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Can ChatGPT write an essay? Yes, it is an effective essay writer

Chat GPT can write an essay if used correctly, however, we wouldn't recommend it

Updated: Jul 17, 2023 2:22 pm
Can ChatGPT write an essay? Yes, it is an effective essay writer

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ChatGPT has the ability to generate text, including writing essays, based on the input it receives. It’s fascinating to note that the quality of the essay produced by ChatGPT can vary greatly depending on the prompt given and the model’s understanding of the task. While it’s true that ChatGPT has been trained on a vast amount of text data, it’s important to remember that the model is not perfect and may sometimes produce grammatically incorrect or nonsensical responses.

However, this does not mean that the essays written by ChatGPT are always of low quality. In fact, with proper guidance and well-crafted prompts, ChatGPT can produce essays that are informative, well-written, and coherent.

One of the key benefits of using ChatGPT to write essays is that it saves time and effort compared to writing an essay from scratch. With its advanced algorithms and vast knowledge base, ChatGPT can quickly generate the beginnings of reasonable-quality essays in a short space of time. That being said, it is far from being a real human replacement and there are several limitations that mean we wouldn’t recommend using Chat GPT to write an essay.

Why you should only use Chat GPT to help you research

ChatGPT does not claim to be 100% accurate, in fact, it can make errors. The service also states that it can provide biased or incorrect information, so you should always be cautious when using it. Chat GPT does not plagiarize as it doesn’t copy text from other sources, although there is software that can detect AI-generated content.

How to get Chat GPT to write an essay

  • Start with a clear prompt

The key to getting a great essay from ChatGPT is to start with a well-written prompt. This should outline the topic and structure of the essay you want it to write. For instance, you could provide a prompt like, “Write a persuasive essay outlining the benefits of renewable energy.” If you’re not getting the results you want, don’t be afraid to hit the “stop” button and try again with a new prompt. You can also request variations on certain sentences or paragraphs.

  • Adapt the model to that specific task

Depending on the complexity of your topic and the quality of writing you desire, you may need to fine-tune the ChatGPT model. This can be done by providing it with a dataset of similar text or by training it to write in the style of different writers.

  • Be specific about your requirements

When you provide your prompt, be sure to specify what you want the essay to include and what you don’t want it to include. This will help ChatGPT understand your expectations and save you time in the revision and editing process.

  • Add your personal touch

The text generated by ChatGPT can serve as a rough draft. You can add your own thoughts and ideas to make the essay more personal and reflective of your own voice.

  • Edit with care

Finally, you’ll want to thoroughly proofread and edit the text generated by ChatGPT. This will involve checking for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors, as well as making sure the text is coherent, well-structured, and flows smoothly. Don’t forget to fact-check, as AI models like ChatGPT aren’t always up-to-date on the latest information.

While ChatGPT has its limitations, it is a valuable tool that can help students, researchers, and writers produce quality essays efficiently. By providing well-structured prompts and carefully reviewing the results, one can harness the power of ChatGPT to achieve writing goals effectively.

ChatGPT’s limitations for writing essays

So, we’ve established that ChatGPT is in fact capable of writing essays but is it a good idea to use the software for this purpose? Well that often depends on what you’re writing about and what you’re writing for but here’s a list of some of the main limitations you should be aware of:

  • Factual inaccuracy – ChatGPT’s main function is to produce plausibly human-like text and not factually accurate information. This means that sometime the program favors the former over the latter and you end up with information in your text that is just plain wrong. This is one of the reasons that it is so important to fact check any essays you get ChatGPT to produce.
  • AI detection software – Many educational establishments are now using software specifically designed to detect AI written text. Something worth bearing in mind if your planning on having ChatGPT write your college essay for you!
  • Robotic sound – For all the praise ChatGPT has garnered over the last few months its not perfect. Some of ChatGPT’s output still has a distinctly unnatural tone and doesn’t flow as well as writing done by a human.

Can you use ChatGPT to write college essays?

While ChatGPT can create essay content, you shouldn’t use it to write essays. It is better used as a research tool or for efficiency as educators can easily detect AI written content.

Can you use ChatGPT to write essays without plagiarizing?

As long as you use tools like ChatGPT for inspiration, ideas, or research then there is no issue. If you’re trying to pass an AI-written essay as your own, it will be flagged as plagiarism.


Shaun, with a computer science degree and 15 years of computer experience, has been passionate about competitive FPS gaming since the mid-2000s.

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