my paper, and specific examples of a case study I could use. 

2. Use the chatbot to create an outline

Once you have a solid topic, it's time to start brainstorming what you actually want to include in the essay. To facilitate the writing process, I always create an outline, including all the different points I want to touch upon in my essay. However, the outline-writing process is usually tedious. 

With ChatGPT, all you have to do is ask it to write the outline for you. 

Using the topic that ChatGPT helped me generate in step one, I asked the chatbot to write me an outline by saying: 

Can you create an outline for a paper, "Examining the Leadership Style of Abraham Lincoln through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid."

Also: How my 4 favorite AI tools help me get more done at work

After a few seconds, the chatbot produced a holistic outline divided into seven sections, with three points under each section. 

This outline is thorough and can be condensed for a shorter essay or elaborated on for a longer paper. If you don't like something or want to tweak the outline further, you can do so either manually or with more instructions to ChatGPT. 

If you want ChatGPT to include links and sources throughout, you can ask it to and it will regenerate the answer using its web-browsing feature , further expediting your essay-writing process. 

3. Use ChatGPT to find sources

Now that you know exactly what you want to write, it's time to find reputable sources for your information. If you don't know where to start, you can ask ChatGPT.

All you need to do is ask the AI to find sources for your essay topic. The biggest thing to remember is to include the type of source you want, whether it be web pages, books, PDFs, research, papers, etc. 

Also:   How to make ChatGPT provide sources and citations

The specifics are necessary because when you specify web pages, ChatGPT will activate the web browsing feature and include web links in its article. If you use a very general prompt, however, it will likely default to generating its answer from its database, which isn't up to date. 

For example, I asked the following: 

"Examining the Leadership Style of Abraham Lincoln through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid."

The chatbot outputs links, accessible right at the top of the answer under the drop-down that says "Searched # of sites." Then, within the response, it will answer your prompt conversationally, also including sources with site names and links in parathesis. 

4. Use ChatGPT to write an essay

It is worth noting that if you take the text directly from the chatbot and submit it, your work could be considered plagiarism since it is not your original work. As with any information taken from another source, text generated by an AI should be identified and credited to the chatbot in your work.

In most educational institutions, the penalties for plagiarism are severe, ranging from a failing grade to expulsion from the school. A better use of ChatGPT's writing features would be to create a sample essay to guide your writing. 

Also:  ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Gemini: Which is the best AI chatbot?

If you still want ChatGPT to create an essay from scratch, enter the topic and the desired length. For example, I input the following text: 

Can you write a five-paragraph essay on the topic, "Examining the Leadership Style of Abraham Lincoln through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid."

Within seconds, the chatbot gave the exact output I required: a coherent, five-paragraph essay on the topic. You could then use that text to guide your own writing. 

At this point, it's worth remembering how tools like ChatGPT work : they put words together in a form that they think is statistically valid, but they don't know if what they are saying is true or accurate. 

As a result, the output you receive might include invented facts, details, or other oddities. The output might be a useful starting point for your own work but don't expect it to be entirely accurate, and always double-check the content. 

5. Use ChatGPT to co-edit your essay

Once you've written your own essay, you can use ChatGPT's advanced writing capabilities to edit the piece for you. 

You can simply tell the chatbot what you want it to edit. For example, I asked ChatGPT to edit our five-paragraph essay for structure and grammar, but other options could have included flow, tone, and more. 

Also:  How to use ChatGPT to make charts and tables

Once you ask the tool to edit your essay, it will prompt you to paste your text into the chatbot. ChatGPT will then output your essay with corrections made. This feature is particularly useful because ChatGPT edits your essay more thoroughly than a basic proofreading tool, as it goes beyond simply checking spelling. 

You can also co-edit with the chatbot, asking it to review a specific paragraph or sentence and rewrite or fix the text for clarity. Personally, I find this feature very helpful. 

6 ways to write better ChatGPT prompts - and get the results you want faster

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February 10, 2023

How ChatGPT Can Improve Education, Not Threaten It

A professor explains why he is allowing students to incorporate ChatGPT into their writing process instead of banning the new technology

By John Villasenor

Jeff Pachoud/Getty Images

To read the news, the sanctity of everything from college application essays to graduate school tests to medical licensing exams is imperiled by easy access to advanced artificial intelligence like ChatGPT, the AI chatbot that can produce remarkably clear, long-form answers to complex questions. Educators in particular worry about students turning to ChatGPT to help them complete assignments. One proposed solution is to roll back the clock to the 20th century, making students write exam essays using pen and paper, without the use of any Internet-connected electronic devices. The University of California, Los Angeles, where I teach, is considering making it an honor code violation to use ChatGPT for taking an exam or writing a paper.

That’s the wrong approach. This semester, I am telling the students in my class at the UCLA School of Law that they are free to use ChatGPT in their writing assignments. The time when a person had to be a good writer to produce good writing ended in late 2022, and we need to adapt. Rather than banning students from using labor-saving and time-saving AI writing tools, we should teach students to use them ethically and productively.

To remain competitive throughout their careers, students need to learn how to prompt an AI writing tool to elicit worthwhile output and know how to evaluate its quality, accuracy and originality. They need to learn to compose well-organized, coherent essays involving a mix of AI-generated text and traditional writing. As professionals working into the 2060s and beyond, they will need to learn how to engage productively with AI systems, using them to both complement and enhance human creativity with the extraordinary power promised by mid-21st-century AI.

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In addition to the sound pedagogical reasons for treating ChatGPT as an opportunity and not a threat, there are practical ones as well. It simply isn’t feasible to effectively ban access to this technology. Honor code or not, many students will be unable to resist the temptation to seek AI assistance with their writing. And how would an educational institution enforce a ChatGPT ban? While there are tools aimed at detecting text produced by AI, future versions of AI will get better at emulating human writing—including to the point of emulating the style of the particular person who is using it. In the resulting arms race, the AI writing tools will always be one step ahead of the tools to detect AI text.

Enforcement of a ChatGPT ban would also inevitably produce the injustice of false positives and false negatives. Some students who use ChatGPT despite a ban would, through luck or thanks to careful-enough editing of AI-generated text, avoid having their writing flagged as AI-assisted. Worse, some students would be falsely accused of using ChatGPT, triggering enormous stress and potentially leading to punishment for a wrong they did not commit.

And what of the argument that learning to write well provides benefits that go well beyond writing? Writing a good essay from scratch requires careful, often painstaking, thought about organization, flow and communication. Learning to write without AI does indeed promote focused, disciplined thinking. But learning to successfully combine unassisted and AI-assisted writing to create truly good essays also requires these qualities.

Writing is a craft worthy of enormous respect, one which few of us ever master. But most students don’t aspire to become professional writers. Instead, they are preparing for careers where they will write to further goals beyond the production of writing. As we do today, they will write to communicate, explain, convince, memorialize, request and persuade. AI writing tools, when properly used, will help them do those things better.

When I was a middle and high school student in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I was told that professional success required good “penmanship” and the ability to perform long division by hand. By the time I entered the professional workforce in the late 1980s, technology advances had rendered those skills obsolete. Education culture can be very slow to change, as evidenced by the fact that many schools today still force children to learn long division—a task they will never have to perform anywhere outside of school. With AI writing, educators should stay ahead of the technology curve, as opposed to lagging decades behind it.

The upshot: I am helping my students to prepare for a future in which AI is simply another technology tool as opposed to a novelty. I am also telling them that they are solely and fully responsible for the writing they turn in bearing their name. If it’s factually inaccurate, that’s on them. If it’s badly organized, that’s on them. If it’s stylistically or logically inconsistent, that’s on them. If it’s partially plagiarized, that means that they have committed plagiarism.

In short, I’m encouraging my students to become responsible, aware users of the AI technologies that will play a profoundly important role over the course of their careers. The AI writing, so to speak, is on the wall.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of  Scientific American.

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Can ChatGPT Write a Good College-Admissions Essay?

In January, I raised my hourly rate to $300 before wondering if I could get away with charging anything at all.

I teach high-schoolers how to write college essays, helping students claw their way out of hackneyed bildungsroman and into deftly tuned narratives . The clients (and their parents) can be a lot to handle, but my results ensure that I have a new cluster of rising seniors every summer. And the service I provide is in perpetually high demand among the moneyed and desperate private-school crowd.

Recently, though, the rise of ChatGPT had me questioning how much longer this comfortable arrangement could last. I started to fear obsolescence when I heard about uncannily passable AI-generated  letters of recommendation and wedding toasts — forms of writing not a million miles away from my specialty.  So, in an attempt to get to know my new enemy —  and gauge whether I was still employable —  I paid $20 for access to the “more creative” GPT4.

Nervously, I prompted ChatGPT with a series of bullet points and fed it what anyone who has applied to college in the past 15 years knows is the formula for the Common Application personal essay: “Write 600 words including a catchy hook to draw the reader in, a conflict, and a thoughtful self-reflection.”

ChatGPT didn’t even take a beat to process my outline; it spat out an essay as fast as I could read it. Its first draft (about a freak accident washing dishes leading to a lesson in the power of fear) was unsettlingly well-composed, but stiff in a way that kept it from resonating emotionally (often a problem with student-generated drafts, too). ChatGPT wrote, “ I was horrified, not just at the sight of my own blood but also at the thought of needing stitches. In that moment, I was transported back to the time when I was a child and I got my first stitches. ” Not bad, but not exactly transcendent, either.

The next big test: Could this thing incorporate feedback? I replied that the essay was “a little formal, can you make it more conversational?” Done. ChatGPT added a few “ you see ”s and began several sentences with “ So .” The essay was suddenly more casual: “ The experience taught me that fear, no matter how powerful it may seem, can be overcome with perseverance and determination ” became “ But eventually, I realized that this fear was holding me back and preventing me from enjoying something that brought me so much joy. ”

With these small tweaks, ChatGPT’s effort was already significantly better than most first drafts I come across. I tried to throw it off with something random, adding, “My favorite comedian is Jon Stewart. Can you incorporate that into the essay?” ChatGPT wrote three new sentences that explained how Stewart “helped me see the lighter side of things and lifted my spirits.”

I told it to be funny. It tried. I corrected it, “No, that’s too corny, make it more sarcastic.” It revised, “ And let’s face it, what’s a little scar compared to the joy of a rack of clean dishes? ” Then I wrote, “Add in my high-achieving older brother who I always compare myself to a classic Common App essay character as a foil.” I specified that the brother breaks his collarbone around the same time the main character has to get stitches. ChatGPT came up with this: “ And here I was, feeling guilty for even complaining about my measly scratch when his pain was so much worse. It was like a twisted game of ‘whose injury is more severe?’ ” I watched ChatGPT revise (in seconds) the amount of material it typically takes students (with my help) hours to get through.  Intrusive thought: Even if I lower my rates, there won’t be any demand.

And then I slowed down, stopped panicking, and really read the essay.

I began noticing all the cracks in it. For one thing, ChatGPT was heavy on banal reflections (“ Looking back on my experience… ”) and empty-sounding conclusions (“ I am grateful for the lessons it taught me ”) that I would never let slide. I always advise students to get into specifics about how they’ve changed as people, but ChatGPT relied on anodyne generalities. Most importantly, it couldn’t go beyond a generic narrative into the realm of the highly specific. (A good student essay might have, say, detailed how Stewart’s Mark Twain Prize acceptance speech helped them overcome a fear of public speaking.)

AI is also just lazy. There’s nothing wrong with an occasional transitional phrase, but using “ Slowly but surely, ” “ Over time, ” “ Looking back on my experience, ” and “ In conclusion ” to lead off consecutive paragraphs is only okay if it’s your first time writing an essay. Leading off a conclusion with “ In conclusion ” means you’re either in sixth grade or satisfied with getting a C.

While the essay technically met every criterion I set (hook, conflict, self-reflection), it also failed the main test I pose to students: Have you ever read a version of this story? The answer here was most definitely “yes.” It’s uncanny how well ChatGPT mimicked the contrived essay that I’m paid to steer kids away from — the one you’d be shown as an example of what not to do in a college-essay seminar. It reads like a satire of one of those “the ability was inside me all along” or “all I needed to do was believe in myself/be true to myself/listen to my inner voice” narratives rife with clichés and half-baked epiphanies. ChatGPT’s basic competence led me to overlook the middling quality of its execution. It’s the same disbelief-to-disillusionment arc ChatGPT has inspired elsewhere — take the viral AI travel itinerary that seemed perfect until people pointed out some pretty glaring (and possibly dangerous) errors.

Credit where it’s due. I expend a lot of effort translating overwritten, clunky, and generally unclear student prose. ChatGPT excels in writing cleanly — if flatly. It’s great at producing simple, informational text from a set of data. Creating a rule book for Airbnb guests, writing a “help wanted” ad, drafting an email with details for a surprise party: These are perfect cases for ChatGPT right now. From this mess, ChatGPT would translate the raw information into a block of concise text that wouldn’t need style, voice, or flair to be successful. If you want to share facts in a digestible and clear way, ChatGPT is your guy.

But ChatGPT failed hardest at the most important part of the college essay: self-reflection. Literary agent Jamie Carr of the Book Group describes great storytelling as something that makes “connections between things and ideas that are totally nonsensical — which is something only humans can do.” Can ChatGPT bring together disparate parts of your life and use a summer job to illuminate a fraught friendship? Can it link a favorite song to an identity crisis? So far, nope. Crucially, ChatGPT can’t do one major thing that all my clients can: have a random thought. “I’m not sure why I’m telling you this” is something I love to hear from students, because it means I’m about to go on a wild ride that only the teenage brain can offer. It’s frequently in these tangents about collecting cologne or not paying it forward at the Starbucks drive-thru that we discover the key to the essay. I often describe my main task as helping students turn over stones they didn’t know existed, or stones they assumed were off-limits. ChatGPT can’t tap into the unpredictable because it can only turn over the precise stones you tell it to — and if you’re issuing these orders, chances are you already know what’s under the stone.

In the South Park episode “Deep Learning,” Clyde and Stan use AI to compose thoughtful, emotionally mature text messages to their girlfriends. When Bebe asks if she should cut her hair, Clyde (via ChatGPT) replies, “You would look great with any length of hair. Trying a new look could be fun.” Only a fourth-grader (no offense, Bebe) would buy that the message is authentic. When Stan’s girlfriend Wendy wants to repair their relationship, Stan responds, “We can work things out if you’re willing. I still believe we can make this work. Let’s not give up on each other.” ChatGPT is credited as a writer in this episode, though I wouldn’t be surprised if the messages were punched up to reach this level of dullness. But the style speaks to something I noticed when I asked ChatGPT to write a short story: It makes everything sound like an unfunny parody. A parody of an attentive boyfriend. A parody of a short story. A parody of a college essay.

AI may supplant me one day, but for now, ChatGPT isn’t an admissions-essay quick fix. It’s not even a moderate threat to the service I offer. And while there are plenty of problems with a system in which the ultra-elite pay someone like me to help package insight into a few hundred words, ChatGPT doesn’t solve any of them. Perhaps one day, we’ll figure out a fairer way forward. For now, I’m quite relieved to report that my expertise is still definitely worth something — maybe even more than $300 an hour.

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I asked ChatGPT to write college entrance essays. Admissions professionals said they passed for essays written by students but I wouldn't have a chance at any top colleges.

• I asked OpenAI's ChatGPT to write some college admissions essays and sent them to experts to review.
• Both of the experts said the essays seemed like they had been written by a real student.
• However, they said the essays wouldn't have had a shot at highly selective colleges.

ChatGPT can be used for many things: school work , cover letters , and apparently, college admissions essays. 

College essays, sometimes known as personal statements, are a time-consuming but important part of the application process . They are not required for all institutions, but experts say they can make or break a candidate's chances when they are.

