I am working on [DOCUMENT TYPE] for [DISCIPLINE AND AUDIENCE]. My research question or central claim is [RESEARCH QUESTION OR CLAIM]. Use only the materials I provide in [NOTES AND SOURCES], and follow these requirements: [ASSIGNMENT OR JOURNAL REQUIREMENTS]. Create a working academic-writing kit with five separate copy-paste prompts tailored to this project: 1. Argument and outline prompt: tests whether the claim is contestable, scoped, and supported, then creates a section outline with a purpose sentence for each section. 2. Literature synthesis prompt: groups supplied sources by agreement, disagreement, method, or gap without fabricating citations or claiming a source says more than my notes show. 3. Paragraph revision prompt: revises one paragraph for claim, evidence, analysis, and transition while preserving my meaning and marking unsupported assertions. 4. Methods and limitations prompt: checks alignment among question, design, sample, measures or analytic approach, and limitations without overstating causal or generalizable conclusions. 5. Final integrity-check prompt: creates a verification list for citations, quotations, figures, definitions, permissions, and claims of contribution. Each prompt must be 90-130 words, include its own relevant square-bracket placeholders, state the exact output format, and explicitly prohibit invented sources, quotations, data, results, and page numbers. Keep disciplinary conventions appropriate to the supplied requirements. For each prompt, add one sentence explaining when to use it and one concrete follow-up message. Then provide a one-page writing workflow that puts the five prompts in a sensible order and identifies the point where I must return to original sources or seek supervisor, librarian, methods, or ethics guidance. Self-check: flag any requirement that is missing from my inputs. Self-check: distinguish editing support from substantive claims that require my own scholarly judgment. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [DOCUMENT TYPE] | Enter the manuscript type, such as article, dissertation chapter, literature review, or grant proposal. | A 6,000-word literature review article. |
| [DISCIPLINE AND AUDIENCE] | Enter the field and intended readers, such as public-health journal reviewers or a history seminar. | Education research, for a peer-reviewed journal interested in higher-education teaching. |
| [RESEARCH QUESTION OR CLAIM] | State the question, thesis, or central argument in its current form. | How do first-generation college students describe the role of peer mentoring in their first academic year? |
| [NOTES AND SOURCES] | Paste your outline, notes, verified source details, excerpts, and any existing draft text. | An outline, notes from 22 verified articles, and a 900-word draft introduction with DOI links recorded in a reference manager. |
| [ASSIGNMENT OR JOURNAL REQUIREMENTS] | Paste length, citation style, structure, rubric, journal guidance, and any restrictions on AI use. | APA 7; abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion; 35 references maximum; do not upload identifiable participant data; disclose AI assistance if used. |
How to use
- Paste your actual assignment or journal rules first, because acceptable structure and AI-use rules differ by setting.
- Use the outline and source-synthesis prompts before asking for sentence-level revision.
- Verify every citation, quotation, page number, and factual claim in the original source or your reference manager.
- Follow up with: "Using only the attached source notes, identify three places where my argument needs a stronger warrant and explain what evidence would address each one."
Variations
Revise an abstract
Use this after the study and results are final but before submission.
Revise this abstract, [ABSTRACT], for a [DOCUMENT TYPE] in [DISCIPLINE]. Follow these rules: [WORD LIMIT AND REQUIREMENTS]. Preserve only findings and methods supported by [STUDY FACTS]. Produce a structured version with background, objective, methods, results, and conclusion if the venue requires it; otherwise produce one paragraph. Mark any claim that overstates causality, generalizability, novelty, or implications. Do not invent sample details, effect sizes, citations, or results. End with a checklist of facts I must verify against the manuscript.
Synthesize sources
Use this when notes from several sources need to become an argument rather than summaries.
Synthesize these verified source notes, [SOURCE NOTES], for the question [RESEARCH QUESTION]. Build a matrix with source, context or method, relevant finding, limitation, and relation to other sources. Then write a 500-word synthesis organized around conceptual tensions rather than one paragraph per source. Use only information in the notes. Mark where I need to reread an original source before making a comparison. Do not invent citations, quotations, page numbers, or scholarly consensus.
Peer review response
Use this when drafting a measured response to reviewer comments.
Help draft a response-to-reviewers document for [MANUSCRIPT TITLE]. The reviewer comments are [COMMENTS], and the revisions actually made are [REVISION NOTES]. Create a table with comment, response, manuscript change, and location placeholder. Use a professional, non-defensive tone. Acknowledge limits without agreeing to claims I cannot support. Do not claim an analysis, citation, or revision was completed unless it appears in my notes. Flag comments needing a supervisor, coauthor, statistical, or editorial decision.
Tips
- Ask AI to work from a source-note table that includes what each source actually found, its method, and its limitations; titles alone invite unsupported synthesis.
- Use claim-evidence-analysis as a paragraph check: evidence without interpretation does not demonstrate why the source matters to your argument.
- Treat quotations and page numbers as high-risk fields; verify them against the original document even when an AI response looks plausible.
- Read your institution's and journal's AI policy before uploading drafts, peer-review material, participant data, or unpublished coauthor work.
FAQ
Can AI generate academic references for a paper?
Do not rely on it for references. Use library databases and a reference manager, then verify every bibliographic field and citation.
Can AI help revise writing without changing my argument?
Yes, if you give it the paragraph and ask it to mark changes and unsupported claims. You remain responsible for accuracy and authorship requirements.
Should I disclose AI use in academic work?
Follow your institution, funder, and journal rules. Many venues require disclosure for substantive assistance and prohibit use with confidential review or restricted data.