How to 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 a form of plagiarism, since it is not your original work. As with any information taken from another source, text generated by any AI should be clearly identified and credited in your work.

Also: Teachers are using ChatGPT more than students. Here’s how

In most educational institutions, the penalties for plagiarism are severe, ranging from a failing grade to expulsion from the school.

If you want ChatGPT generate a sample piece of text, put in the topic, the desired length, and watch for what it generates. For example, I input the following text: 

Can you write a five-paragraph essay on the topic, “Examining the Leadership Style of Winston Churchill through Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Leadership Grid.”

Within seconds, the chatbot output exactly what I asked for: A coherent, five-paragraph essay on the topic which can help you to guide you in your own writing. 

Also: What is GPT-4? Here’s everything you need to know

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. That means you might find invented facts or details or other oddities. It won’t be able to create original work because it is simply aggregating everything it has already absorbed. It might be a useful starting point for your own work, but don’t expect it to be inspired or accurate.