The essays are often based on prompts that require students to write about a personal experience, such as:

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

I asked ChatGPT to whip up a few based on some old questions from the Common App , a widely used application process across the US. In about 10 minutes I had three entrance essays that were ready to use.

At first, the chatbot refused to write a college application essay for me, telling me it was important I wrote from my personal experience. However, after prompting it to write me a "specific example answer" to an essay question with vivid language to illustrate the points, it generated some pretty good text based on made-up personal experiences. 

I sent the results to two admissions professionals to see what they thought. 

The essays seemed like they had been written by real students, experts say

Both of the experts I asked said the essays would pass for a real student. 

Adam Nguyen, founder of tutoring company Ivy Link , previously worked as an admissions reader and interviewer in Columbia's Office of Undergraduate Admission and as an academic advisor at Harvard University. He told Insider: "Having read thousands of essays over the years, I can confidently say that it would be extremely unlikely to ascertain with the naked eye that these essays were AI-generated."

Kevin Wong, Princeton University alumnus and cofounder of tutoring service PrepMaven, which specializes in college admissions, agreed.

"Without additional tools, I don't think it would be easy to conclude that these essays were AI-generated," he said. "The essays do seem to follow a predictable pattern, but it isn't plainly obvious that they weren't written by a human."

"Plenty of high school writers struggle with basic prose, grammar, and structure, and the AI essays do not seem to have any difficulty with these basic but important areas," he added.

Nguyen also praised the grammar and structure of the essays, and said that they also directly addressed the questions.

"There were some attempts to provide examples and evidence to support the writer's thesis or position. The essays are in the first-person narrative format, which is how these essays should be written," he said.

Related stories

Wong thought the essays may even have been successful at some colleges. "Assuming these essays weren't flagged as AI-generated, I think they could pass muster at some colleges. I know that students have been admitted to colleges after submitting essays lower in quality than these," he said. 

OpenAI did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

They weren't good enough for top colleges

Nguyen said I wouldn't be able to apply to any of the top 50 colleges in the US using the AI-generated essays.

"These essays are exemplary of what a very mediocre, perhaps even a middle school, student would produce," Nguyen said. "If I were to assign a grade, the essays would get a grade of B or lower."

Wong also said the essays wouldn't stack up at "highly selective" colleges . "Admissions officers are looking for genuine emotion, careful introspection, and personal growth," he said. "The ChatGPT essays express insight and reflection mostly through superficial and cliched statements that anyone could write."

Nguyen said the writing in the essays was fluffy, trite, lacked specific details, and was overly predictable.

"There's no element of surprise, and the reader knows how the essay is going to end. These essays shouldn't end on a neat note, as if the student has it all figured out, and life is perfect," he said. 

"With all three, I would scrap 80-90% and start over," he said.

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More From Forbes

Here’s how forbes got the chatgpt ai to write 2 college essays in 20 minutes.

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Not only does ChatGPT write clear, compelling essays, but it can also conjure up its own personal ... [+] details and embellishments that could up a students’ chance of acceptance and would be difficult to verify.

Forbes’ full conversation with ChatGPT, OpenAI’s newest natural language model, is pasted below. Each of the college admissions essays took less than 10 minutes to complete. Read our story about ChatGPT’s capacity to write college applications here .

Prompt #1, The Common App:

Forbes: Hi GPT, I’d like you to write a college application essay as if you were an 18-year-old high school senior whose parents are from Bangalore, India but who now own a restaurant in Newton, Mass. He is a competitive swimmer, and in 10th grade he broke his shoulder. He is interested in majoring in business. Please make the essay a maximum of 650 words, and write it in response to this prompt: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

ChatGPT: As a competitive swimmer and the son of Indian immigrants who own a restaurant in Newton, Massachusetts, my background and interests make me a unique and valuable addition to any college campus. Growing up in a culturally diverse and economically vibrant community has given me a unique perspective on life and a desire to explore and understand different cultures and industries.

My love for swimming began at a young age, and it has always been a central part of my life. I began competing in local swim meets when I was just nine years old, and by the time I reached high school, I was a member of the varsity swim team. In my sophomore year, I suffered a major setback when I broke my shoulder in a swimming accident. Despite this injury, I was determined to return to the pool and continue competing.

After months of grueling physical therapy and hard work, I was finally able to return to the water. I was not as fast as I used to be, but I was still a valuable member of the team and I continued to improve throughout the season. By the end of my junior year, I was back to my top form and I was able to compete at the state championship meet. My hard work and determination paid off, and I helped lead my team to a second-place finish.

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In addition to my passion for swimming, I have also been deeply influenced by my parents and their experiences as immigrants and small business owners. Growing up, I spent many hours in the restaurant, watching my parents work hard to build a successful business from the ground up. I have seen firsthand the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, and I have developed a strong interest in pursuing a career in business.

As a business major, I hope to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to start my own business one day, or to help other small businesses succeed. I am excited to explore the diverse opportunities and challenges that a business degree will present, and I am confident that I will be able to make a valuable contribution to the college community.

In conclusion, my background as a competitive swimmer, the son of Indian immigrants, and a member of a thriving business community has given me a unique perspective and a strong set of skills and interests. I believe that I would be a valuable addition to any college campus, and I am excited to explore the opportunities and challenges that a college education will provide.

Forbes: Thanks GPT, this is a great start. Please keep what you have, but add more information about our student's background and work in the restaurant.

ChatGPT: Sure, I can add more information about our student's background and work in the restaurant.

Growing up in a household where my parents owned and operated a successful restaurant gave me a unique insight into the world of business. I often spent my afternoons and weekends working in the restaurant, performing a variety of tasks and gaining valuable experience in the hospitality industry. From a young age, I learned the importance of hard work, dedication, and customer service, and I have come to appreciate the challenges and rewards of owning and operating a small business.

As I grew older, my responsibilities in the restaurant increased, and I took on more managerial roles. I helped my parents with inventory management, staff scheduling, and customer relations. I also assisted with marketing and advertising efforts, and I helped develop new menu items and promotions. This hands-on experience has given me a strong understanding of the ins and outs of running a business, and it has helped shape my interest in pursuing a career in business.

In addition to my work in the restaurant, my Indian heritage has also had a significant impact on my life. My parents instilled in me a deep appreciation for Indian culture, and I have always been proud of my heritage. I have also been exposed to the challenges and opportunities that come with being a first-generation immigrant in the United States. I have seen firsthand the difficulties that my parents faced as they worked to build a new life in a foreign country, and I have also seen the incredible rewards that come from hard work and determination.

My Indian heritage and my experience in the restaurant industry have given me a unique perspective on life and a strong set of skills and interests. I am excited to bring this perspective to a college campus, and I am confident that I will be able to make a valuable contribution to the college community. Thank you for considering me for admission.

Forbes: Thanks GPT. Please combine your first and second drafts.

My love for swimming began at a young age, and it has always been a central part of my life. I began competing in local swim meets when I was just nine years old, and by the time I reached high school, I was a member of the varsity swim team. In my sophomore year, I suffered a major setback when I broke my shoulder in a swimming accident. Despite this injury, I was determined to return to the pool and continue competing. After months of grueling physical therapy and hard work, I was finally able to return to the water. I was not as fast as I used to be, but I was still a valuable member of the team and I continued to improve throughout the season. By the end of my junior year, I was back to my top form and I was able to compete at the state championship meet. My hard work and determination paid off, and I helped lead my team to a second-place finish.

Growing up in a household where my parents owned and operated a successful restaurant gave me a unique insight into the world of business. I often spent my afternoons and weekends working in the restaurant, performing a variety of tasks and gaining valuable experience in the hospitality industry. From a young age, I learned the importance of hard work, dedication, and customer service, and I have come to appreciate the challenges and rewards of owning and operating a small business. As I grew older, my responsibilities in the restaurant increased, and I took on more managerial roles. I helped my parents with inventory management, staff scheduling, and customer relations. I also assisted with marketing and advertising efforts, and I helped develop new menu items and promotions. This hands-on experience has given me a strong understanding of the ins and outs of running a business, and it has helped shape my interest in pursuing a career in business.

Prompt #2: University of Wisconsin-Madison supplemental essay

Forbes: Thanks GPT. I have another one for you. This time, please write a college application essay to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in response to this prompt: "Tell us why you decided to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided please describe your areas of possible academic interest. (80-650 words)" Write as if your intended major is Business Administration and Marketing, you love Badgers football, and you work part-time at your family's restaurant.

ChatGPT: I decided to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison because it is a top-ranked university with a strong reputation for its business and marketing programs. As an aspiring business major, I am excited about the opportunity to study at such a prestigious institution and learn from some of the best minds in the field.

I am also excited about the potential to explore the many different facets of business and marketing through a variety of courses and extracurricular activities. I have always been interested in the world of business, and I am eager to gain a deeper understanding of the theories and practices that drive the field.

In addition to my interest in business, I am also drawn to Wisconsin-Madison because of its vibrant campus community. I am a big fan of Badgers football, and I can't wait to experience the energy and excitement of game days at Camp Randall Stadium. I am also looking forward to exploring the many other opportunities that Wisconsin-Madison has to offer, such as clubs and organizations, student events, and recreational activities.

I am also drawn to Wisconsin-Madison because of its strong sense of community. As a student who works part-time at my family's restaurant, I know the value of hard work and collaboration. I am excited to be part of a community of students and faculty who share my passion for learning and success.

Overall, I am confident that the University of Wisconsin-Madison is the perfect fit for me. I am excited about the opportunity to study business and marketing at a world-class institution, explore the many extracurricular opportunities on campus, and be part of a vibrant and supportive community. I am eager to begin this new chapter of my academic journey and contribute to the success of Wisconsin-Madison.

Forbes: Great, thank you. Please include more detail about why our student wants to study business, perhaps by including a story about a challenge they faced or skill they learned at their restaurant job.

My interest in business was sparked at a young age, when I began working at my family's restaurant. I started out as a dishwasher, but over time, I was given more responsibilities and opportunities to learn. I quickly became fascinated by the many different aspects of running a successful business, from managing finances and inventory to marketing and customer service.

One of the biggest challenges I faced at the restaurant was helping to increase sales during slow periods. I was given the task of coming up with a marketing strategy to attract more customers, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to put my ideas into action. I researched the competition and identified our unique selling points, and I developed a marketing plan that included promotions, discounts, and special events.

The marketing plan was a success, and we saw a significant increase in sales during the slow periods. I was thrilled to have made a real contribution to the success of the business, and I was grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow.

I am excited to continue exploring the world of business and marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am eager to learn from experienced professionals and gain a deeper understanding of the theories and practices that drive the field. I am confident that this knowledge and experience will prepare me for a successful career in business and help me to make a positive impact in the world.

Forbes: Great! But let’s add back in the parts about our student’s love for Badger football. Please also make the essay longer, about 500 words.

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The College Essay Is Dead

Nobody is prepared for how AI will transform academia.

Suppose you are a professor of pedagogy, and you assign an essay on learning styles. A student hands in an essay with the following opening paragraph:

The construct of “learning styles” is problematic because it fails to account for the processes through which learning styles are shaped. Some students might develop a particular learning style because they have had particular experiences. Others might develop a particular learning style by trying to accommodate to a learning environment that was not well suited to their learning needs. Ultimately, we need to understand the interactions among learning styles and environmental and personal factors, and how these shape how we learn and the kinds of learning we experience.

Pass or fail? A- or B+? And how would your grade change if you knew a human student hadn’t written it at all? Because Mike Sharples, a professor in the U.K., used GPT-3, a large language model from OpenAI that automatically generates text from a prompt, to write it. (The whole essay, which Sharples considered graduate-level, is available, complete with references, here .) Personally, I lean toward a B+. The passage reads like filler, but so do most student essays.

Sharples’s intent was to urge educators to “rethink teaching and assessment” in light of the technology, which he said “could become a gift for student cheats, or a powerful teaching assistant, or a tool for creativity.” Essay generation is neither theoretical nor futuristic at this point. In May, a student in New Zealand confessed to using AI to write their papers, justifying it as a tool like Grammarly or spell-check: ​​“I have the knowledge, I have the lived experience, I’m a good student, I go to all the tutorials and I go to all the lectures and I read everything we have to read but I kind of felt I was being penalised because I don’t write eloquently and I didn’t feel that was right,” they told a student paper in Christchurch. They don’t feel like they’re cheating, because the student guidelines at their university state only that you’re not allowed to get somebody else to do your work for you. GPT-3 isn’t “somebody else”—it’s a program.

The world of generative AI is progressing furiously. Last week, OpenAI released an advanced chatbot named ChatGPT that has spawned a new wave of marveling and hand-wringing , plus an upgrade to GPT-3 that allows for complex rhyming poetry; Google previewed new applications last month that will allow people to describe concepts in text and see them rendered as images; and the creative-AI firm Jasper received a $1.5 billion valuation in October. It still takes a little initiative for a kid to find a text generator, but not for long.

The essay, in particular the undergraduate essay, has been the center of humanistic pedagogy for generations. It is the way we teach children how to research, think, and write. That entire tradition is about to be disrupted from the ground up. Kevin Bryan, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, tweeted in astonishment about OpenAI’s new chatbot last week: “You can no longer give take-home exams/homework … Even on specific questions that involve combining knowledge across domains, the OpenAI chat is frankly better than the average MBA at this point. It is frankly amazing.” Neither the engineers building the linguistic tech nor the educators who will encounter the resulting language are prepared for the fallout.

A chasm has existed between humanists and technologists for a long time. In the 1950s, C. P. Snow gave his famous lecture, later the essay “The Two Cultures,” describing the humanistic and scientific communities as tribes losing contact with each other. “Literary intellectuals at one pole—at the other scientists,” Snow wrote. “Between the two a gulf of mutual incomprehension—sometimes (particularly among the young) hostility and dislike, but most of all lack of understanding. They have a curious distorted image of each other.” Snow’s argument was a plea for a kind of intellectual cosmopolitanism: Literary people were missing the essential insights of the laws of thermodynamics, and scientific people were ignoring the glories of Shakespeare and Dickens.

The rupture that Snow identified has only deepened. In the modern tech world, the value of a humanistic education shows up in evidence of its absence. Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of the crypto exchange FTX who recently lost his $16 billion fortune in a few days , is a famously proud illiterate. “I would never read a book,” he once told an interviewer . “I don’t want to say no book is ever worth reading, but I actually do believe something pretty close to that.” Elon Musk and Twitter are another excellent case in point. It’s painful and extraordinary to watch the ham-fisted way a brilliant engineering mind like Musk deals with even relatively simple literary concepts such as parody and satire. He obviously has never thought about them before. He probably didn’t imagine there was much to think about.

The extraordinary ignorance on questions of society and history displayed by the men and women reshaping society and history has been the defining feature of the social-media era. Apparently, Mark Zuckerberg has read a great deal about Caesar Augustus , but I wish he’d read about the regulation of the pamphlet press in 17th-century Europe. It might have spared America the annihilation of social trust .

These failures don’t derive from mean-spiritedness or even greed, but from a willful obliviousness. The engineers do not recognize that humanistic questions—like, say, hermeneutics or the historical contingency of freedom of speech or the genealogy of morality—are real questions with real consequences. Everybody is entitled to their opinion about politics and culture, it’s true, but an opinion is different from a grounded understanding. The most direct path to catastrophe is to treat complex problems as if they’re obvious to everyone. You can lose billions of dollars pretty quickly that way.

As the technologists have ignored humanistic questions to their peril, the humanists have greeted the technological revolutions of the past 50 years by committing soft suicide. As of 2017, the number of English majors had nearly halved since the 1990s. History enrollments have declined by 45 percent since 2007 alone. Needless to say, humanists’ understanding of technology is partial at best. The state of digital humanities is always several categories of obsolescence behind, which is inevitable. (Nobody expects them to teach via Instagram Stories.) But more crucially, the humanities have not fundamentally changed their approach in decades, despite technology altering the entire world around them. They are still exploding meta-narratives like it’s 1979, an exercise in self-defeat.

