Act as a dissertation-writing coach and critical reader. Help me develop [CHAPTER OR WRITING TASK] for a dissertation on [RESEARCH QUESTION AND FIELD]. Work only from [MY NOTES, EVIDENCE, AND SOURCES], while following [PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS AND SUPERVISOR GUIDANCE] and [MY CURRENT DRAFT OR OUTLINE]. Do not invent citations, quotations, data, participant statements, archival evidence, methods, findings, or scholarly consensus. Do not present generated prose as research I conducted. Preserve uncertainty and distinguish my findings, other authors' arguments, and my interpretation. If my evidence cannot support a claim, identify the gap and suggest what kind of source, analysis, or supervisor guidance would be needed. First, give a short diagnosis of the chapter's argument: central claim, contribution, logical sequence, missing warrants, and likely examiner questions. Then produce: 1. A detailed chapter outline with section purpose, topic sentence or claim, evidence needed, and transition for each section. 2. A 300-450 word model passage for the most important section, using citation placeholders such as [Author, Year, p. X] wherever a source is needed. Keep it in a formal academic style but do not mimic a living scholar. 3. A revision checklist covering argument, evidence, method alignment, counterarguments, signposting, citation verification, and paragraph-level coherence. 4. Five questions I should answer myself before submitting the next draft. Before answering, check that the proposed argument answers the research question and that every factual claim in the model passage is either supplied by me or marked as needing citation. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing. Remind me to follow my institution's AI-use and authorship rules.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [CHAPTER OR WRITING TASK] | State the chapter type or writing task, such as literature review, methods chapter, results analysis, or discussion revision. | Revise the discussion chapter, especially the section interpreting interviews about remote work and manager trust. |
| [RESEARCH QUESTION AND FIELD] | Provide the dissertation research question, discipline, and any key theoretical or methodological framing. | How do first-line managers in UK mid-sized technology firms interpret trust when supervising hybrid teams? Qualitative organizational studies dissertation using reflexive thematic analysis. |
| [MY NOTES, EVIDENCE, AND SOURCES] | Paste your notes, verified findings, source list, quotations with page numbers, and evidence you are allowed to use. | Theme 2 notes: 14 of 18 managers described visibility as a concern; P03 said weekly check-ins helped but did not replace informal contact. Literature notes: cite McAllister 1995 on cognition- and affect-based trust; verify exact pages before use. |
| [PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS AND SUPERVISOR GUIDANCE] | Provide word limits, formatting requirements, marking criteria, supervisor feedback, and institutional AI-use rules. | Discussion chapter target 8,000 words. Supervisor said distinguish participant accounts from my interpretation and address sampling limits. University permits AI for planning and language feedback if disclosed; no generated citations. |
| [MY CURRENT DRAFT OR OUTLINE] | Paste the relevant draft, rough outline, or a description of where the writing is stuck. | Current section opens by saying hybrid work reduces trust, then gives three quotes. I need a more nuanced argument that explains variation by manager experience and team routines. |
How to use
- Paste only notes, findings, and sources you have checked or are prepared to verify; label uncertain notes as uncertain.
- Include the exact supervisor feedback and chapter requirement so the critique targets your assessment criteria.
- Check every citation placeholder and compare the model argument against your data before using any wording.
- Follow up with: “Act as a skeptical examiner and identify three alternative explanations my discussion should address, without adding evidence.”
Variations
Literature review
Use this when building a synthesis rather than a source-by-source summary.
Help me plan a literature-review section on [TOPIC AND RESEARCH QUESTION] using [VERIFIED SOURCE NOTES] and [REVIEW PURPOSE]. Create a thematic synthesis outline that compares agreements, disagreements, methods, contexts, and gaps across the supplied sources. Draft a 350-word model synthesis using citation placeholders only, never invented references. Include a table showing each source's contribution and limitation. Check that the section leads toward my research question rather than merely summarizing authors.
Methods chapter
Use this when explaining and defending a research design.
Critique and outline my methods chapter for [STUDY DESIGN] addressing [RESEARCH QUESTION]. Use [METHODS NOTES AND DECISIONS], [ETHICS AND PROGRAMME RULES], and [CURRENT DRAFT]. Produce a defensible structure covering paradigm, sampling, recruitment, data collection, analysis, reflexivity, rigor, ethics, and limitations. Identify decisions that need justification or a verified methods citation. Do not claim approval, saturation, validity, or participant details not in my notes. Check alignment between question, data, and analysis.
Supervisor revision
Use this when turning feedback into a focused revision plan.
Turn this supervisor feedback, [SUPERVISOR COMMENTS], and this draft section, [DRAFT SECTION], into a revision plan for my dissertation on [RESEARCH QUESTION]. Separate changes into argument, evidence, structure, method, and style. For each change, state the exact passage affected, a concrete action, and evidence or source needed. Draft only one short revised paragraph with citation placeholders. Do not resolve ambiguous feedback by inventing content. Check that each action responds directly to a comment.
Tips
- Use AI to test the logic between evidence and claim, but verify sources in the original text rather than trusting a generated citation.
- Keep a distinction in your draft between reported results, interpretation, and broader implication; examiners notice when these levels blur.
- Ask for a section outline before asking for prose when a chapter feels weak, because structural problems rarely disappear through sentence-level editing.
- Save prompts and outputs if your institution requires an AI-use disclosure, and follow the rules set by your programme and supervisor.
FAQ
Can I use AI to write my dissertation?
Policies differ by institution and course. It is safer to use it for planning, critique, and language support while keeping research decisions, evidence, citations, and authorship under your control.
Can AI find citations for my chapter?
Treat suggestions as leads, not citations. Locate the original source, read the relevant passage, and confirm that it supports your claim before citing it.
How can AI help without weakening my academic voice?
Give it your argument, notes, and draft, then use the output as a critique or model to revise in your own words. Retain your disciplinary judgment and document your process where required.