Improve Your ChatGPT Essays - Ways to Make Your Essays Unique and High Quality

With LLMs, unique input = unique input. If you want a better essay, you have to add details to your prompt beyond the exact assignment given to you. This post details some eays ways you can make your prompt more unique to get a better essay.

1. Don’t mention it’s a school assignment in the prompt.

Honestly I feel like this should go without saying but some of you literally copy and paste the assignment into the prompt.

2. Start with an outline.

Instead of

write a 500 word essay on the main themes from To kill a Mocking bird

Start with

write an the outline of an essay on the main themes from To kill a Mocking bird

From here you can immediately ask…

turn the outline into a 500 word essay

However, I recommend you take this opportunity to tweak the outline. If your teacher wants to see an introduction paragraph with a particular thesis sentence structure, ask chatGPT to tweak the outline like so…

Good job. Please update the outline to include a three-part thesis statement [or whatever tweak you’d like to see]

Or if you’d like the outline to contain more details

Please update the outline to include sub-bullets with a short blurb of the content that goes in each section

My strongest recommendation would be to copy the outline generated by ChatGPT into a google doc, write in details of your own (the main points you want to see, the quotes you want to use, etc.) then add that to your final prompt saying “Please use the outline provided to generate an essay”. Remember unique input = unique output.

3. Add the grade your in in the prompt.

Add the grade your in. This will heavily change the tone.

turn the outline into a 500 word essay that reads as if it was written by a 8th grader

Vs.

turn the outline into a 500 word essay that reads as if it was written by a 12th grader

Vs.

turn the outline into a 500 word essay that reads as if it was written by a masters student with a degree in American literature 

I won’t share the different outputs here, but please try it and see! This creates very different outputs.

4. Use adjectives to set the tone

Transform the outline into a 500-word essay that reads as if it was written by a 12th grader. Make the essay [insert adjectives here]

Try adding some of the following words to the prompt:

Formal words to make your essay sound more serious:

• Comprehensive
• meticulous
• systematic
• extensive

Analytical will make your essay sound more focused and evaulative:

• analytical
• logical
• methodical
• objective
• thorough
• perceptive

Optimistic will make your essay sound happier:

• encouraging
• uplifting
• hopeful
• inspiring
• promising

Informal words to make your essay sound more casual (good for students who are known to be less studious):

• chatty
• relaxed
• personal
• straightforward
• informal

Expository words make your essay express clarity and objectivity:

• Informative
• unbiased
• systematic
• coherent
• instructive

Narrative Choose adjectives that convey storytelling, chronology, and personal experiences for a narrative tone:

• Engaging
• chronological
• anecdotal
• captivating
• relatable

Persuasive words to emphasize the importance, urgency, or impact of the topic:

• compelling
• convincing
• significant

Emotional: Incorporate adjectives that evoke strong feelings or emotions for a more emotionally charged tone:

• Passionate
• heartfelt
• moving
• stirring
• poignant

Descriptive words to make your essay more:

• picturesque
• evocative
• vibrant
• captivating
• enchanting

Here’s a basic example using a combination of the adjective:

Transform the outline into a 500-word essay that reads as if it was written by a 12th grader. Make the essay sound analytical, unbiased and convincing.

5. Choose a famous author to style your essay after.

Use this tip with caution. You’ll probably have to edit the output a bit.

Giving ChatGPT an author to style the writing after can change your tone as well. Here’s an example:

Transform the outline into a 500-word essay that reads as if it was written by a 12th grader. Make the essay sound analytical, unbiased and convincing in the style of Toni Morrison.