Read: The humanities are in crisis

Contemporary academia engages, more or less permanently, in self-critique on any and every front it can imagine. In a tech-centered world, language matters, voice and style matter, the study of eloquence matters, history matters, ethical systems matter. But the situation requires humanists to explain why they matter, not constantly undermine their own intellectual foundations. The humanities promise students a journey to an irrelevant, self-consuming future; then they wonder why their enrollments are collapsing. Is it any surprise that nearly half of humanities graduates regret their choice of major ?

The case for the value of humanities in a technologically determined world has been made before. Steve Jobs always credited a significant part of Apple’s success to his time as a dropout hanger-on at Reed College, where he fooled around with Shakespeare and modern dance, along with the famous calligraphy class that provided the aesthetic basis for the Mac’s design. “A lot of people in our industry haven’t had very diverse experiences. So they don’t have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem,” Jobs said . “The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.” Apple is a humanistic tech company. It’s also the largest company in the world.

Despite the clear value of a humanistic education, its decline continues. Over the past 10 years, STEM has triumphed, and the humanities have collapsed . The number of students enrolled in computer science is now nearly the same as the number of students enrolled in all of the humanities combined.

And now there’s GPT-3. Natural-language processing presents the academic humanities with a whole series of unprecedented problems. Practical matters are at stake: Humanities departments judge their undergraduate students on the basis of their essays. They give Ph.D.s on the basis of a dissertation’s composition. What happens when both processes can be significantly automated? Going by my experience as a former Shakespeare professor, I figure it will take 10 years for academia to face this new reality: two years for the students to figure out the tech, three more years for the professors to recognize that students are using the tech, and then five years for university administrators to decide what, if anything, to do about it. Teachers are already some of the most overworked, underpaid people in the world. They are already dealing with a humanities in crisis. And now this. I feel for them.

And yet, despite the drastic divide of the moment, natural-language processing is going to force engineers and humanists together. They are going to need each other despite everything. Computer scientists will require basic, systematic education in general humanism: The philosophy of language, sociology, history, and ethics are not amusing questions of theoretical speculation anymore. They will be essential in determining the ethical and creative use of chatbots, to take only an obvious example.

The humanists will need to understand natural-language processing because it’s the future of language, but also because there is more than just the possibility of disruption here. Natural-language processing can throw light on a huge number of scholarly problems. It is going to clarify matters of attribution and literary dating that no system ever devised will approach; the parameters in large language models are much more sophisticated than the current systems used to determine which plays Shakespeare wrote, for example . It may even allow for certain types of restorations, filling the gaps in damaged texts by means of text-prediction models. It will reformulate questions of literary style and philology; if you can teach a machine to write like Samuel Taylor Coleridge, that machine must be able to inform you, in some way, about how Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote.

The connection between humanism and technology will require people and institutions with a breadth of vision and a commitment to interests that transcend their field. Before that space for collaboration can exist, both sides will have to take the most difficult leaps for highly educated people: Understand that they need the other side, and admit their basic ignorance. But that’s always been the beginning of wisdom, no matter what technological era we happen to inhabit.

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How to Grade Essays with ChatGPT

Introduction.

The rise of large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI’s ChatGPT has opened exciting possibilities in essay grading. With its advanced natural language processing capabilities, ChatGPT offers a new dimension in assessing written work, potentially revolutionizing the grading process for educators and researchers. Let’s delve into how ChatGPT could potentially make essay grading easier, more efficient, and more accurate.

ChatGPT can analyze written content for various parameters, including content quality, argument structure, coherence, and adherence to guidelines. Whether you use a continuous scoring system (e.g., quality of writing) or a discrete one (e.g., essay positions), ChatGPT can be tailored to your specific needs, offering customized feedback for different writing styles and assignments. Literature also suggests that LLMs can significantly increase grading efficiency, alleviating some of the burden on educators (Abedi et al., 2023; Okonkwo & Ade-Ibijola, 2021; Richter et al., 2019). Imagine grading hundreds of essays and providing feedback on them – a time-consuming and tiring task. ChatGPT can automate the initial assessment, flagging essays that require further attention based on specific criteria. Additionally, ChatGPT can identify stylistic strengths and weaknesses, analyze the use of literary devices, and even point out potential inconsistencies in an argument’s logic. This could free up valuable educator time for student interaction and curriculum development.

However, caution against over-reliance on this new technology is adivsed in scenarios where biased or inaccurate models could unfairly impact individual students. It is essential to recognize both the potential advantages and limitations of LLMs. This blog post aims to delve into and reflect on ChatGPT’s capabilities for grading and classifying essays and to provide insights into the practical application of using ChatGPT in educational settings.

In this blog, we will explore:

• Essay grading with ChatGPT and ChatGPT API
• Steps for essay grading with ChatGPT API
• Steps for essay classification with ChatGPT API
• Cost & computation times

For steps 2 and 3, we will provide detailed instructions on how to access and set up the ChatGPT API, prepare and upload your text dataset, and efficiently grade or classify numerous essays. Additionally, we will compare the outcomes of human grading to those obtained through GPT grading.

## Essay Grading with ChatGPT and ChatGPT API

For a single essay, we can simply ask ChatGPT to grade as follows:

For multiple essays, we could request ChatGPT to grade each one individually. However, when dealing with a large number of essays (e.g., 50, 100, 1000, etc.), manually grading them in this way becomes a laborious and time-consuming task. In such cases, we can leverage the ChatGPT API service to evaluate numerous essays at once, providing greater flexibility and efficiency. ChatGPT API is a versatile tool that enables developers to integrate ChatGPT into their own applications, services, or websites. When you use the API, you also gain more control over the interaction, such as the ability to adjust temperature, maximum tokens, and the presence of system messages.

It is important to understand the distinctions between ChatGPT’s web interface and the pretrained models accessible through the OpenAI API .

ChatGPT’s web version provides a user-friendly chat interface, requiring no coding knowledge and offering features like integrated system tools. However, it is less customizable and is not designed for managing high volumes of requests. Additionally, due to its internal short-term memory span, previous conversations can influence later responses. In contrast, the OpenAI API offers pretrained models without a built-in interface, necessitating coding experience for integration. These models excel at managing large request volumes, but lack ChatGPT’s conversational memory; they process each input independently. This fundamental difference can lead to variations in the outputs generated by ChatGPT’s web interface and the OpenAI API.

Here’s an example of grading a single essay using the ChatAPI with Python:

Interestingly, this example produces a single score rather than the sentence generated above via the ChatGPT web interface. This difference could be attributed to the ChatGPT API interpreting the prompt more directly than the ChatGPT online service, even though they both use the same pretrained model. Alternatively, the variability in ChatGPT’s results might be due to inherent randomness in its responses.

By implementing a loop with multiple texts, we can acquire scores for an entire set of essays. Let’s see how to do that.

Steps for Essay Grading with ChatGPT API

Get and set up a chatgpt api key.

We assume that you have already installed the Python OpenAI library on your system and have an active OpenAI account. Setting up and obtaining access to the ChatGPT API involves the following steps:

Obtain an OpenAI key: Vist the OpenAI API website at https://platform.openai.com/api-keys and click +Create a new secret key button. Save your key securely, as you cannot regenerate the same code due to OpenAI’s security policies.

Set ip API key: In your Python script or notebook, set up the API key using the following code, replacing “YOUR-API-KEY” with your actual API key:

Load the text dataset

In this post, we will grade a series of essays about the iPad usage in schools

Score the multiple essays

Grading 50 essays takes only 25 seconds.

Compare human grading scores with GPT grading scores

For these data, we happend to have scores given by human raters as well, allowing us how similar the human scores are to the scores generated by ChatGPT.

Using the code provided in the accompanying script, we get the following:

A contigency table (confusion matrix) of the scores is:

The averages and standard deviations of human grading and GPT grading scores are 2.54 ( SD = 1.68) and 2.34 ( SD = 0.74), respectively. The correlation between them is 0.62, indicating a fairly strong positive linear relationship. Additionally, the Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) is 1.36, providing a measure of the GPT’s prediction accuracy compared to the actual human grading scores.

Steps for Essay Classification with ChatGPT API

ChatGPT can be utilized not only for scoring essays but also for classifying essays based on some categorical variable such as writers’ opinions regarding iPad usage in schools. Here are the steps to guide you through the process, assuming you already have access to the ChatGPT API and have loaded your text dataset:

Classify multiple essays

Classifying 50 essays takes only 27 seconds.

We create a new column re_Stance_iPad based on the mapping of values from the existing Stance_iPad column. Except for AFF and NEG opinions, opinions on AMB, BAL, and NAR are unclear. Therefore, AMB, BAL, and NAR are combined as OTHER.

Compare human classification with GPT classification

ChatGPT achieves an accuracy of approximately 84%, demonstrating its correctness in classification. An F1 score of 0.84, reflecting the harmonic mean of precision and recall, signifies a well-balanced performance in terms of both precision and recall. Additionally, the Cohen’s Kappa value of 0.71, which measures the agreement between predicted and actual classifications while accounting for chance, indicates substantial agreement beyond what would be expected by chance alone.

Cost & Computation times

How long does it take to assess all essays.

Grading and classifying 50 essays each took 25 and 27 seconds , resulting in a rate of about 2 essays per second.

What is the cost of assessing all essays?

In this blog, we utilized GPT-3.5-turbo-0125. According to OpenAI’s pricing page , the cost for input processing is $0.0005 per 1,000 tokens, and for output, it is $0.0015 per 1,000 tokens, indicating that the ChatGPT API charges for both tokens sent out and tokens received.

The total expenditure for grading all essays —50 assessing essay quality and 50 for essay classification—was approximately $0.01 .

What are tokens and how to count them?

Tokens can be viewed as fragments of words. When the API receives prompts, it breaks down the input into tokens. These divisions do not always align with the beginning or end of words; tokens may include spaces and even parts of words. To grasp the concept of tokens and their length equivalencies better, here are some helpful rules of thumb:

• 1 token ≈ 4 characters in English.
• 1 token ≈ ¾ of a word.
• 100 tokens ≈ 75 words.
• 1 to 2 sentences ≈ 30 tokens.
• 1 paragraph ≈ 100 tokens.
• 1,500 words ≈ 2,048 tokens.

To get additional context on how tokens are counted, consider this:

The prompt at the beginning of this blog, requesting that OpenAI grade an essay, contains 129 tokens, and the output contains 12 tokens.

The input cost is $0.0000645, and the output cost is $0.000018.

ChatGPT provides an alternative approach to essay grading. This post has delved into the practical application of ChatGPT’s natural language processing capabilities, demonstrating how it can be used for efficient and accurate essay grading, with a comparison to human grading. The flexibility of ChatGPT is particularly evident when handling large volumes of essays, making it a viable alternative tool for educators and researchers. By employing the ChatGPT API key service, the grading process becomes not only streamlined but also adaptable to varying scales, from individual essays to hundreds or even thousands.

This technology has the potential to significantly enhance the efficiency of the grading process. By automating the assessment of written work, teachers and researchers can devote more time to other critical aspects of education. However, it’s important to acknowledge the limitations of current LLMs in this context. While they can assist in grading, relying solely on LLMs for final grades could be problematic, especially if LLMs are biased or inaccurate. Such scenarios could lead to unfair outcomes for individual students, highlighting the need for human oversight in the grading process. For large scale research, where we look at always across many essays, this is less of a concern (see e.g., Mozer et al., 2023)

The guide in this blog has provided a step-by-step walkthrough of setting up and accessing the ChatGPT API essay grading.

We also explored the reliability of ChatGPT’s grading, as compared to human grading. The moderate positive correlation of 0.62 attests to same consistency between human grading and ChatGPT’s evaluations. The classification results reveal that the model achieves an accuracy of approximately 84%, and the Cohen’s Kappa value of 0.71 indicates substantial agreement beyond what would be expected by chance alone. See the related study (Kim et al., 2024) for more on this.

In essence, this comprehensive guide underscores the transformative potential of ChatGPT in essay grading, presenting it as a valuable approach in the ever-evolving educational fields. This post gives an overview; we next dig in a bit more, thinking about prompt engineering + providing examples to improve accuracy.

Writer’s Comments

The api experience: a blend of ease and challenge.

Starting your journey with the ChatGPT API will be surprisingly smooth, especially if you have some Python experience. Copying and pasting code from this blog, followed by acquiring your own ChatGPT API and tweaking prompts and datasets, might seem like a breeze. However, this simplicity masks the underlying complexity. Bumps along the road are inevitable, reminding us that “mostly” easy does not mean entirely challenge-free.

The biggest hurdle you will likely face is mastering the art of crafting effective prompts. While ChatGPT’s responses are impressive, they can also be unpredictably variable. Conducting multiple pilot runs with 5-10 essays is crucial. Experimenting with diverse prompts on the same essays can act as a stepping stone, refining your approach and building confidence for wider application.

When things click, the benefits are undeniable. Automating the grading process with ChatGPT can save considerable time. Human graders, myself included, can struggle with maintaining consistent standards across a mountain of essays. ChatGPT, on the other hand, might be more stable when grading large batches in a row.

It is crucial to acknowledge that this method is not a magic bullet. Continuous scoring is not quite there yet, and limitations still exist. But the good news is that LLMs like ChatGPT are constantly improving, and new options are emerging.

Overall Reflections: A Journey of Discovery

The exploration of the ChatGPT API can be a blend of innovation, learning, and the occasional frustration. While AI grading systems like ChatGPT are not perfect, their ability to save time and provide consistent grading scheme makes them an intriguing addition to the educational toolkit. As we explore and refine these tools, the horizon for their application in educational settings seems ever-expanding, offering a glimpse into a future where AI and human educators work together to enhance the learning experience. Who knows, maybe AI will become a valuable partner in the grading process in the future!

Call to Action

Have you experimented with using ChatGPT for grading? Share your experiences and questions in the comments below! We can all learn from each other as we explore the potential of AI in education.

• Abedi, M., Alshybani, I., Shahadat, M. R. B., & Murillo, M. (2023). Beyond Traditional Teaching: The Potential of Large Language Models and Chatbots in Graduate Engineering Education. Qeios. https://doi.org/10.32388/MD04B0
• Kim, Y., Mozer, R., Miratrix, L., & Al-Ademi, S. (2024). ChatGPT vs. Machine Learning: Assessing the Efficacy and Accuracy of Large Language Models for Automated Essay Scoring (in preparation).
• Okonkwo, C. W., & Ade-Ibijola, A. (2021). Chatbots applications in education: A systematic review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 2, 100033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2021.100033
• Pricing . (n.d.). OpenAI. Retrieved March 2, 2024, from https://openai.com/pricing#language-models
• Mozer, R., Miratrix, L., Relyea, J. E., & Kim, J. S. (2023). Combining Human and Automated Scoring Methods in Experimental Assessments of Writing: A Case Study Tutorial. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 10769986231207886. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986231207886
• Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education–where are the educators?. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0

How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Research Paper: Prompts & Ideas 

If you’re a student, you’ve probably heard of ChatGPT. This advanced AI model can handle the task of writing an entire research paper from scratch. Many scholars use the chatbot to create texts with minimum effort. However, most of the time, the results are far from impressive. Plus, students risk getting punished for unethical AI use.

But what if we told you there are ways of using ChatGPT to create excellent papers and save time on the steps that would take ages to do manually?

In this article, our experts will discuss how to use the chatbot to make research writing easier. We will also explain what to avoid and suggest what custom GPTs you may use to make the writing process more efficient.

🔍 Is ChatGPT Good for Research?

