The new school year is about to start and a lot of teachers and students will be using ChatGPT.
Here are seven deadly sins you should never commit while using ChatGPT for academic purposes:
Here are seven deadly sins you should never commit while using ChatGPT for academic purposes:
1. Thou shalt not use ChatGPT to generate content.
ChatGPT (and other generative AI apps) use a preditive model to predict the next word in a sentence.
If you use ChatGPT to generate content, it will always be predictable and recognizable.
ChatGPT (and other generative AI apps) use a preditive model to predict the next word in a sentence.
If you use ChatGPT to generate content, it will always be predictable and recognizable.
Instead, use ChatGPT to create "structure" — structure of a journal article, grant proposal, research statement.
With the structure in place, half your work will be done. Now write your own content.
Nobody wants predictable content.
But everybody wants a predictable structure.
With the structure in place, half your work will be done. Now write your own content.
Nobody wants predictable content.
But everybody wants a predictable structure.
Here's a tutorial on how to use ChatGPT to create structure:
2. Thou shalt not ask ChatGPT for citations or references.
This is the deadliest of the sins.
ChatGPT may generate fake citations to research papers that don't even exist.
This is the deadliest of the sins.
ChatGPT may generate fake citations to research papers that don't even exist.
There once lived a lawyer in New York City who asked ChatGPT for references.
ChatGPT gave him fake citations and he ended up becoming global embarrassment.
ChatGPT gave him fake citations and he ended up becoming global embarrassment.
Instead, use Scite(dot)ai to real citations to published papers.
Here's a tutorial on how to use Scite:
Here's a tutorial on how to use Scite:
3. Thou shalt not oursource your thinking to ChatGPT.
Thinking for yourself is the single most important skill in today's knowledge economy.
ChatGPT can help you brainstorm ideas but it can't think for you.
Thinking for yourself is the single most important skill in today's knowledge economy.
ChatGPT can help you brainstorm ideas but it can't think for you.
Instead, outsource your labor to ChatGPT.
Here's an example of how you can outsource your academic labor to ChatGPT:
Here's an example of how you can outsource your academic labor to ChatGPT:
4. Thou shalt not use ChatGPT as a plagiarism checker.
ChatGPT is a chatbot and not a plagiarism checker.
An American professor wrongly assumed his student were cheating using ChatGPT. He also wrongly assumed ChatGPT was a plagiarism checker.
ChatGPT is a chatbot and not a plagiarism checker.
An American professor wrongly assumed his student were cheating using ChatGPT. He also wrongly assumed ChatGPT was a plagiarism checker.
He ran his students' assignments through ChatGPT and asked if it had written them.
ChatGPT lied and said yes.
The professor wrongly failed the whole class.
ChatGPT lied and said yes.
The professor wrongly failed the whole class.
Want to learn how you can supercharge your academic writing with AI apps?
I have a complete tutorial (of 250+ slides) for you.
It's being used by 3,200 academics including those at Harvard, Stanfor, and Yale.
You can get it here:
efficientacademicwriter.carrd.co
I have a complete tutorial (of 250+ slides) for you.
It's being used by 3,200 academics including those at Harvard, Stanfor, and Yale.
You can get it here:
efficientacademicwriter.carrd.co
5. Thou shalt not over-rely on ChatGPT.
ChatGPT is a powerful app, but it has limited uses when it comes to academic writing.
Here are 15 more AI-powered apps that you can use for academic purposes:
ChatGPT is a powerful app, but it has limited uses when it comes to academic writing.
Here are 15 more AI-powered apps that you can use for academic purposes:
6. Thou shalt suffer if thou don't take ChatGPT prompts seriously.
Prompting large language models like ChatGPT is a highly valuable skill.
Anthropic AI just hired a prompt engineer at a salaray range of $175,000-$335,000 per year.
Prompting large language models like ChatGPT is a highly valuable skill.
Anthropic AI just hired a prompt engineer at a salaray range of $175,000-$335,000 per year.
Learn to write effective ChatGPT prompts to save your time and labor.
Here's a tutorial on how to learn "incremental prompting."
I used this technique to make ChatGPT "think" like a Stanford professor.
Here's a tutorial on how to learn "incremental prompting."
I used this technique to make ChatGPT "think" like a Stanford professor.
7. Thou shalt not avoid ChatGPT.
If you haven't used it yet, create a free account to try it.
Basic knowledge of ChatGPT will soon become an accepted social norm, like how everyone expects you to know about Google.
You may not use it. But you will need to know about it.
If you haven't used it yet, create a free account to try it.
Basic knowledge of ChatGPT will soon become an accepted social norm, like how everyone expects you to know about Google.
You may not use it. But you will need to know about it.
Here's a thread in plain English on how to get started on ChatGPT:
A huge shoutout to Jenni for supporting my work.
Jenni is an AI-powered personal assistant for academic writing.
Use "mushtaq20" for a 20% discount when you buy an annual subscription.
Check out Jenni's amazing features below:
Jenni is an AI-powered personal assistant for academic writing.
Use "mushtaq20" for a 20% discount when you buy an annual subscription.
Check out Jenni's amazing features below:
Want me to email you tips on academic writing?
Sign up for my newsletter. It's FREE!
keepwriting.beehiiv.com
Sign up for my newsletter. It's FREE!
keepwriting.beehiiv.com
Loading suggestions...