by Eunice Sng / Illustration by Vivian Lim
Enter any library and peer at the laptop screens of students writing their research papers and cramming for their exams. On some of the displays, you might find a familiar green logo emblazoned on one of the tabs.
As someone who has used ChatGPT, I appreciate its many practical uses. For example, I can use it to speed up my workflow, or to get inspiration when I feel weighed down by a mental block.
Here, I share some ways you can use the platform responsibly to help you navigate university life, not just academically, but also in other aspects, such as preparing for internships or co-curricular activities (CCAs). A caveat though – the bot has been known to occasionally spew fiction instead of the facts you’re expecting. Also, when it comes to using ChatGPT for school, it’s best to follow the guidelines from your course instructors.
SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS
USE CHATGPT TO…
… PROOFREAD YOUR FINAL DRAFT
It is 2am. You have just finished churning out a 3,000-word essay on environmental degradation. The submission is at 9am and you are too exhausted to check the paper a final time before uploading it onto NTULearn.
Okay, you have an excuse to let ChatGPT comb through it for basic grammatical errors. The chatbot can clean up your work and rephrase awkward sentence structures to make the draft more ready for submission. And it corrects spelling errors.
Example prompt: “Check the spelling, grammar and sentence structure of this essay, using British English: [your text]”
… SUGGEST THE STRUCTURE YOU NEED FOR A RESEARCH PAPER TO HELP YOU GET STARTED ON IT
Ever received a topic for your academic essay but have no idea where to begin? ChatGPT can speed up the legwork on days when you’re particularly strapped for time, although you’ll be doing yourself a favour by pondering the topic without help first. Key in the details of your paper’s subject matter as the ChatGPT prompt to get a suggested outline.
An example is: “Topic: Singapore-Malaysia relations in the next 10 years based on the previous decade. Requirement: Outline for an essay. Language: Academic. Tone: Formal.”
With the recommended structure, you’ll have a better sense of what to research outside of the platform to fill up the gaps in your knowledge. This will give you a direction to work towards and tweak along the way as you get more familiar with the topic.
Remember that you should always add your own unique take, which will secure you a higher grade. So don’t just stop at blindly following what the web platform proposes – ChatGPT is not a sentient thinker, unlike you.
CCA HELP
USE CHATGPT TO…
… REPHRASE YOUR TEXT FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, LIKE AN EMCEE SCRIPT
Not everyone has the best command of language. And even seasoned writers get stuck sometimes when thinking of alternative ways to convey an idea. Instead of ripping your hair out at the screen, use ChatGPT to get you past these roadblocks more quickly.
If you need to whip up an emcee script for your CCA’s event, ChatGPT is your friendly sidekick. Come up with a rough draft of your main points, no matter how unpolished it may sound. After that, you can direct the chatbot to rewrite the whole text in the tone and style of your choice.
Example prompt: “My school club is putting up a charity concert at Sentosa to encourage staff and students from my school to donate money to animal shelters in Singapore. Rephrase this text for the event’s emcee script: [your text]”
The output may not be perfect. But you can always edit the copy and put your own flourishes to the text once ChatGPT has completed the main revamp.
… BRAINSTORM IDEAS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOTS
Any university event would not be complete without photography. With the end of pandemic restrictions, NTU events are back in full swing. Taking shots that capture your CCA’s essence during their signature events is an important consideration.
ChatGPT can aid you in the brainstorming process. Key in the details of your shoot and ask for potential photo ideas for the event.
Example prompt: “What photos can I take for a solo dance performance by a male ballet dancer for an open house showcase?”
The answers can guide you on what to look out for while you are behind the viewfinder. While the list that ChatGPT generates is not exhaustive, it is a good starting point. You can also use this method if you are taking photography courses.
JOB HUNTING
USE CHATGPT TO…
… PREPARE FOR INTERNSHIP AND JOB INTERVIEWS
Going for interviews is part and parcel of any internship or job hunt. Going unprepared, without any idea of what interviewers are going to ask, can be a nerve-racking experience. Use ChatGPT to reduce some of that uncertainty.
Just describe the context of the interview and ask ChatGPT for likely questions. The AI chatbot will provide a response better tailored to your needs if you state your academic background and key in the detailed requirements of the role you’re applying for.
Example prompt: “I am a chemistry major with a strong interest in sustainability and I am going for an interview for the following job: [list job title and full job requirements]. What are some interview questions that could come up?”
EXAM PREPARATION
USE CHATGPT TO…
… CREATE FLASHCARDS TO HELP YOU REMEMBER KEY CONTENT FOR EXAMINATIONS
Making flashcards does not have to be a manual process anymore. Just ask ChatGPT to help you generate a quick list for you to refer to before heading into the exam hall.
Example prompt: “Create flashcards for a university-level neurology examination.”
Along the way, you can modify the prompt to make it more specific if you need flashcards for additional concepts. Additionally, remember to double-check the answers against your lecture notes beforehand to ensure that what ChatGPT has given is accurate.
… EXPLAIN COMPLEX CONCEPTS IN SIMPLE TERMS
Sometimes, we may come across concepts in a course that we have difficulty understanding. Even explanations offered by lecturers may still be confusing. As a next step, why not get ChatGPT to provide a simpler description of the tough idea?
The trick is to ask ChatGPT to explain the concept to a young child. The AI platform will adjust its tone and cater to the learning level requested.
An example prompt is: “Explain existentialism to a 10-year-old.”
With ChatGPT’s simplified answer, you can then try to look at your professor’s notes again and gain a deeper mastery of the new concept. Remember that learning is a journey.
TIME MANAGEMENT
USE CHATGPT TO…
… DEVELOP SCHEDULES TO PLAN YOUR TIME
Your finals are weeks away, yet you feel that you have not been studying adequately and are not prepared for the exams. So how do you ensure that you cover the course content in a limited period?
Tell ChatGPT the days that you are free, at what time you like to study and the topics you need to complete by a certain date. ChatGPT can come up with a plan for you to revise content-heavy subjects in a short time span.
Here is an example prompt: “I’m free on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays. I have only 2 weeks left for my final exam. I need a crash study plan for my ‘Introduction to Gender and Diversity’ class. While every topic should be covered equally, I need some extra focus on the topic of disability studies. I’ll have 6 hours to study on each free day. Provide a revision plan in the schedule.”
To improve the results, you can ask ChatGPT to refine the schedule and allocate more or less time to specific topics. You can also request to add short breaks during study hours. Good luck!
HEY! STUDENT WRITER
Eunice loves burning vanilla-scented candles and discovering the latest cultural events. When she is not busy chasing deadlines, you will find her curled up in bed with a fantasy novel.
This story was published in the Mar-Apr 2023 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