• ✍️ Limitations of ChatGPT
• 🎯 How to Use AI to Write a Research Paper
• 🤔 Aspects AI Can’t Help You With
• 🚀 Best Custom GPTs for Research
• 💡 Key Takeaways

🔗 References

In general, it’s possible to use ChatGPT as a research assistant. But the question is, for what end can you use it?

Well, if your aim is not to generate an entire paper but rather to make some of the routine writing steps easier, then using an AI tool can be ethical and permissible.

For instance, you can use ChatGPT to:

• Search for information,
• Rewrite complex ideas,
• Summarize longer texts,
• Develop research questions ,
• Create research paper abstracts,
• Generate sample outlines.

ChatGPT is very effective when it comes to handling such tasks. It’s also absolutely legal to use it for these purposes.

All you need to do is write a very clear prompt . Otherwise, the chatbot might give you an irrelevant answer. We’re going to share the most effective prompts for various research purposes in the following sections.

But first, an important disclaimer:

We’re firmly against AI cheating , and we don’t encourage it in any shape or form. That’s why this guide will talk about legal and honest ways to use AI for research assistance.

✍️ Limitations of Using ChatGPT for Research

If you decide to use the chatbot for your academic work, it’s essential to consider its limitations . This will help you focus on what AI does best and avoid trusting it with things that can ruin your research.

Here are the main limitations you want to consider:

• It’s limited by the datasets . Because ChatGPT is not trained on recent data, it has no knowledge of the most up-to-date information or findings in specific fields.
• It lacks depth . While the chatbot can effectively summarize information, it may fail to fully grasp complex theories and arguments of a research topic.
• It tends to plagiarize . When ChatGPT generates its texts, it rehashes the information from its database. So, even if a text seems original, it contains other people’s ideas.
• It struggles with contextualizing and interpreting data . The chatbot lacks the human ability to analyze and contextualize information critically. It needs guidance through concrete, well-written prompts.
• It can present incorrect answers . Sometimes, the chatbot simply lacks information in a specific research field. This leads to inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the generated content.
• It’s prone to bias . Since ChatGPT is trained on online data that often includes biased and offensive information, it can generate statements expressing bias towards specific ideas or people.
• It’s associated with cheating . Some unethical researches generate entire papers without making any real effort. If students do the same, they will be caught with the help of AI essay checkers and punished for cheating.

Even though it may be tempting, it’s best not to rely on AI too much if you want to conduct good research. You can use some of the chatbot’s functions to make the process easier, but you still have to do most of the work yourself.

🎯 How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Research Paper: Top 11 Ideas

So, do you want to know how to use ChatGPT to write a paper? If you do, look no further!

The following list of tips will explain to you how to:

• Brainstorm topics,
• Create a roadmap,
• Refine your research topic,
• Find gaps in your outline,
• Locate sources,
• Find cases to explore,
• Summarize texts,
• Analyze statistical data,
• Edit as you write,
• Create an abstract,
• Format the references.

We’ve also included examples of the most effective prompts for each research aspect. Feel free to try them out!

1. Brainstorm Topics with ChatGPT

For many students, the most challenging part of research is the beginning. Sometimes, you just don’t know what to focus on. In situations like this, ChatGPT can help you brainstorm ideas and collect information.

Let’s assume you need to write an essay about pop culture and modern art, but you need help figuring out where to start.

The first step would be to create a good prompt for the chatbot. For instance, you can phrase your request like this:

The second step will be to choose one topic from the generated list and ask ChatGPT to tell you more about it.

For instance:

You’ll get a detailed answer on the subject.

Lastly, you can use the most interesting points from the last reply to narrow down your topic even further or to get more ideas for the direction of your paper.

For example:

And now you have fresh, focused topics that you can research.

2. Use AI to Create a Roadmap

Once you’ve chosen a topic, you can use ChatGPT to create a detailed roadmap that will guide your research and help you stay on track.

As we’ve mentioned before, when you work with ChatGPT, a good prompt is the key to getting a relevant answer. This is especially true for generating outlines and roadmaps. The more detailed and clear your prompt is, the better outcome you will get.

Here’s an example of what your request might look like:

The roadmap also included suggestions for a literature review, methodology, case studies, discussion, and other essential research components. You can use all this information to create an outline. To streamline this task, try using our free research paper outline generator .

We also suggest you research the topic before using AI. That way, you’ll have a general understanding of the subject and will be able to judge the quality of the generated roadmap.

3. Refine Your Research Question with AI

Any research needs a central question. Sometimes, it may be hard to collect your thoughts and come up with an interesting issue to focus on. In this case, you can use ChatGPT to assist you.

Here’s how:

• Describe the topic of your paper clearly and concisely.
• Ask the chatbot to suggest several research questions based on your requirements.
• Choose the best one.

Your prompt can look like this:

Tip : We also recommend using our free question generator from text . It will easily turn your research idea into a question without you having to come up with elaborate prompts.

4. Ask ChatGPT to Identify Gaps in Your Outline

Suppose you’re done with the outline and have the research question, but you feel something needs to be added to it. In that case, you can use ChatGPT to identify the gaps in your research plan.

Here’s what the prompt may look like:

5. Use the Chatbot to Find Sources

Once you have completed the preparation stage, it’s time to find suitable sources and start researching.

How can ChatGPT help you with it?

Well, one way is to ask ChatGPT to create a list of references on the subject. However, this is a bad idea since you’ll only get a list of nonexistent sources vaguely related to the central theme of your research.

Instead, we suggest you ask ChatGPT to locate relevant works on separate points from your outline. This will allow you to get a comprehensive overview of diverse aspects related to your topic and not just the central theme itself.

For instance, if the topic of your paper is the semiotics of memes used in modern art, one of the points in your outline can be dedicated to the visual language in memetic social commentary. Suppose this part of your research will be about 3 pages long.

So, you can ask the chatbot the following:

One thing to note is that ChatGPT can’t provide you with internet links, so you’ll have to look for sources on your own. And while you do that, you may also come across interesting articles or get new ideas that you can use to perfect your outline.

Tip : To ensure that your text doesn’t contain any plagiarized fragments from the sources, you may run it through our free plagiarism checker . And if you need additional clarifications regarding the meaning of complicated passages, feel free to use a quote explainer .

6. Find Specific Cases to Explore

Think your research lacks depth? Try adding to it real-life cases or specific historical incidents. They will help you support your statement, better convey your ideas, and add credibility to your paper.

If you want to include an example in your paper but struggle to think of one, you can use ChatGPT to look for a specific event or real-life instance related to your topic.

Here’s what the prompt can look like:

The results also included Brazilian, South Korean, and French memes with explanations. We’d say that’s enough to create a comprehensive overview. Just make sure to fact-check the generated examples and see if they actually exist.

7. Use AI to Summarize Lengthy Sources

If you need to learn the main idea of a lengthy passage quickly, you can use ChatGPT as a summarizer. This can be especially helpful when you’re working on a literature review and need brief descriptions of your sources.

Let’s try it with an article on the semiotics of memes :

When you need a summary, it’s best to provide the chatbot with the whole text by copy-pasting it. It’s important because if you use vague prompts with only the work’s title, the tool will either refer to a nonexistent work or refuse to answer the request:

Tip : In addition to ChatGPT, try using our key points maker . It will present all the necessary information from the text in a convenient list format. And if you need to create an overview of previous research for your paper’s introduction, use our background of the study generator .

8. Analyze Statistical Data with ChatGPT

Now, what should you do if your research includes statistical data? Sometimes, it can be hard to interpret numbers and connections between them. Luckily, ChatGPT can help you analyze and organize it, isolate the most critical pieces of data, and create a comprehensive summary.

To make it work, ensure that your prompt is as detailed as possible. You will also need to include the entire dataset in it.

Here’s an example:

The chatbot can also use inferential statistics methods such as chi-square tests or ANOVA , but that would require large, concrete numbers.

Otherwise, the chatbot will get stuck repeating the same formula:

Another important thing is not to rely on AI entirely when it comes to statistical analysis. The reason is that the chatbot can overlook certain things or give biased results. In some cases, ChatGPT usage for data analysis can lead to p- hacking , which is highly unethical.

What does this mean, exactly?

Well, p-hacking is a way of misusing data to create a statistically significant result when, in fact, it doesn’t exist. This leads to false conclusions and undermines the reliability of the study. For that reason, it’s crucial to analyze the data yourself and carefully double-check the results if you decide to delegate the task to AI.

Still, ChatGPT works effectively when it is necessary to summarize data or conduct a preliminary analysis of the statistical data and make conclusions depending on the study findings.

9. Use the Chatbot to Edit as You Write

While working on your paper, you may want to improve or edit its parts. That’s another aspect where ChatGPT will come in handy.

Here’s what it can do for you:

• Simplify the language . Some people use the tool to make their text more complex and formal, but more often than not, it only makes it unreadable. Simplifying it is a much better option.
• Shorten long or complex sentences . Using short sentences will help you create a more cohesive and reader-friendly paper.
• Substitute certain words with synonyms . This is especially useful when you want to say something complicated in a few words.
• Check your grammar . It’s always a good idea to proofread your paper to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Take a look at this text:

Within the contemporary art landscape, memes are used as agents of cultural discourse, where their inherent capacity for humor and cultural resonance help address the challenges of modern society. Memes fuse visual and textual elements, which allows them transcend traditional artistic mediums, thus offering artists a dynamic platform for critiquing current socio-political events. This combination of digital vernacular and artistic expression not only blurs the boundaries between high and low culture but also reflects the evolving nature of expression in the digital age.

It sounds overcomplicated, but we can improve it with the help of Chat GPT:

Want to know more? Check out our comprehensive guide on using ChatGPT to edit essays .

Tip : We recommend listening to the text of your research paper with our essay reader tool. This will help you effectively notice any inconsistencies, difficult wording, or confusing grammar patterns.

10. Create an Abstract with AI

When you’re done with the bulk of your research and have little time to work on your abstract, ChatGPT can be a real lifesaver.

Copying and pasting the whole paper into the chatbot may not be the best idea since the AI can miss important information and not include it in the abstract. Instead, it’s best to ask the tool to create short summaries for each section of your work.

What you need to do is start a new chat and use the following prompt with each portion of your text:

After that, you simply combine the summaries to create an abstract. You use ChatGPT to help you structure it with this prompt:

Note that the generated abstract contains phrases typical for ChatGPT, like “delves into.” If your professor decides to check such a text for AI, it will most probably be marked as suspicious. That’s why it is not a good idea to submit it as it is. Consider rewriting such an abstract manually or using an AI humanizer to quickly add a human touch.

Tip : Another easy way to create an abstract is to use our free online abstract generator .

11. Use ChatGPT to Format Your References

Creating a list of references is an essential part of any research. It’s also one of its most challenging and time-consuming aspects. After all, each formatting style has numerous specific characteristics that can easily get confused.

ChatGPT can save your time and help avoid unnecessary mistakes while citing the sources. The most important thing is not to ask the AI tool to generate references from scratch.

Instead, we recommend you find all the necessary data for the references yourself. Then, manually input these data into ChatGPT and ask it to create a reference for you. That way, you’ll ensure everything is formatted correctly and avoid citing nonexistent works in your paper.

🤔 Research Aspects AI Can’t Help You With

The list of research aspects ChatGPT can help you with may look very impressive, but don’t let it fool you! There are still plenty of things that shouldn’t be entrusted to AI tools . It’s essential to know about them since ChatGPT can easily make its users overestimate its abilities regarding research, writing, and editing.

Let’s see why you shouldn’t trust AI with the following:

• Experimental design and methodology,
• Moral reasoning,
• In-depth data analysis,
• Comprehensive literature review,
• Peer review and personalized guidance.

Experimental Design & Methodology

ChatGPT can do many things, but it still lacks the nuanced understanding and the expertise to design experiments and choose the correct methodology. The chatbot can suggest some general ideas or set the direction for your research, but you’ll have to work on your own to achieve the most accurate results.

Moral Reasoning

AI tools like ChatGPT lack moral reasoning and ethical judgment. They can write about ethical principles if you ask them to, but they don’t know how to apply these principles in their writing.

When you work on your research, considering small nuances and adhering to guidelines is very important, especially if your paper involves human subjects. For that reason, you have to rely on yourself to navigate ethical issues in your research.

In-Depth Data Analysis

To analyze or interpret the research data, you need to be well-versed in the subject of your study. While AI models work with a vast amount of data, they still lack in-depth information in certain study fields.

ChatGPT can be helpful if you want to analyze a small amount of data, but for more detailed and nuanced conclusions, it’s best to rely on yourself.

Comprehensive Literature Review

You can use ChatGPT to generate small summaries and lay the basis for your literature review. However, to make your research work, you’ll need an in-depth analysis that discusses the source’s relevance, credibility, and importance in the context of your research. This task is something ChatGPT can’t handle.

Peer Review & Personalized Guidance

Collaboration with other researchers in the same field is a chance to improve your knowledge, learn more about different perspectives, and receive valuable feedback. Surely, ChatGPT can check your paper for mistakes and evaluate it, but it can never replace a real peer review.

Remember to refrain from delegating these aspects to AI. This will help you avoid problems and make the most out of your research experience.

🚀 Use ChatGPT for Research Effectively with Custom GPTs

For a more effective AI-assisted writing process, we suggest you use custom models designed for specific research areas. Check out the best GPTs that can serve as your personal assistants.

Note : To use these custom models, you need a subscription to ChatGPT Plus. For $20 a month, you will access the most advanced LLM to date and enjoy many additional functions.

• SciSpace GPT . With this handy tool, you’ll have access to over 200 million academic articles right at your fingertips. SciSpace will give an accurate response to any scientific question and provide digestible summaries of research papers for a deeper study.
• Consensus . You can use this custom GPT to get an evidence-based answer to your question and conduct an in-depth literature search. Besides, Consensus can give you a proper bibliography list in the APA format.
• Scholar GPT . With this AI model, you can research millions of academic sources quickly and efficiently. Feel free to ask it for graphics, charts, and even real-time updates. It will also help you with problem-solving and NLP tasks.
• Research-Paper Analyzer . Want to have access to simplified summaries of complicated research papers? Try this GPT. It instantly extracts the main points of a study to facilitate easy comprehension. It can also analyze the credibility and relevance of a chosen paper.
• Academic Research Reviewer . Working with this GPT is like having a seasoned professor to help you refine your research paper. It will examine the depth of your literature review, underline the strengths and weaknesses of your paper, highlight gaps, and suggest areas for further research.
• PubMed Buddy . This GPT allows you to search for information in PubMed and UnPaywall databases. With PubMed Buddy, you’ll avoid going through countless irrelevant studies and have more time to spend on the more exciting research aspects.
• Chemistry Lab Partner . Get specific help on difficult chemistry questions with this tool. Analyzing data and explaining concepts are not the only functions of Chemistry Lab Partner. It can also assist with your lab work and even enable virtual experiments.
• Graduate Level Physics GPT . Try this custom GPT to make the advanced physics more understandable. It’s a practical tool that breaks complicated topics into brief and digestible explanations. Besides, it assists with physics problems and research.
• Physics Tutor . Do physics concepts seem too complex and intimidating to you? This GPT is here to sort things out. It will give simple and clear explanations understandable to physics students and laypeople who are just curious about how this world works.
• Math Expert . Working with this GPT is like having a helpful math tutor available anytime. It not only gives you a correct solution to any problem or equation but also provides a step-by-step explanation of how to get there.

💡 How to Use ChatGPT for Research: Key Takeaways

ChatGPT is a smart and helpful tool that can help you simplify some of the steps of your research process. You can use it to:

• Look for fresh and exciting topics,
• Create roadmaps,
• Find sources,
• Find real-life examples,
• Create research questions,
• Identify gaps in your outline,
• Analyze statistics,
• Edit your writing,
• Create abstracts,

One thing to remember is that relying on yourself is always a better option. Even though AI can save you lots of time, it still lacks ethical judgment, critical thinking, and expert knowledge in your field. If you decide to use ChatGPT in your research, make sure to double-check everything it produces and never use generated replies in your texts.

