How to Use ChatGPT to Write Essays Without Getting Caught (100% Original Method)

ChatGPT wrote your essay. You submitted it. And now you’re in trouble.

Don’t let that become your reality! What if you could write an essay that’s 100% original—with the help of AI? It’s absolutely possible.

Advanced language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can help you create well-structured, high-quality content. But most people use them the wrong way. As a result, their work gets flagged for AI use or plagiarism and often ends up rejected.

In this blog, I’ll teach you exactly how to use ChatGPT to write an essay without plagiarizing. You’ll learn how to craft the right prompts, maintain originality, and avoid common AI pitfalls.

Let’s get started!

How to Use ChatGPT to Write Essays without Plagiarizing

ChatGPT can be a powerful writing assistant for students, educators, and professionals alike. Millions already use it effectively to draft blogs, articles, essays, and more.

However, if you simply copy and paste the AI-generated content, plagiarism detector tools may flag your academic writing. That means you can’t submit such content as-is.

So today, I’ll show you how to use ChatGPT the right way for essay writing — ethically, effectively, and without risking plagiarism.

Module 1: Using ChatGPT for Preliminary Research

Students, especially those in middle and high school, often struggle at the early research stage. Let’s say your school asks you to write an essay on the latest advancements in AI and machine learning technologies. You could spend hours searching on Google Scholar or online journals trying to find recent breakthroughs.

But here’s how I use ChatGPT to save time and focus my research:

Prompt 1:

What breakthrough developments in AI and ML have emerged in 2025

Sample prompt:

What breakthrough developments in [insert topic] have emerged in 2025?

Prompt 2:

Suggest five trending essay topics for 12th-grade high school students based on recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Sample prompt 2:

Suggest [insert number] trending essay topics for [mention grade] based on [mention topic].

Module 2: Develop Your Research Question

From the previous step, I’ve finalized my essay topic:

Topic: AI in Education: Personalized Learning vs. Academic Integrity

A clear research question helps you define what to write about, what to avoid, your essay’s objective, and its key focus areas. It acts as a guide to structure your essay with purpose and clarity.

Prompt 1:

Write five important research questions for a 12th-grade high school essay on the topic: “AI in Education: Personalized Learning vs. Academic Integrity.”

Sample prompt 1:

Write [mention number] important research questions for a [mention grade] essay on the topic: [“mention essay topic”].

Prompt 2:

Develop additional research questions based on question number 4.

Sample prompt 2:

Develop additional research questions based on [mention question number].

Module 3: Create an Essay Outline

Now that you’ve finalized your research questions, we can move on to preparing an outline. This step helps you divide the word count effectively while ensuring that you cover all the important aspects of the topic.

Prompt I Used:

Write a detailed outline for a 500-word essay titled “AI in Education: Personalized Learning vs. Academic Integrity.”
While brainstorming the outline, incorporate and respond to the following research questions:
1. How do high school students define the ethical vs. unethical use of AI tools like ChatGPT in their academic work?
2. How do teachers perceive the role of AI in enhancing student learning while upholding academic standards?
3. What policies or honor codes have schools implemented to ensure the ethical use of AI in education?

Sample Prompt:

Write a detailed outline for a [mention word count]-word essay titled “[mention essay title].”

While brainstorming the outline, incorporate and respond to the following research questions: [mention research questions]

Module 4: Finding Reputable Sources with ChatGPT’s Help

ChatGPT can also help find reliable sources to support your essay. This means you don’t need to manually search for content to match each section of your outline — simply use a targeted prompt to get started.

I used the following essay prompt on the same page where I pasted the outline for Module 3:

 I’m writing a 500-word essay titled “AI in Education: Personalized Learning vs. Academic Integrity.” Can you help me find reliable sources to support a well-structured, evidence-based argument? Please consider the essay structure and suggest relevant sources for each main section or subheading.

Sample Prompt:

 I’m writing a [mention word count]-word essay titled [“mention essay title”]. Can you help me find reliable sources to support a well-structured, evidence-based argument? Please consider the essay structure and suggest relevant sources for each main section or subheading.

Module 5: Write an Introduction

To write a strong and effective essay introduction, you need to include three key elements:

1. A hook to capture the reader’s attention
2. Brief background information to provide context
3. A clear thesis statement that outlines the central argument of the essay

Use the following prompt in ChatGPT to generate a compelling introduction:

Prompt:

 You are an expert essay writer. Write an introduction for the essay titled “AI in Education: Personalized Learning vs. Academic Integrity.” The introduction should begin with a compelling hook, followed by brief background information, and end with a clear thesis statement. The length should be approximately 60 to 80 words.

Sample Prompt:

You are an expert essay writer. Write an introduction for the essay titled [“mention title”]. The introduction should begin with a compelling hook, followed by brief background information, and end with a clear thesis statement. The length should be approximately [mention word count] words.

For reference, you may use insights from this source: [copy/paste the sources]

Module 6: Paraphrasing and Summarizing for Body Paragraphs

You now have all the sources organized under each subheading. Take the time to carefully read the relevant sections from each source. Once you’ve identified the key content for your essay, copy it and use the following prompt:

Prompt:

Paraphrase the following content. Make sure the language sounds natural and human-written, not like it was generated by AI. Here’s the content:

“The area with the biggest automation potential is one that teachers deal with before they even get to the classroom: preparation. Across the four countries we studied, teachers spend an average of 11 hours a week in preparation activities. We estimate that effective use of technology could cut the time to just six hours. Even if teachers spend the same time preparing, technology could make that time more effective, helping them come up with even better lesson plans and approaches. For example, several software providers offer mathematics packages to help teachers assess the current level of their students’ understanding, group students according to learning needs, and suggest lesson plans, materials, and problem sets for each group. In other subjects, collaboration platforms enable teachers to search and find relevant materials posted by other teachers or administrators. Technology has the least potential to save teacher time in areas where teachers are directly engaging with students: direct instruction and engagement, coaching and advisement, and behavioral-, social-, and emotional-skill development. It is worth pausing here for a moment to note that we are not denying that technology will change the student experience of learning, although we would recommend caution and measured expectations.”

