A Student’s Guide to Writing with ChatGPT

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Used thoughtfully, ChatGPT can be a powerful tool to help students develop skills of rigorous thinking and clear writing, assisting them in thinking through ideas, mastering complex concepts, and getting feedback on drafts.

There are also ways to use ChatGPT that are counterproductive to learning—like generating an essay instead of writing it oneself, which deprives students of the opportunity to practice, improve their skills, and grapple with the material.

For students committed to becoming better writers and thinkers, here are some ways to use ChatGPT to engage more deeply with the learning process.

1. Delegate citation grunt work to ChatGPT

AI excels at automating tedious, time-consuming tasks like formatting citations. Just remember to cross-check all source details against original materials for accuracy. By taking care of the grunt work, ChatGPT can free you to focus on the fun part: being creative, coming up with original ideas, and formulating an undeniable argument.

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2. Quickly get up to speed on a new topic

ChatGPT can jumpstart your research by providing a foundational understanding of a subject.

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3. Get a roadmap of relevant sources

ChatGPT can guide your research by suggesting relevant scholars, sources, and search terms. But remember: while it can point you in the right direction, ChatGPT isn’t a substitute for reading primary sources and peer-reviewed articles. And since language models can generate inaccurate information, always double-check your facts.

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4. Complete your understanding by asking specific questions

ChatGPT can help you connect the dots and fill in gaps in your understanding of complex topics by answering questions other sources might ignore or bury deep within chapters.

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5. Improve your flow by getting feedback on structure

Once you've written an outline, ChatGPT can help by reviewing the structure and providing feedback on the flow of ideas.

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6. Test your logic with reverse outlining

Reverse outlining is a technique to assess the structure of an essay by identifying the main point of each paragraph. Seeing your structure at a glance can help you step back and evaluate the logical flow of ideas.

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7. Develop your ideas through Socratic dialogue

Like Socrates did for his interlocutors, ChatGPT can act as an intellectual sparring partner, engaging you in dialogue to help you articulate and refine your ideas.

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8. Pressure-test your thesis by asking for counterarguments

To make your thesis more robust, try asking ChatGPT to challenge your logic, identify weak points, and suggest counterarguments you may have missed.

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9. Compare your ideas against history’s greatest thinkers

You can also ask ChatGPT to channel the voices of the thinkers you’re engaging with—just in case you want to challenge Kant on epistemology, debate mystical love with Rumi, or discuss the finer points of feminism with Simone de Beauvoir.

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10. Elevate your writing through iterative feedback

ChatGPT can offer continuous suggestions to help strengthen your writing, allowing you to incorporate multiple rounds of feedback before you even turn in your essay.

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11. Use Advanced Voice Mode as a reading companion

In addition to providing written answers, ChatGPT also has an Advanced Voice Mode to answer questions or clarify inscrutable passages in real time. Try leaving voice mode on while you're reading a book to offer context without breaking your rhythm.

Watch writer Dan Shipper use Advanced Voice Mode Try it out

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12. Don’t just go through the motions—hone your skills

A school paper isn’t just a requirement for a grade—it’s an opportunity to cultivate your powers. Instead of just trying to get it done, try asking ChatGPT to suggest ways to develop your ability to think critically and write clearly.

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Be transparent—cite your conversations

One last point: When you use ChatGPT to deepen your understanding, develop your ideas, or come to insights you might not otherwise have had, it should fall within the bounds of acceptable academic practices. But since ChatGPT can also be used in unethical ways, your professors will likely feel more comfortable if they can see exactly how it’s contributing to your thinking.

Part of academic work is being transparent about your sources. That’s why universities emphasize the importance of proper citations, making sure you acknowledge the thinkers who’ve shaped your understanding.

Similarly, it’s important to be open about how you use ChatGPT. The simplest way to do this is to generate shareable links⁠(opens in a new window) and include them in your bibliography⁠(opens in a new window). By proactively giving your professors a way to audit your use of AI, you signal your commitment to academic integrity and demonstrate that you’re using it not as a shortcut to avoid doing the work, but as a tool to support your learning.

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