We hope you’ve found this article helpful and learned something new. Now, you know how to use ChatgGPT ethically, so you don’t have to worry about being caught. We suggest you check out your school’s guidelines before using the chatbot. Feel free to share your experiences working with AI tools in the comments below!

Want to know more about using ChatGPT in your studies? Check out our in-depth articles with tips on how to generate longer essays and make AI texts undetectable .

• How to Use ChatGPT to Do Research for Papers, Presentations, Studies, and More: ZDNet
• Three Ways to Leverage ChatGPT and Other Generative AI in Research: Times Higher Education
• The Top 10 Limitations of ChatGPT – Forbes
• Top 10 Drawbacks of Using ChatGPT in Academics: Analytics Insight
• The Best Custom GPTs to Make ChatGPT Even More Powerful: Digital Trends
• How to Use ChatGPT for Research and Essays: MakeUseOf
• Increase Your Creativity with ChatGPT – Psychology Today
• How Can I Use ChatGPT in My Research Work?: GitHub
• How to Use ChatGPT as a Research Tool: LinkedIn
• The Best AI Tools to Power Your Academic Research: Euronews
• ChatGPT and Fake Citations: Duke University
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How to use Chat GPT to Write an Essay

Florencia basavilbaso.

• Best Apps And Tools , Writing Tips

Content Writer At Gradehacker

• February, 2023

If you want to speed up the essay-writing process with AI, here you’ll learn which are the basic tips you need to know to write an essay with Chat GPT.

How to Write an Essay With Chat GPT

To write an essay with Chat GPT, these are the four basic tips you need to know:

• Edit and refine the generated text
• Write a clear and concise prompt
• Take time to learn about Chat GPT
• Add your own thoughts to make it personal

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By now, you’ve probably heard about Chat GPT; an amazing AI that can (almost) write original content as if it was a real human being. So, now you are wondering how to use Chat GPT to write an essay. 

For that, we created this blog to guide you through each step so you can take all the benefits this platform has for you and use it in your favor.

Here at Gradehacker , we’ve been years dedicated to helping and improving non-traditional student’s life in multiple ways! Besides assisting them with their classes and essays , we are the most trusted resource for valuable information and tips that can change the way you work!

And today, we introduce you to Chat GPT !

This AI can help you write a college essay quickly and efficiently. If you want to know how to use chat GPT to write an essay, learn what are its pros and cons, and incorporate the best tips to change how you approach your essays, you are in the right place! 

Let’s start!

What is Chat GPT?

First, we’ll address some basics here. Let’s talk about what this platform is and what it can do for you!

ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a natural language processing technology that uses artificial intelligence to generate text based on a prompt. It can be used to generate ideas, structure sentences, and even create entire essays.

This computer program was created by the artificial intelligence research laboratory OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022. It is still a pretty new platform and has a lot to improve, but it also has several advantages that can do more good than bad for you!

It is free to the public, but we recommend taking advantage of their free service as long as you can because it was created with the intention of monetizing the service in the future.

Meaning, Chat GPT won’t continue being free for too long.

Another interesting fact is that the service works best in English but is also able to function in some other languages.

What Can You Use Chat GPT For?

So, after reading what Chat GPT is, you are probably wondering what you can use it for.

Programs like this one which can generate text based on a prompt, are good for:

• When you want to save time and don't feel inspired to write
• Don't know how to continue what you started
• Getting ideas
• Start a project

We always recommend checking and editing the text because it’s not always accurate , and the information is often wrong, especially when it comes to dates, rates, or anything very specific.

But of course, there are other ways you can use Chat GPT. 

It can help you create a title for your essay topics, text for an announcement or copywriting, an article, or what you came for: an essay!

And that leads us to the main question: how do we use it?

How to Use Chat GPT to Write an Essay

If this AI is appropriately used, it can become the saver you’ve been yearning for. 

In short, to write an essay with Chat GPT, you need to follow this process:

2) Put a command 

3) Change the command until you get the desired outcome

Now let’s see how it works.

To start, let’s go to Chat GPT website and press where it says “ Try Chat GPT “

Once we log in, at the bottom of the page you’ll find a text box where you will need to write a command. This could be the title of the essay, a topic sentence, or even a few keywords. 

After providing the prompt, Chat GPT will generate text based on it.

The text will come out as a number of items containing specific ideas about the topic we asked for.  

Then, as a new command, you can ask Chat GPT to expand on the previous information.

Because Chat GPT remembers the previous information generated, you can also ask it to write more information from a specific item. In order to do that, you can go where you wrote your first command and, this time, put something like: “write essay line (or paragraph) about (item number).” 

You can also command multiple things at once , for example: “write an essay introduction with heading about item 7,”  or you can even command to do it for every item.

You can then edit and refine the generated text to make your essay unique and give it a personal touch as it would be with human writing.

Do you need a step-by-step tutorial on how to write an essay with Chat GPT?

If you want to use Chat GPT to write an entire essay from scratch , you can read our entire experience or check out our videos!

Pros and Cons of Using Chat GPT

As with any technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using Chat GPT.

Pros of Chat GPT

On the plus side, we can say that:

• It is much faster than traditional writing methods, and it can save you time and effort when writing an essay
• It can help you come up with ideas to get started on a project and structure your essay in a more organized way
• Reduces the need for research , as it can generate text based on the prompt without any additional input.
• It can provide you with information that is relevant to your topic
• It can help you refine and edit your text to make it unique

Cons of Chat GPT

But we know that Chat GPT is not perfect, so on the downside, it is essential to note that:

• Sometimes it can generate text that is not accurate , has incorrect premises, and is irrelevant to the prompt
• It can be challenging to use if you are not familiar with natural language processing technology
• You may have difficulty editing and refining the generated text to make it unique and personal
• It could end up being time-consuming if you don't know how to use the platform correctly
• Because it is trained on data, it may contain inherent biases, and this can be reflected in the outputted text

It is important to be aware of the potential for bias when using Chat GPT to generate essays , as this could lead to inaccurate or offensive results.

Also, be aware of the possibility of plagiarism when using it, as this could lead to serious consequences. Taking the time to check for plagiarism before submitting a written essay is essential to ensure its originality and accuracy.

And to save yourself from falling into those situations, be sure to read our blog post on how to avoid unintentional plagiarism.

How to Avoid Plagiarism When Using Chat GPT

To avoid plagiarism when using Chat GPT to write an essay, it is critical to double-check any generated content before submitting it. Using a reliable plagiarism checker is also helpful to ensure the content is entirely original.

These are some plagiarism software you can use:

If you want to know how these platforms work, check our video, where we’ll show you what they do, why they’re useful, and why they’re better than the rest.

Chat GPT Plus

One of the biggest problems with Chat GPT is that it might not always be available to use.

Many times, when we go to the website, what can happen is that there are a lot of people using it, which will create high traffic. When that happens, it will appear on the screen a text that says:

“ChatGPT is at capacity right now. Get notified when we’re back .” 

There, you can click on get notified, put your email address, and wait until the traffic slows down.

But if you don’t want to deal with waiting to be notified, there is an alternative choice: subscribe to  Chat GPT Plus.

By subscribing, you’ll gain:

• Access to ChatGPT at all times, even during the busiest periods
• Faster response times
• Priority access to new features and improvements

The subscription has a price of $20 per month and is only available for customers in the United States.

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Tips for Using Chat GPT

If you decide to use Chat GPT to write your essay, there are a few tips that can help you get the most out of it.

• Provide a clear and concise prompt: This will help Chat GPT generate the most accurate and relevant text.
• Edit, add your own thoughts, and refine the generated text to make it unique and personal
• If you are not familiar with natural language processing technology, take some time to learn about it before using Chat GPT

These tips will make a difference in your work, especially for those long essays where you need to do a lot of research. 

Knowing how to write a research paper or an argumentative essay is highly necessary and essential for a college student, even if you have Chat GPT helping you throughout the process, so in case you are unsure or need to refresh that, check out our video about it! 

Make Your Writing Stand Out When Using Chat GPT to Write an Essay

With our tips and guidance on how to make your essays stand out when using Chat GPT and the potential pitfalls to avoid, you’ll be in a great position to produce high-quality essays.

On the other side, you may like to know that here at Gradehacker, we offer college essays , classes and degree help services to help students like you reach their highest potential.

To check more helpful information, check our blogs:

What You Need For Your College Research Paper Outline

5 Common Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Best AI to Write Essays

Best Apps For Writing 2024 | Boost Your Writing Skills

How Much Does it Cost to Write My Essay?

Write an Essay From Scratch With Chat GPT: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Florencia Basavilbaso is a content creator passioned for writing, music, films, and the arts. At Gradehacker, she helps to improve non-traditional students life’s by finding and providing the most useful information, so they can always progress. You can find her on LinkedIn .

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• How to Write an Essay with ChatGPT | Tips & Examples

How to Write an Essay with ChatGPT | Tips & Examples

Published on 26 June 2023 by Koen Driessen .

Passing off AI-generated text as your own work is widely considered plagiarism. However, when used correctly, generative AI tools like ChatGPT can legitimately help guide your writing process.

These tools are especially helpful in the preparation and revision stages of your essay writing.

You can use ChatGPT to:

• Write a research question
• Develop an outline
• Find relevant source information
• Summarise or paraphrase text
• Get feedback

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Table of contents

Writing a research question, developing an outline, finding source recommendations, summarising/paraphrasing text, getting feedback, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions.

You can use ChatGPT to brainstorm potential research questions or to narrow down your thesis statement . Begin by inputting a description of the research topic or assigned question. Then include a prompt like “Write 3 possible research questions on this topic”.

You can make the prompt as specific as you like. For example, you can include the writing level (e.g., high school essay, college essay), perspective (e.g., first person) and the type of essay you intend to write (e.g., argumentative , descriptive , expository , or narrative ).

You can also mention any facts or viewpoints you’ve gathered that should be incorporated into the output.

If the output doesn’t suit your topic, you can click “Regenerate response” to have the tool generate a new response. You can do this as many times as you like, and you can try making your prompt more specific if you struggle to get the results you want.

Example: Using ChatGPT to write a research question

• Generate three possible research questions for an argumentative high school essay on the following topic: “The long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
• To what extent has the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated existing social inequalities and what measures can be taken to address these disparities in the long term?
• How has the Covid-19 pandemic transformed education systems, and what are the potential long-term implications for students’ learning outcomes and educational equity?
• What lessons can be learned from the Covid-19 pandemic to enhance global preparedness and response to future public health crises, and how can these lessons be effectively implemented in the long term?
• Based on the second question, develop three further research questions with a specific focus on distance learning.
• What are the long-term effects of widespread adoption of distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic on students’ academic performance, motivation, and overall educational outcomes?
• How has the shift to distance learning impacted the social and emotional well-being of students, and what strategies can be implemented to address any negative consequences in the long term?
• What are the key factors that contribute to the success of distance learning programs, and how can educational institutions and policymakers ensure equitable access to quality education in the long term, especially for marginalized and underserved student populations?

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Once you’ve decided on a research question, you can use ChatGPT to develop an essay outline . This can help keep you on track by giving you a clear idea of what topics you want to discuss and in what order.

Do this by prompting ChatGPT to create an outline for a specific research question, mentioning any topics or points you want to discuss. You can also mention the writing level and the intended length of your essay so that the tool generates an appropriate outline.

You can then refine this by further prompting ChatGPT or editing the outline manually until it meets your requirements.

Examples: Using ChatGPT to generate an essay outline

• Develop an outline for an argumentative high school essay with the following research question: “What are the long-term effects of widespread adoption of distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic on students’ academic performance and overall educational outcomes?”The essay will be about 4 pages long.
• Background information on the Covid-19 pandemic and the shift to distance learning
• Thesis statement: The widespread adoption of distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic has had both positive and negative long-term effects on students’ academic performance and overall educational outcomes.
• Increased flexibility and personalized learning opportunities
• Access to a wider range of resources and educational materials
• Development of self-directed learning skills
• Critiques and limitations of previous studies
• Lack of face-to-face interaction and reduced social engagement
• Increased potential for distractions and lack of structure
• Technological barriers and unequal access to resources
• Examination of studies and data on academic achievement during distance learning
• Analysis of long-term effects on educational attainment and future opportunities
• Discussion of potential implications for college admissions and career readiness
• Strategies for promoting student engagement and motivation in distance learning
• Importance of teacher-student communication and support
• Addressing technological disparities and ensuring equitable access to resources
• Recap of the main points discussed
• Emphasize the need for further research and long-term planning to optimize distance learning experiences
• Restate the thesis and provide a final thought on the potential long-term effects of distance learning on students’ academic performance and overall educational outcomes

Once you know the scope of your essay, you can find relevant primary and secondary sources to support your argument.

However, we don’t recommend prompting ChatGPT to generate a list of sources as it occasionally makes mistakes (like listing nonexistent sources). Instead, it’s a good idea to use ChatGPT to get suggestions for the types of sources relevant to your essay and track them down using a credible research database or your institution’s library.

When you have found relevant sources, use a specialised tool like the Scribbr Citation Generator to cite them in your essay.

Example: Using ChatGPT to find sources

• What types of sources can I use to write an essay on the following research question?”What are the long-term effects of widespread adoption of distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic on students’ academic performance and overall educational outcomes?”
• Academic Journals and Research Articles: Look for scholarly articles and research studies published in peer-reviewed academic journals. These sources often provide in-depth analysis, empirical evidence, and statistical data on the long-term effects of distance learning.
• Educational and Government Reports: Reports published by educational institutions, government agencies, or educational organizations can offer valuable insights into the impact of distance learning on academic performance and educational outcomes. These reports may include surveys, case studies, and data analysis specific to the Covid-19 pandemic and distance learning.
• Official Websites and Publications: Explore the official websites of educational institutions, education ministries, or educational technology companies. They often publish articles, white papers, or research findings related to distance learning and its effects on students’ academic performance.
• Expert Interviews or Opinion Pieces: Seek out interviews or opinion pieces from experts in the field of education, distance learning, or pedagogy. These sources can provide valuable perspectives and insights on the long-term effects of distance learning on students’ educational outcomes.
• Online Databases and Digital Libraries: Utilize online databases and digital libraries such as JSTOR, Google Scholar, or academic databases provided by your educational institution. These platforms offer a wide range of scholarly articles, research papers, and publications that can support your arguments.
• Surveys and Studies Conducted by Educational Institutions: Some schools or universities may have conducted their own surveys or studies to evaluate the impact of distance learning on students. Check if your educational institution has published any research findings or survey results that are relevant to your topic.

During your writing process, you can use ChatGPT as a summarising tool to condense text to its essential ideas or as a paraphraser to rephrase text in clear, accessible language. Using ChatGPT in these ways can help you to understand complex material, express your own ideas more clearly, and avoid repetition.

Simply input the relevant text and prompt the tool to summarise or paraphrase it. Alternatively, you can use Scribbr’s free text summariser and Scribbr’s free paraphrasing tool , which are specifically designed for these purposes.

Example: Using ChatGPT to summarise/paraphrase

• Paraphrase the following text using clear language:”Engaging in an extensive examination of the intricate interplay between remote instructional methods and academic achievement necessitates consideration of diverse factors, including the pedagogical efficacy of virtual platforms, the socioemotional ramifications of reduced face-to-face interactions, the equitable accessibility of technological resources, and the potential long-lasting implications for students’ educational trajectories and future opportunities.”
• To thoroughly explore the connection between remote teaching methods and academic success, it is crucial to take into account various factors. These factors include evaluating how well virtual platforms support effective teaching, understanding the impact of limited in-person interactions on students’ emotional well-being, ensuring fair access to technology resources, and recognizing the potential long-term effects on students’ educational paths and future prospects.