Sample prompt:

Paraphrase the following content. Make sure the language sounds natural and human-written, not like it was generated by AI. Here’s the content: [“paste content”]

Module 7: Writing a Strong Conclusion

A well-written essay conclusion must include a clear thesis statement. It should effectively summarize or paraphrase all the key points mentioned and end with a strong final perspective.

To help you with this, I’ve used the following prompt:

Prompt:

Write the conclusion for the essay titled “AI in Education: Personalized Learning vs. Academic Integrity.” The essay included the following subheadings: “Personalized Learning: The Benefits of AI, Academic Integrity Concerns, and Institutional Policies and Solutions.” The conclusion should restate the thesis: “As AI tools rapidly transform education worldwide, they promise tailored learning experiences but also raise concerns about academic honesty.” Keep the conclusion around 80 words and ensure it effectively summarizes the key arguments while reinforcing the thesis.

Sample prompt:

Write the conclusion for the essay titled [“mention essay title”]. The essay included the following subheadings: [“mention subheads”]. The conclusion should restate the thesis: [“mention thesis statement”] Keep the conclusion around [mention word count] words and ensure it effectively summarizes the key arguments while reinforcing the thesis.

Module 8: Check Your Essay for Plagiarism

There are many plagiarism detection tools available online. To use a reliable one, I recommend choosing from the 9 best plagiarism checkers I personally reviewed and tested.

Interlink plagiarism checker tools once the article gets published

For example, I copied and pasted my entire content into Duplichecker, and here’s the result:

The content showed 3% plagiarism. To fix this, I went back to ChatGPT and used the following prompt to rephrase the flagged section:

Prompt:

araphrase the content to ensure content originality and avoid plagiarism. Use clear, natural language that sounds human-written. “It’s important to offer clear guidance and tools to help students understand academic integrity.”

Sample prompt:

Paraphrase the content to ensure originality and avoid plagiarism. Use clear, natural language that sounds human-written. [“Insert your content here”]

After paraphrasing, I pasted the revised version back into my academic essay and ran it through the same plagiarism detection tool again.

The article is now 100% unique.

Module 9: Using ChatGPT for Citations and Referencing

It’s ethical to cite all the sources you followed. You must have noticed that a research paper comes with a long reference list in APA, MLA, or Chicago citation styles. You can take the help of ChatGPT at this stage as well. 

Prompt: 

I need help to format the reference list in MLA style for my essay titled “AI in Education: Personalized Learning vs. Academic Integrity.” Below are the source details I used:
“1. UNESCO (2023)–Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research
Link: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000385451
2. Brookings Institution (2021)–How AI is Changing Teaching and Learning
Link: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-ai-is-changing-teaching-and-learning/
3. McKinsey & Company (2020)–How Artificial Intelligence Will Impact K–12 Teachers
Link: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/how-artificial-intelligence-will-impact-k-12-teachers”
Please format these sources into proper MLA citation style.

Sample prompt:

 I need help to format the reference list in [mention citation style] for my essay titled [“mention essay title”]. Below are the source details I used: [enter all sources]. Please format these sources into proper [mention citation style].

What Not to Do When Using ChatGPT to Write an Essay

ChatGPT is a free content creation tool. While it’s helpful for generating ideas and organizing your thoughts, there are a few important limitations you must keep in mind.

1. Copy/pasting output without edits

We often copy and paste AI text directly into our assignments. But without any edits, your content will be flagged by AI content detection tools. So, you may face rejection from your university or academic institution.

2. Trusting ChatGPT’s Information Blindly

ChatGPT may include statistics or factual claims in its responses. However, not all of this information is accurate or up to date. If you don’t verify these details manually, you risk including incorrect data in your essay.

3. Using Complex Sentences

ChatGPT generates complex or unnatural-sounding sentences, even if you request conversational language. It hampers the readability of your essay. Use AI humanizers or revise the content manually to ensure clarity and a natural tone.

4. Ignoring Academic Integrity

Not all universities accept essays written entirely by AI. Some institutions have strict policies regarding plagiarism and academic dishonesty. It’s okay to use ChatGPT for research, outlining, or drafting a thesis statement, but submitting a fully AI-written essay is unethical.

In short, avoid the mistakes above when using ChatGPT for essay writing. For more insights, check out my detailed guide: 10 Tips on How to Detect AI-Generated Content (2025).

Conclusion 

As we wrap things up, it’s clear that using ChatGPT the right way and ethically can help you write original content. Your essay won’t be flagged as plagiarized. The ultimate tricks are writing effective ChatGPT prompts and following a structured process for each stage of essay writing.

I’ve broken down the entire approach into 9 simple modules. The modules cover everything from using ChatGPT for research and developing research questions to generating outlines, writing introductions and conclusions, critical thinking, and more.

Now it’s your turn! Start practicing with different essay topics. And remember the cautions I mentioned about what not to do when using ChatGPT.

If I missed anything or you have questions, feel free to reach out or leave a comment!

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