Enhancing the use of ChatGPT: tips for SNU students
Recently, ChatGPT has gained popularity among university students as a tool for research and writing assignments. According to the online survey I conducted from May 26th to May 28th, a considerable portion of the respondents reported using ChatGPT frequently. Specifically, 20. 8% use it on a daily basis, and 27. 1% use it regularly (once a week or more). The survey results also highlight that the primary use of ChatGPT is for academic research and reference purposes, with 50% of respondents relying on it for these tasks. Additionally, 49. 7% and 33. 3% of respondents indicated that they primarily use ChatGPT for coding or programming assistance and brainstorming ideas, respectively. Overall, these survey results suggest that ChatGPT is regularly used by a diverse group of individuals for various purposes, with academic research and reference being the most prevalent uses. However, many of them tend to use ChatGPT by simply asking vague questions like “Tell me about [SUBJECT]. ” or requesting it to write codes for specific tasks. To make the most of ChatGPT’s potential, it is important to learn how to use it wisely. In this article, we will explore ways to use ChatGPT more wisely. One way to enhance the user experience is to install extension programs that can expand ChatGPT’s capabilities. For example, ‘Chatonai’ is a program that integrates ChatGPT results into search engines like Google or Naver. This allows users to view ChatGPT-generated results without having to switch to a different window and easily compare them with what they found on search engines. Another program, YouTube ChatGPT, automatically generates transcripts of YouTube videos, which can be helpful when summarizing or analyzing a video’s content. Additionally, to overcome ChatGPT’s limitation of not having access to the most recent information, you can also install WebChatGPT. This extension program provides access to the latest information online, enabling ChatGPT to provide more up-to-date responses. However, even with these tools, it is essential to learn how to craft effective prompts for ChatGPT to provide relevant and accurate responses. The ‘prompt’ refers to the message that we input into ChatGPT, which determines the quality of the response. To get the best results, consider the following tips: 1. Add the phrase ‘as if you were talking to a child’ at the end of a question. This approach works well when seeking detailed explanations or answers to complex concepts. 2. Use role-playing techniques. Asking ChatGPT to “Act as a [ROLE]” helps provide responses from a particular perspective or viewpoint. This approach can be useful when trying to understand a specific profession, field, or industry. For example, if you are studying business management, you can request ChatGPT to “Act as a business consultant” and seek advice on strategies for improving customer retention in competitive markets. Here, ChatGPT will generate responses as if it were a business consultant, offering insights, data-driven recommendations, and industry-specific knowledge to address the query effectively. 3. Be specific about the details of the question. Providing in-depth information about the topic, context, or even the desired length of the response can help ChatGPT provide more targeted and relevant answers. For example, if the prompt is “Tell me about Seoul National University” specifying it to “in the context of its campus facilities, location, and student life” or adding “limit the response to 500 words or less” can help to generate more focused responses. 4. Utilize ChatGPT to review your assignment. You can ask it to check for typos in your work or even request for it to grade your writing. ChatGPT will provide brief feedback on the structure of your writing. This feature has the advantage of allowing you to quickly get an opinion about your report without having to ask someone else to evaluate it. However, it is important to remember that it is ultimately the user's responsibility to decide whether to utilize this information and seek additional feedback. 5. Finally, use existing prompt templates available online. These templates provide pre-written prompts that have been tested and proven to be effective. This can be a helpful starting point for students who are new to using ChatGPT. For instance, when crafting a catchy slogan for a particular product or service, you can search online for prompt templates related to that topic. One possible template could be: “Product/Service: [What product or service is the slogan for?], Audience: [Who is the target audience for the slogan?], Tone: [What tone should the slogan convey? E. g. , playful, serious, etc. ], Keywords: [Enter a few keywords related to the product or service]. ” Simply fill in the required information within the brackets and select the desired output language, and ChatGPT will generate a wonderful and creative slogan for you. As a small tip, apart from conducting internet searches, Chatonai is another trustworthy resource for finding such templates. By following these tips, you will be able to fully harness ChatGPT as a research and learning tool. If used properly, the range of applications of ChatGPT is literally ‘infinite. ’ Remember: the effectiveness of ChatGPT depends on the user’s ability to use it wisely and appropriately. Thus if students utilize it well and experiment with different ways to use it, it can lead to a much more efficient life with integrity.