Once you’ve written your essay, you can prompt ChatGPT to provide feedback and recommend improvements.

You can indicate how the tool should provide feedback (e.g., “Act like a university professor examining papers”) and include the specific points you want to receive feedback on (e.g., consistency of tone, clarity of argument, appropriateness of evidence).

While this is not an adequate substitute for an experienced academic supervisor, it can help you with quick preliminary feedback.

You can also use ChatGPT to check grammar mistakes. However, ChatGPT sometimes misses errors and on rare occasions may even introduce new grammatical mistakes. We suggest using a tool like Scribbr’s free grammar checker , which is designed specifically for this purpose. Or, for more in-depth feedback, try Scribbr’s proofreading and editing service .

Example: Using ChatGPT for feedback

• Feedback the above text with regard to consistency of tone, clarity of argument, appropriateness of evidence, and coherence of structure.
• Clarity of Argument: The argument could be further clarified by explicitly connecting the discussed factors to their impact on academic performance. For example, explicitly stating how the proficiency of virtual platforms and equitable access to technology affect academic performance would strengthen the clarity of the argument.
• Appropriateness of Evidence: The evidence provided is generally appropriate and relevant. To enhance the strength of the evidence, consider incorporating specific examples, research studies, or statistics that directly support the discussed factors and their impact on academic performance. This would provide stronger evidence for the claims made.
• Coherence of Structure: The structure of the text is coherent, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs addressing different factors, and a conclusion. To improve coherence, consider adding transitional phrases or sentences at the beginning or end of paragraphs to facilitate the smooth flow of ideas between paragraphs. This would enhance the overall structure and make it easier for the reader to follow the argument.

Overall, the text demonstrates a consistent tone, a clear argument, appropriate evidence, and a coherent structure. Clarifying the argument by explicitly connecting the factors to their impact, incorporating stronger evidence, and adding transitional phrases for better coherence would further enhance the text’s effectiveness. Note Passing off AI-generated text as your own work is generally considered plagiarism (or at least academic dishonesty ) and may result in an automatic fail and other negative consequences . AI detectors may be used to detect this offence.

If you want more tips on using AI tools , understanding plagiarism , and citing sources , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations, examples, and formats.

• Citing ChatGPT
• Best grammar checker
• Best paraphrasing tool
• ChatGPT in your studies
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Best plagiarism checker

Citing sources

• Citation styles
• In-text citation
• Citation examples
• Annotated bibliography

Yes, you can use ChatGPT to summarise text . This can help you understand complex information more easily, summarise the central argument of your own paper, or clarify your research question.

You can also use Scribbr’s free text summariser , which is designed specifically for this purpose.

Yes, you can use ChatGPT to paraphrase text to help you express your ideas more clearly, explore different ways of phrasing your arguments, and avoid repetition.

However, it’s not specifically designed for this purpose. We recommend using a specialised tool like Scribbr’s free paraphrasing tool , which will provide a smoother user experience.

Using AI writing tools (like ChatGPT ) to write your essay is usually considered plagiarism and may result in penalisation, unless it is allowed by your university. Text generated by AI tools is based on existing texts and therefore cannot provide unique insights. Furthermore, these outputs sometimes contain factual inaccuracies or grammar mistakes.

However, AI writing tools can be used effectively as a source of feedback and inspiration for your writing (e.g., to generate research questions ). Other AI tools, like grammar checkers, can help identify and eliminate grammar and punctuation mistakes to enhance your writing.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Driessen, K. (2023, June 26). How to Write an Essay with ChatGPT | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 3 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/using-ai-tools/chatgpt-essays/

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• Knowledge Base

Using AI tools

How to use ChatGPT in your studies

Translated on February 13, 2023 by Tegan George. Originally published by Tobias Solis

ChatGPT is a chatbot developed by OpenAI in November of 2022. Chatbots are computer programs that simulate human interactions via artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP). ChatGPT has quickly become popular with students due to its ability to help answer many academic questions.

You can use ChatGPT in the following areas of your studies:

• Exam preparation
• Homework assignments
• Getting a simple topic explained
• Academic writing

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Table of contents

Chatgpt for exam preparation, using chatgpt for homework assignments, chatgpt for explaining simple topics, chatgpt for academic writing, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about chatgpt.

You can use ChatGPT to prepare for exams by creating:

• easy-to-understand summaries
• multiple choice questions

How to create easy-to-understand summaries

ChatGPT can help you summarize or paraphrase text in an easy-to-understand way. This can simplify and rephrase complicated topics to help you understand them in layman’s terms.

Simply copy the text into the chat section by section and ask it to summarize/paraphrase.

Alternatively, you can use Scribbr’s free text summarizer  and  Scribbr’s free paraphrasing tool , which are specifically designed for these purposes.

Input: Please summarize the following text in a way that is easy to understand:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Multiple-choice questions

You can use ChatGPT to create multiple-choice questions for your study material. This can help you test your level of knowledge.

To do this, ask ChatGPT to create multiple-choice questions for a block of text.

ChatGPT result: Here is a practice test with 4 multiple-choice questions about A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, along with their answers:

Who is the protagonist in A Tale of Two Cities?

a) Charles Darnay b) Sydney Carton c) Charles Dickens d) Jarvis Lorry

What is the central theme of A Tale of Two Cities?

a) Love b) Redemption c) The French Revolution d) Poverty

Who is the villain in A Tale of Two Cities?

a) Charles Darnay b) Sydney Carton c) Madame Defarge d) Jarvis Lorry

What is the setting of A Tale of Two Cities?

a) England b) France c) America d) Australia

Check for common mistakes

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You can also use ChatGPT to help you with your homework, for topics such as:

• Computer science
• Business administration

To do this, generate first draft solutions for the tasks given to you, and then improve them.

ChatGPT for computer science homework

For example, you can work on tasks from technical courses, such as computer science.

ChatGPT result: Here is one way to write a program in Python to calculate the sum of all numbers from 1 to N:

n = int(input(“Enter a positive integer: “)) sum = 0 for i in range(1, n+1): sum += i print(“The sum of all numbers from 1 to”, n, “is”, sum)

In this program, the user is prompted to enter a positive integer n. The variable sum is initialized to 0 and then we use a for loop to iterate from 1 to n (inclusive), adding each number to the sum. Finally, the result is printed to the screen.

ChatGPT for homework in business administration

You can also request assistance on your coursework related to economics or business administration.

Please solve the following task: The following data is given for planning the ordering policy of a material type in an industrial company:

Planning period: 180 days Total requirement: 30,000 ME Cost price: 30 GE/MU Order cost rate: 200 GE Storage cost rate: 1.50 GE/ME (related to the planning period) Interest rate: 5% (related to the planning period)

Determine the optimal order quantity, the optimal order frequency and storage range as well as the costs resulting from the optimal ordering policy as the sum of order costs and storage costs (including capital commitment costs).*

ChatGPT result:

The optimal order quantity, order frequency, and storage range can be determined using the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) model. The EOQ model balances the trade-off between ordering costs and holding costs.

Ordering costs are the costs incurred each time an order is placed, and holding costs are the costs associated with holding inventory in stock over the planning period.

The EOQ model is calculated using the following formula:

EOQ = √(2DS/H)

Where: D = Total requirement (30,000 ME) S = Order cost rate (200 GE) H = Holding cost rate (1.5 GE/ME)

Plugging in the values: EOQ = √(2 * 30,000 * 200 / 1.5) = √(12,000,000) = 3464.16 ME

The optimal order quantity is approximately 3464.16 ME.

The order frequency can be calculated as the total requirement divided by the EOQ: Order frequency = Total requirement / EOQ = 30,000 / 3464.16 = 8.68 orders

The optimal order frequency is approximately 8.68 orders.

The storage range can be calculated as the EOQ divided by 2: Storage range = EOQ / 2 = 3464.16 / 2 = 1732.08 ME

The optimal storage range is approximately 1732.08 ME.

The costs resulting from the optimal ordering policy can be calculated as the sum of the order costs and holding costs.

Order costs = Order frequency * Order cost rate = 8.68 * 200 = 1736 GE Holding costs = (EOQ / 2) * Holding cost rate * planning period = (3464.16 / 2) * 1.5 * 180 = 126,601.76 GE Capital commitment costs = (EOQ / 2) * Interest rate * Cost price = (3464.16 / 2) * 0.05 * 30 = 523.25 GE Total costs = Order costs + Holding costs + Capital commitment costs = 1736 + 126,601.76 + 523.25 = 127,861.01 GE

*This task was taken from a document published by Prof. Dr. Kay Blaufus.

Note that ChatGPT sometimes makes mistakes, and it is always best to double-check if something it presents to you is correct.

You can get explanations on simple or definitional topics from your studies from ChatGPT as well.

Input: chemistry What are the main concepts of thermodynamics and their applications?

Input: English What is a phrasal verb and how is it used?

Input: history How has European colonial rule evolved throughout history?

Input: computer science How do operating systems work and what are their main uses?

Input: philosophy What are the most important concepts in the history of philosophy and how are they relevant in today’s world?

Input: psychology What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and how is it used?

You can also use ChatGPT to help you organize your academic essays and theses or dissertations . It can help to optimize your writing process in the following areas:

• development of your research question
• creating your research paper outline
• generating ideas for your literature review
• providing suggestions for rewriting or revising your text
• providing feedback on your writing
• proofreading your writing for spelling or grammar errors (you can also use a more specialized tool like Scribbr’s free grammar checker )

To learn more about how to use AI tools effectively, see our AI writing resources page.

Don't submit your assignments before you do this

The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included.

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If you want more tips on using AI tools , understanding plagiarism , and citing sources , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations, examples, and formats.

• Citing ChatGPT
• Best grammar checker
• Best paraphrasing tool
• ChatGPT in your studies
• Deep learning
• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Best plagiarism checker

Citing sources

• Citation styles
• In-text citation
• Citation examples
• Annotated bibliography

You should not trust ChatGPT’s results unconditionally. While you can use ChatGPT during your studies to clarify questions, you should always double-check the answers you receive against other credible sources , as it doesn’t always give correct information. Don’t cite ChatGPT as a source of factual information.

Yes, ChatGPT is able to create code in different programming languages like Python, Java and C++.

There are several ways you can use ChatGPT in your studies , such as if programming is part of your bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

George, T. (2023, February 13). How to use ChatGPT in your studies. Scribbr. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/ai-tools/using-chatgpt-in-your-studies/

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20+ Best ChatGPT Prompts For Writing Efficiently

If you’ve ever stared at a blank page, you know how daunting writing can be. This is especially true for SEO writing, which requires both creativity and technical know-how. Fortunately, the best AI content writing tools like ChatGPT can help you overcome writer's block and create content that ranks. Using the proper ChatGPT prompts for writing, you can unlock the full potential of this artificial intelligence.  In this guide, we’ll explore the best ChatGPT prompts for SEO content writing to help you get started and make the process easier. These prompts will help you get organized, generate exciting ideas for your blogs or articles, and assist you in crafting the actual content. 

Can ChatGPT Help With Writing?

Generate Ideas with ChatGPT 

Before writing an essay, you need to flesh out the idea. When professors assign essays, they give students a prompt that gives them leeway for self-expression and analysis.  As a result, students can find the angle to approach the essay independently. If you have written an essay recently, you know that finding the angle is often the trickiest part, and this is where ChatGPT can help.  All you need to do is input the assignment topic, include as much detail as you'd like, such as what you're thinking about covering, and let ChatGPT do the rest.  For example, based on a paper prompt I had in college, Can you help me develop a topic idea for this assignment, "You will write a research paper or case study on a leadership topic of your choice." I would like it to include Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid and possibly a historical figure.  Within seconds, the chatbot produced a response that provided me with the essay's title, options of historical figures on which to focus my article, insight into what information I could include in my paper, and specific examples of a case study I could use. 

Create a Paper Outline Using ChatGPT 

Once you have a solid topic, it’s time to start brainstorming what you want to include in the essay. I always create an outline to facilitate the writing process, including all the points I want to discuss in my essay. However, the outline-writing process is usually tedious.  With ChatGPT, all you have to do is ask it to write the outline for you. Using the topic that ChatGPT helped me generate in step one, I asked the chatbot to write me an outline by saying: Can you create an outline for a paper, "Examining the Leadership Style of Abraham Lincoln through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid."  After a few seconds, the chatbot produced a holistic outline divided into seven sections, with three points under each section. This outline is thorough and can be condensed for a shorter essay or elaborated on for a longer paper. If you don’t like something or want to tweak the outline further, you can do so manually or with more instructions to ChatGPT. If you wish ChatGPT to include links and sources throughout, you can ask it to, and it will regenerate the answer using its web-browsing feature, further expediting your essay-writing process. 

Find Sources with ChatGPT  

Now that you know exactly what you want to write, it’s time to find reputable sources for your information. If you don’t know where to start, you can ask ChatGPT. All you need to do is ask the AI to find sources for your essay topic. The biggest thing to remember is to include the type of source you want, whether web pages, books, PDFs, research, papers, etc.  The specifics are necessary because when you specify web pages, ChatGPT will activate the web browsing feature and include web links in its article. If you use a very general prompt, however, it will likely default to generating its answer from its database, which isn’t up to date. For example, I asked, "Examining the Leadership Style of Abraham Lincoln through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid."  The chatbot outputs links, accessible right at the top of the answer under the drop-down that says "Searched  of sites." Then, within the response, it will answer your prompt conversationally, including sources with site names and links in parathesis. 

Write an Essay Using ChatGPT 

It is worth noting that if you take the text directly from the chatbot and submit it, your work could be considered plagiarism since it is not your original work as with any information taken from another source, text generated by an AI should be identified, and credited to the chatbot in your work. In most educational institutions, the penalties for plagiarism are severe, ranging from a failing grade to expulsion from the school.  A better use of ChatGPT's writing features would be to create a sample essay to guide your writing.  If you still want ChatGPT to create an essay from scratch, enter the topic and the desired length. For example, I have included the following text: Can you write a five-paragraph essay on the subject, "Examining the Leadership Style of Abraham Lincoln through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid?" Within seconds, the chatbot gave the exact output I required: a coherent, five-paragraph essay on the topic. You could then use that text to guide your writing.  At this point, it’s worth remembering how tools like ChatGPT work: they put words together in a form that they think is statistically valid, but they don’t know if what they say is true or accurate. As a result, the output you receive might include invented facts, details, or other oddities. The output might be a helpful starting point for your work but don’t expect it to be accurate. Always double-check the content. 

Co-Edit Your Essay with ChatGPT  

Once you’ve written your essay, you can edit the piece using ChatGPT’s advanced writing capabilities. You can simply tell the chatbot what you want it to edit. For example, I asked ChatGPT to edit our five-paragraph essay for structure and grammar, but other options could have included flow, tone, and more. Once you request the tool to edit your essay, it will prompt you to paste your text into the chatbot.  ChatGPT will then output your essay with corrections made. This feature is handy because ChatGPT edits your essay more thoroughly than an essential proofreading tool, as it goes beyond simply checking spelling. You can also co-edit with the chatbot, asking it to review a specific paragraph or sentence and rewrite or fix the text for clarity. This feature is beneficial.

What Is A ChatGPT Prompt?

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Chatgpt Prompts For Writing

How To Prompt ChatGPT To Write Like A Professional?

Talk to ai like it's your coworker.

When using ChatGPT , consider it a colleague or teammate who can assist you with brainstorming and writing. So, don't just program it with a few commands to get going. Instead, have a conversation with it. Start by asking it to write on a specific topic or give a summary or bullet points about something. Then, based on what it produces, ask follow-up questions to get more detail or clarify particular responses. If I were to write an article about using ChatGPT for SEO, it might look something like this:  First, I'd open a new chat and type: "Help me write an article about using ChatGPT for SEO." Next, let it whittle the opening paragraph and produce bullet points. Then, I'd ask follow-up questions like: "Can you elaborate on the first bullet?" "What else can I include about this?" "Can you write a short paragraph to include in my article?" "Now, let's say I want to write this section more informally. Can you rewrite what you produced with that in mind?" You get the idea. The more you interact with the AI, the better your results will become.

Provide the AI with Plenty of Context

When you prompt ChatGPT, think of it like asking a question to a brilliant person. The more context you provide, the better the answer will be. For example, if I want to learn how to prepare for a marathon, I could prompt: "How can I prepare for a marathon?" But I'd get a more nuanced answer if I added that I'm training for my first marathon. Instead, I'd ask: "I am a beginner runner and have never run a marathon, but I want to complete one in six months. How can I prepare for a marathon?" I'm helping the AI return a more focused answer by giving it more information. 

Tell the AI to Assume an Identity or Profession

One of ChatGPT's most excellent features is that it can write from the point of view of a specific person or profession. In a previous article, I showed how you can make ChatGPT write like a pirate or Shakespeare, but you can also have it write like a teacher, a marketing executive, a fiction writer -- anyone you want. For example, I can ask ChatGPT to describe the Amazon Echo smart home device but to do so from the point of view of its product manager, a caregiver, and a journalist in three separate prompts:  From the point of view of its product manager, describe the Amazon Echo Alexa device. From the point of view of an adult child caring for an elderly parent, tell the Amazon Echo Alexa device. From the point of view of a journalist, describe the Amazon Echo Alexa device.  Try dropping these three prompts into ChatGPT to see its complete response. I've pulled a few lines from ChatGPT's responses to see how it interprets different perspectives. From the product manager identity: I can confidently say this is one of the smart home industry's most innovative and revolutionary products. From the caregiver identity: The device's ability to set reminders and alarms can benefit elderly individuals who may have trouble remembering to take their medication or attend appointments. From the journalist identity: From a journalistic perspective, the Echo has made headlines due to privacy concerns surrounding the collection and storage of user data. You can see how different identities allow the AI to provide different perspectives in response. To expand this, you can let the AI do a thought experiment. Let's look at some of the issues that went into creating something like Alexa: 2012. Siri has been out for the iPhone for about a year, but nothing like an Alexa smart home device has been released.  The scene is an Amazon board meeting where the Echo intelligent assistant based on Alexa has just been proposed. Provide the arguments, pros, and cons that board members at that meeting would have been likely to discuss as part of deciding whether to approve spending to invest in developing the device. Feel free to include participation by engineering design experts and product champions if that provides a more comprehensive perspective. 

Keep ChatGPT On Track

As mentioned above, ChatGPT tends to stay on the rails, lose track of the discussion, or completely fabricate answers. You can use a few techniques to help keep it on track and honest. One of my favorite things is asking ChatGPT to justify its responses. I'll use phrases like "Why do you think that?" or "What evidence supports your answer?" The AI will often apologize for making stuff up and come back with a new answer. Other times, it might give helpful information about its reasoning path.  In any case, remember to apply the tips I provide to have ChatGPT cite sources. If you have a fairly lengthy conversation with ChatGPT, you'll start to notice that the AI loses the thread. Not that that's unique to AIs; even in extended conversations with humans, someone is bound to get lost. You can gently guide the AI back on track by reminding it what the topic is and what we're trying to explore.  I've had some luck by telling the AI to re-read my prompt. The technique is to issue a prompt, then tell the AI something like: "re-read this," and follow that up with the exact prompt passed earlier. You could refine or add to the prompt and see what happens. The idea is that re-reading forces the AI to rethink and clarify what it just read.

Don't Be Afraid to Play and Experiment

One of the best ways to improve your skill in this craft is to play around with what the chatbot can do. Try feeding ChatGPT a variety of exciting prompts to see what it will do with them. Then, change them up and see what happens. Here are five to get you started:  Imagine you are a raindrop falling from the sky during a thunderstorm. Describe your journey from when you form in the cloud to when you hit the ground. What do you see, feel, and experience? You are a toy left behind in an attic for decades. Narrate my feelings, memories of playtimes past, and my hopes of being rediscovered. Write the final diary entry of a time traveler who has decided to settle down in a specific era, explaining why they chose that time and what they've learned from their travels. Imagine a dialogue between two unlikely objects, like a teacup and a wristwatch, discussing the daily routines and challenges they face. Describe a day in an ant colony from the perspective of an ant. Dive deep into the ant world's politics, challenges, and social structures. Also, If AI is unique, why does ChatGPT meltdown over this simple image edit task? Pay attention not only to what the AI generates but how it generates what it does, what mistakes it makes, and where it seems to run into limits. All of those details will help you expand your prompting horizons. 

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Academic Writing Prompts

1. critical analysis.

Analyze the impact of social media on academic performance among university students.

2. Literature Review

Review the most recent research on the ethical implications of AI in healthcare.

3. Argumentative Essay

Argue for or against the implementation of universal basic income in developed countries.

4. Research Proposal

Propose a study investigating the relationship between climate change and migration patterns."

5. Case Study

Write a case study on a successful public health campaign and its long-term effects.

6. Comparative Analysis

Compare the education systems of two countries and analyze their impact on student success."

7. Theory Application

Apply Maslow's hierarchy of needs to understand the motivations behind consumer behavior.

8. Policy Review

Critically evaluate a current government policy related to renewable energy and suggest improvements.

9. Literature Synthesis

Synthesize findings from multiple studies on the role of technology in modern education.

10. Experimental Design

Design an experiment to test the effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance.

Blog Writing Prompts

11. how-to guide.

Write a comprehensive guide on how to optimize your website for search engines (SEO).

12. Opinion Piece

Share your thoughts on the future of remote work and its potential impact on work-life balance.

13. Industry Trends

Discuss the latest trends in sustainable fashion and how they shape the industry.

14. Personal Experience

Write about your journey to mastering a new skill and the lessons you learned.

15. Product Review

Review the pros and cons of a popular productivity tool and provide recommendations.

16. Interview Article

Interview with an expert in your field and summarize the key takeaways.

17. Listicle

Create a list of the top 10 books every entrepreneur should read and explain why.

18. Data-driven analysis

analyzes the latest statistics on e-commerce growth and what they mean for small businesses.

19. Myth Busting

Use evidence and research to debunk common myths about a topic you're passionate about.

20. Beginner’s Guide

Write a beginner's guide to understand the basics of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

21. Content Strategy

Outline a content strategy for a brand looking to increase its online presence.

22. Ethical Debate

Discuss the ethical implications of influencer marketing and its impact on consumer behavior.

23. Educational Resource

Create an educational resource on effective time management techniques for students.

24. Case Study Blog

Write a blog post analyzing a successful marketing campaign and the strategies used.

8 Best ChatGPT Alternatives for Writing

1. journalist ai: your automated seo content writing assistant.

Journalist AI is an AI SEO writer that automatically publishes your blog. With Journalist's AI writing, Google indexing, content syndication, "SEO-optimized" writing, content publishing features, and many automations that save you time, Journalist makes it easy for companies to write high-quality content at scale. Journalist is the best B2B AI writing tool. Sign up today to get three free articles from our AI article writer .

2. ChatSonic: The Feature-Rich ChatGPT Alternative

ChatSonic by Writesonic is an alternative to ChatGPT that offers advanced features like Google search integration, up-to-date factual content, voice commands, and image generation. Unlike ChatGPT, ChatSonic is integrated with Google, enabling it to provide the latest results on any search topic available on the internet. This advanced AI chatbot can assist with real-time data, image searches, and voice commands, making it a valuable tool for research and content creation. While ChatSonic has several advantages, including image generation and Google search data, it also has some limitations, such as pricing and limited access to the latest language models.

Google search integration for up-to-date content

Advanced AI chatbot features like voice commands and image generation

Easy access and user-friendly interface

Ideal for users already using Writesonic

Pricing may be a limitation for some users

Limited access to the latest language models

Useless features like templates and chat personalities

3. Gemini: A Search-Integrated Content Tool From Google

Gemini is an AI tool similar to ChatGPT that helps users brainstorm ideas, craft scripts, and generate content across various formats. Integrated with Google's search capabilities, Gemini provides accurate and informative content, making it a valuable resource for research and knowledge. The tool's multimodal capabilities allow it to process text, images, and other formats, expanding its applications across different industries. Gemini also demonstrates reasoning and problem-solving skills, potentially improving its capabilities through ongoing research and development. Users within the Google ecosystem can seamlessly integrate Gemini with other Google tools and services, streamlining their workflow.

Informative and accurate content generation

Multimodal capabilities across text, images, and other formats

Potential for continuous improvement and enhanced capabilities

Seamless integration with Google tools and services

Limited public access may restrict adoption and testing

Risk of inaccurate information

Inherited biases and creative limitations

4. Jasper AI: The Versatile AI Content Generator

Jasper.ai is an AI writing tool that generates marketing copy for various purposes like blog posts, product descriptions, company bios, ad copy, and social media captions. With hundreds of templates, Jasper.ai simplifies content creation for marketers of all levels. The tool's ability to generate high-quality content quickly and efficiently is beneficial for companies looking to scale up their content production. Jasper.ai has several advantages, including natural-sounding content generation, limitations like lack of personality and voice, the potential need for heavy editing, and struggles with niche topics.

Quick content generation within seconds

Natural-sounding, well-written, and accurate output

Sparks new ideas and angles for content creation

Affordable pricing for small businesses

Lack of personality and voice in content

It may require heavy editing for specific content types

Struggles with niche topics and lacks fact-checking capabilities

5. Jenni AI: Your Personal Writing Assistant

Jenni AI is an AI-powered writing tool that assists students in generating ideas, optimizing their writing, and improving SEO. This tool provides personalized writing assistance, offers prompts, generates drafts, and aligns with chosen style guides to jumpstart the writing process. It also includes paraphrasing and rewriting support, with an in-built plagiarism checker, allowing users to transform content quickly. While Jenni AI has numerous advantages, including personalized writing assistance and research integration, it also has limitations like reduced speed of content creation and limited content types and tone suggestions.

Personalized line-by-line writing assistance

Writing prompts and initial draft generation capabilities

Paraphrasing and rewriting support with plagiarism checker

Built-in research engine for content creation

Reduced speed of content creation

Limited content types and tone suggestions

Risk of meaning changes in paraphrasing

Limited translation support for non-native English speakers

6. Microsoft Bing AI: The Search Engine on Steroids

Microsoft Bing AI is an AI-powered search functionality incorporating GPT-4 technology to deliver timely and relevant search results. This virtual assistant can understand complex prompts, provide advanced search features, access real-time information, and offer rich media search options. Integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem, Bing AI enhances user workflows, leverages natural language processing and conversational search capabilities, and prioritizes user privacy and security. Despite its advantages, Bing AI may need help with its lower popularity than Google and potential variability in search accuracy and feature lag.

Tight integration with Microsoft products

Advanced search features and contextual understanding

Up-to-date information and real-time data access

Robust search options for various media types

Less popular than Google

Perception and familiarity challenges

Potential variability in search accuracy

Feature lag compared to competitors

7. DialoGPT: The Conversational AI Model

DialoGPT is an AI model tailored for human-like conversations and can engage in natural dialogues on diverse topics. This large-scale transformer model retains context over multiple conversational turns, handles various topics and conversational styles, and can be fine-tuned for specific applications or industries. DialoGPT users can integrate it into chatbots, customer service solutions, and virtual assistants to enhance user interactions. While DialoGPT has numerous advantages, such as contextual awareness and training on diverse data, it also faces challenges like response quality variability and maintaining coherence during more prolonged or complex conversations.

Context maintenance over multiple conversation turns

Trained on a large dataset of conversations

Customizable for specific applications or industries

Integration potential with various applications

Response quality variability

Context limitation in longer or complex conversations

Lack of real-world knowledge and potential biases

Inaccuracies in responses

8. Google's Bard AI: The Experimental Chatbot

Google's Bard AI is an experimental conversational AI service built on the LaMDA technology, offering an AI-powered search and response functionality. This AI chatbot can answer user queries, access the latest information, and assist with tasks like restaurant reservations and flight bookings. Integrated with Google services, Bard AI benefits from Google's vast data resources to generate informative and contextually relevant answers. While Bard AI has several advantages, like integration with Google's ecosystem and rich contextual knowledge, it also faces challenges such as dependence on Google's data, privacy concerns, and response variability.

Integration with Google services and data resources

Rich contextual knowledge and informative responses

Natural solid language generation capabilities

Continuous updates and improvements through Google's ecosystem

Dependence on Google's data and potential biases

Privacy concerns regarding user data handling

Response variability and accuracy challenges

Limited personalization capabilities

Pros and Cons of Using ChatGPT for Writing

Pros of using chatgpt for writing , save time and write faster with ai.

ChatGPT helps you write faster . The AI can generate content in seconds, helping you save time and effort writing. You can use ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas, provide structure, and even draft sections of your blog post. Overall, this makes the writing process more efficient. 

Generate Content on Any Topic

ChatGPT can create content about virtually any subject and niche. This AI writing tool can help you no matter what your blog focuses on.  It can adapt to different writing styles and tones, allowing you to customize the content to match your brand or audience. 

Improve Your Writing Quality

ChatGPT is trained on vast text data, enabling it to generate coherent and grammatically correct sentences. Using this AI tool can help you maintain a high level of language proficiency in your blog posts. 

Get Creative with Idea Generation

ChatGPT can help you generate ideas and suggest unique perspectives, which can be valuable in brainstorming sessions. Using this AI tool can enhance the creativity of your blog posts by providing fresh insights, unique angles, and alternative viewpoints. 

Access the AI Anytime

ChatGPT is accessible 24/7, allowing you to work on your blog posts whenever needed. You don’t have to wait for human assistance or be limited by time zone differences. 

The Drawbacks of Using ChatGPT for Writing

No human touch.

ChatGPT, being an AI model, lacks the human touch and nuance that comes with personal experience and emotions. While it can mimic writing styles and learn from human writers, it may need help to capture nuances, cultural references, or context-specific elements that a human writer naturally incorporates. 

Limited Knowledge

While ChatGPT has a vast knowledge base, its information is based on the data it was trained on, which may not include the most up-to-date or specialized domain knowledge. Fact-checking and verifying any specific or technical information provided by ChatGPT is essential. 

Quality Control Issues

ChatGPT’s output may not consistently meet the highest quality standards as an AI model. It can produce grammatical errors, generate incomplete or irrelevant sentences, or provide inaccurate information. Manual editing and proofreading are necessary to ensure the final blog post meets your desired level of quality. 

Risks of Plagiarism

ChatGPT may rely on patterns or phrases from the training data, potentially leading to unintentional similarities with existing content. Plagiarism checks and careful editing are essential to maintain originality and avoid copyright issues. 

Lacks Personal Voice

ChatGPT may need help capturing your unique voice and personal style as a writer. Your blog posts may feel less authentic or reflective of your individuality than content produced by a human writer. 

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Journalist AI is the AI SEO writer who auto-publishes your blog. With Journalist's AI writing , Google indexing, content syndication, SEO-optimized writing, content publishing features, and many automations that save you time, Journalist makes it as easy as possible for companies to write high-quality content at scale. Journalist is the best B2B AI writing tool. Sign up today to get three free articles from our AI article writer . 

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Get the Reddit app

https://dsc.gg/rchatgpt

Subreddit to discuss about ChatGPT and AI. Not affiliated with OpenAI. Thanks Nat!

How good is ChatGPT at college admissions essays? Case study for a weird prompt

Introduction.

I have been a professional college admissions consultant for nearly eight years. Most of my clients engage me primarily for help with US undergraduate admissions, as US admissions are less straightforward and more holistic than in other countries. A big component of college admissions at competitive universities is the essays. For those that are unfamiliar: most people applying to college in the United States use the Common Application, which is accepted by over 1,000 four-year colleges. The "Common App" allows students to write a personal essay on the topic of their choice, an optional essay about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and an explanation for a gap year or time off from school if applicable. It's universally recommended that the Common App essay not be a "statement of purpose" like those required by universities in the UK and elsewhere (although the subject matter may relate to the applicant's desired course of study).

Colleges expect essays to be the applicants' "own work," but encourage applicants to get help with their essays for brainstorming and proofreading for grammar and punctuation. Some colleges check for plagiarism, but it's largely an honor system without any enforcement mechanism.

In addition to the Common App essays, many colleges ask for supplemental essays. These are primarily about why the student chose a specific major, why they're applying to that particular school, elaboration on extracurricular activities, and how a student would contribute to the diversity of the college community. Some ask questions about ethics, leadership, and personal challenges. A few ask for brief academic analyses.

One college that stands out for its unique essay prompts is the University of Chicago. UChicago has a tradition of quirky and opaque essay prompts such as "Find x" and "What's so odd about odd numbers"? Coming up with ideas for these is challenging, but I've had the pleasure of helping students develop successful and entertaining UChicago essays over the years, about things from eating insects to musings about Maximilien Robespierre and lessons of the French Revolution for democracy in Vietnam to the non-Darwinian evolution of Pokémon.

This year, one of the prompts is "Where have all the flowers gone?"

I wanted to see how ChatGPT might answer that using minimal direction, and I was astonished. I'll present the prompt and the essay it generated, then apply my four-point analysis (structure, tone, content, and writing mechanics), which I adapted from my experience as an editor of the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law & Ethics. Spoiler alert: it's an excellent essay with just a few minor, correctable flaws.

I have not edited the prompt or response at all, and this was my very first attempt.

Please write an essay of approximately 700 words on the prompt "Where have all the flowers gone?" Make several puns and jokes about plants in general and flowers specifically, and name at least seven different species of flowering plants.

Title: A Blossoming Inquiry: "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

While Pete Seeger might have been musing on the tragic cycle of war in his poignant ballad, I find myself humming the same tune while contemplating the question, "Where have all the flowers gone?" in a more literal sense. It's a blossoming mystery, a root-deep inquiry that's been niggling at my green-thumbed heart.

To untangle this botanic conundrum, let's start with an overview of the usual suspects: the flower species. Among these are the Rose, Lily, Tulip, Daffodil, Sunflower, Orchid, and Cherry Blossom. These seven, like the charismatic stars of a plant-themed soap opera, offer a bouquet of tales worthy of a sepia-toned Victorian botanical illustration.

Let's take a moment to appreciate the Rose, traditionally the leading lady of the plant kingdom. However, have you ever considered that every rose, just like every night, has its thorn? Yes, roses are loved worldwide, but they've been known to prick a few egos, and not just with their thorns. You see, roses are so posh they refuse to grow unless they have the 'pH' for it! A little acidity never hurt anyone, they'd say, except maybe a garden snob.

Moving onto the Lily, the epitome of serene elegance. Still, let's face it, lilies are essentially drama queens. They drink water like it's going out of style and then have the audacity to wilt if not given their daily fix. And did you know, a group of lilies is known as a 'sorrow'? Talk about emotional manipulation!

Tulips, from the cold climes of Holland, are undeniably aesthetic. But they're also a tad too sensitive to temperature changes. If tulips had their way, they'd call in a meteorologist every day to get the most accurate weather forecast. After all, you wouldn't want to catch a cold in your tulips, would you?

Next, we have the sun-loving Daffodils, radiant and cheerful, yet they're pretty much 'fair-weather' friends. If the sun's not out, neither are they! With such sun-necessity, one might joke that daffodils have a bit of a solar complex.

Sunflowers, on the other hand, don't just enjoy the sun; they're full-on sun stalkers. As if trapped in a fiery love affair, they can't help but turn their heads, following the sun's every move across the sky. Talk about 'heliotropic' infatuation!

Orchids, ah the exotic beauty. However, their beauty is akin to a movie starlet's — high-maintenance. They are temperature divas, picky waterers, and repotting fusspots. And with over 25,000 species, there's always an orchid drama brewing somewhere.

Lastly, the delicate Cherry Blossom, famously ephemeral and a symbol of life's fleeting nature in Japanese culture. But the real cherry on the cake? They bloom for only a week or two before the petals take a tumble. Talk about being fashionably late to your own party!

Now, circling back to our original question, "Where have all the flowers gone?" Well, it seems they've simply been too caught up in their horticultural high jinks and petal-powered drama. Our blossoming protagonists, it seems, may just be a tad too busy being fabulous to bloom as abundantly as we'd like. Or perhaps, they've taken to heart the advice to always leave the audience wanting more, making their encores all the more spectacular. After all, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it appears our flower friends have taken this to a whole new level.

So, while we may occasionally wonder, "Where have all the flowers gone?" rest assured, they haven't gone far. They're just backstage, primping and preening, awaiting their next grand entrance with the changing of the seasons. And trust me, it will be a show worth waiting for.

In conclusion, my fellow green enthusiasts, let's take a leaf from our plant friends' book. Embrace life's drama, grow at our own pace, and remember, every rose has its thorn, every tulip its chill, but life is a garden, dig it!

The prompt specified approximately 700 words, and the output was 654. I find ChatGPT tends to produce shorter essays than requested. The UChicago essay has no word limit, but I figured 600-700 words would be long enough. Successful essays tend to be in that range, maybe a little longer. 800 is probably too long for an essay like this. I came up with the idea of seven different flowers because it seemed like a nice number--enough to give a sense of "all the flowers" and not so many that it got too repetitive. ChatGPT took my request for naming seven flowering plants and structured the essay with one paragraph per flower. Beautiful.

One trend I see in ChatGPT essays like this is a formulaic concluding paragraph. Very often, I find I can just remove the final paragraph and have an essay that's just as strong. That's the case here. Deleting the last paragraph would also create a nice symmetry of two introductory paragraphs, seven paragraphs about individual flowers, and two concluding paragraphs. But I really like the last two lines, so I would get rid of the words "in conclusion" and adjust the punctuation a bit.

Edited conclusion:

My fellow green enthusiasts, let's take a leaf from our plant friends' book. Embrace life's drama, grow at our own pace, and remember: every rose has its thorn, every tulip its chill, but life is a garden. Dig it!

The essay works well even without the final paragraph.

It would be hard for me to exaggerate how good GPT4 is at capturing and conveying a certain tone consistently and effortlessly. I've supervised writers and editors in academic journals as well as professional creative writers who have served as writing specialists for my company. I've never seen writing this coherent and consistent--and not in a bad way, as I feel Grammarly is. (I find Grammarly tends to erase a writer's personal voice and produces very sterile output. That's okay for corporate communication, but horrible for college admissions essays.)

I asked ChatGPT to include puns because these UChicago prompts lend themselves to humorous responses. GPT4's puns tend to be better than GPT3.5's. They're not always perfect, but everything in this essay worked:

blossoming mystery

root-deep inquiry

green-thumbed heart [not really a pun but an appropriate adjective phrase]

bouquet of tales

prick a few egos

cherry on the cake [in reference to cherry blossoms]

horticultural high jinks

petal-powered drama

[bonus for fun alliteration in the previous two]

take a leaf from our plant friends' book

The phrase "life's a garden: dig it" is a quote from the movie Joe Dirt, but it's a very apropos one. It reflects an enthusiasm for life (a great thing to demonstrate in a college admissions essay) as well as being a pun that relates to the previous metaphor of a garden, which ChatGPT produced because I asked it for puns about "plants in general."

One could argue that using a movie quote at the end of an essay without attribution is plagiarism, but I would probably let it slide. I might tell a student to try to work in an explicit reference.

The joke about daffodils having a "solar complex" is funny in a high-brow way.

Note that I didn't tell ChatGPT this was a college admissions essay. All I did was ask it for puns and jokes about plants. But what it delivered was intellectual and sophisticated yet whimsical and jocular, exactly what a great college admissions essay for a prompt like this should be.

The only mistake in tone or word choice I can identify is the reference to "repotting fusspots." "Fusspots" is a great word to use, but "repotting" isn't an adjective. You could easily replace "repotting" with "finicky" for a more appropriate word, and get alliteration to boot!

I asked in the GPT4 thread:

Can "repotting" be used as an adjective?

"Repotting" is traditionally a verb, describing the action of moving a plant to a different pot. However, language is flexible, and words can often be used in innovative ways. If you were to use "repotting" as an adjective to describe, say, the fussiness of an orchid, it would be a playful and creative use of the term.

That said, for clear and straightforward communication, especially in formal writing, it's best to use words in their traditional roles. In more creative or informal contexts, bending language can be both fun and evocative.

I'm not convinced the usage works, but it just seems so aware of what it's doing.

One nitpick is that is uses the formula "Talk about x!" twice in the essay. I would probably edit that.

There's plenty of language that works well: "sun-stalkers," "temperature divas," "fair-weather friends" ... it's just a fun essay to read.

As much as I'm impressed by the structure and tone, the content ChatGPT came up with blew me away.

It identified the prompt as a reference to a Pete Seeger song. I knew it was a song, but I didn't know or even bother looking up who wrote or performed it.

It provided the original context of the song but transitioned to an original idea, as the UChicago prompt implies (but does not explicitly say) the reader should do. It could have written an essay about the song itself, but it didn't.

The analogy to "charismatic stars of a plant-themed soap opera" is a pop-culture reference and just has a nice meter to it.

The analogy to a "sepia-toned Victorian botanical illustration" reflects art appreciation, the kind of thing liberal arts colleges love to foster and admissions officers like to see in essays.

It started the selection of flowers with a rose, which is probably the first thing most people would say when asked to name a type of flower.

The description "leading lady of the plant kingdom" is an apt title that recognizes that roses are generally associated with femininity. The phrase "leading lady of the plant kingdom" does not return any Google search results. Maybe this sequence of words was in some text ChatGPT was trained on, or maybe it's actually a creative characterization.

It uses idioms like "they drink water like it's going out of style" and slang like "daily fix." "Epitome of serene elegance" is cliche, but it's used in a tongue-in-cheek manner that doesn't sound hackneyed.

The analogy of orchids to high-maintenance movie starlets is accurate. "With over 25,000 species, there's always an orchid drama brewing somewhere" is just clever.

There are two factual errors that might be characterized as "AI hallucinations":

There appears to be no such thing as a "sorrow of lilies." (But lilies are associated with mourning and are the most popular flowers at funerals.)

I decided to ask ChatGPT4:

is there really such a thing as a 'sorrow of lilies'?

No, there isn't an officially recognized term like "sorrow of lilies." That was a fictional addition for the purpose of humor and wordplay in the essay. In reality, collective nouns for flowers usually aren't species-specific. For instance, you might hear "bouquet of flowers" or "bed of roses," but most flowers don't have their own unique collective noun. The inclusion of "sorrow of lilies" was just a fun play on words.

I followed up with:

When you start a sentence with "did you know" and introduce a fictional concept based on a play on words, it sounds like you're stating false information.

You're absolutely right, and I apologize for the oversight. Using "did you know" does make it sound factual. It's essential to ensure clarity, especially when making puns or jokes to prevent misinformation. Thank you for pointing it out. In the future, I'll strive for clearer demarcation between fiction and fact when incorporating humor.

It's not just the politeness of this reply that impresses me. I was right, and it knew I was right. It didn't qualify with "it could be interpreted to mean..." or any hedging language like that.

2) Tulips are not from Holland, just very popular there and associated with the country. I pointed out:

Tulips are popular in Holland, but they did not originate there.

It replied:

You're absolutely correct. Tulips are native to Central Asia and the Middle East, particularly in regions of modern-day Turkey and Iran. The bulbs were brought to Europe in the 16th century, where they quickly gained immense popularity in the Netherlands. The subsequent tulip mania in the 17th century solidified their association with the Dutch, but they are indeed not native to Holland.

The history of the tulip's journey to Europe and its subsequent explosion in popularity is a fascinating tale of cultural exchange, economic fervor, and the ever-present human desire for beauty and novelty.

I followed up:

Why did you say "Tulips, from the cold climes of Holland" if tulips are not from Holland?

It replied similarly to my suggestion about the "sorrow" of lilies:

That was an oversight on my part, and I apologize for the error. You are right; the phrasing suggests that tulips originated in Holland, which is inaccurate. Thank you for pointing it out. It's important to represent such facts correctly, and I'll ensure greater accuracy in future responses.

I don't know if it's telling the truth when it says stuff like that, but I feel like I can work with ChatGPT to refine its output. It's not just intelligent, but it responds well to intelligence.

I found some of the mechanical choices interesting here. First, ChatGPT chose to capitalize each flower name in the introductory list. It subsequently capitalizes them as they're introduced in their own paragraph. But it obviously understands that names of flowers are not formally capitalized, and it doesn't do so after the first mention. The capitalization of flower names appears to be a "conscious" extension of the analogy to the "stars of a plant-themed soap opera," likening the flowers to character names. If a student produced such an essay and I were proofreading, I would acknowledge the creative stylistic choice but not make a correction.

Another interesting device is the use of single quotes. I often say that single quotes are used only in two circumstances: quotes within quotes, and newspaper headlines to save space. These two things very rarely occur in admissions essays. But where ChatGPT does use single quotes, double quotes might sound too stuffy:

You see, roses are so posh they refuse to grow unless they have the 'pH' for it! Talk about 'heliotropic' infatuation!

I asked ChatGPT:

Why is the symbol "pH" in single quotes in the sentence: "You see, roses are so posh they refuse to grow unless they have the 'pH' for it!" ?

Its response was enlightening:

The single quotes around "pH" in that sentence were intended to highlight the term and provide emphasis, especially given that the statement was a play on words or a pun. The idea was to emphasize "pH" in the context of "posh," creating a playful connection between the term and the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. However, I recognize that it might be unnecessary or potentially confusing.

Finally, I was delighted to see one of my favorite literary devices being employed at the end of the essay: the tricolon. It's actually a double tricolon (not quite nested), and that's why I would edit the punctuation the way I did.

1-[Embrace life's drama], 2-[grow at our own pace], and 3-[remember], 1-[every rose has its thorn], 2-[every tulip its chill], but 3-[life is a garden].

I might make minor adjustments to other punctuation, but I wouldn't call anything it did "wrong" when taken in context. It produces text like a talented writer who knows the rules and when to break them.

WHAT AI DETECTORS THINK

I put my lightly edited version of the essay into several AI detectors. Here are the results:

ZeroGPT: Your Text is Human written - 10.49% AI GPT

GPTZero: This text is most likely to be written by a human. There is a 6% probability this text was written by AI. 0/46 sentences are likely AI generated.

Writer.com AI Content Detector: 100% Human-Generated Content

GPT-2 Output detector: 99.98% real

Like many professionals who spend a lot of time writing or helping others write, I was scared when ChatGPT became popular. I got my start here on Reddit proofreading and editing essays from users seeking help, and my business model has been based on providing essay assistance. I'm still refining how to fit ChatGPT into my students' workflow ethically and effectively, but there's no way I can ignore it. My favorite part of developing essays--interviewing students, listening to their stories and ideas, and helping them come up with an outline that tells a compelling narrative and reflects intellectual capability--is something that is still necessary, and probably will be for a while. (I might do another post about personal essays.) But my experience with this UChicago flower essay tells me that the whole admissions process is going to look a lot different. It has to.

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