Nature | Three ways ChatGPT helps me in my academic writing

Nature的CAREER COLUMN栏目在2024年4月8日发布了一篇短文，是一位学者Dritjon Gruda分享自己使用AI的一些经验。其中有一些他提供的典型提示语模板，用于润色论文、审稿等，非常有用，记录下来。

润色学术写作 （Polishing academic writing）

上下文（Context）是让GPT（甚至是任何人或者物）做出精确回答的关键。

When you’re using a chatbot to refine a section of your paper for clarity, start by outlining the context. What is your paper about, and what is your main argument? Jot down your ideas in any format — even bullet points will work. Then, present this information to the generative AI of your choice.

作者提到，修改论文时要向GPT提供论文主要是关于什么的，论点是什么。建议是一条条理清楚再输入给GPT。

作者常用的GPT是OpenAI的ChatGPT和Google的Gemini。

作者建议的开头是：

I’m writing a paper on [topic] for a leading [discipline] academic journal. What I tried to say in the following section is [specific point]. Please rephrase it for clarity, coherence and conciseness, ensuring each paragraph flows into the next. Remove jargon. Use a professional tone.

作者提出，AI的回答需要多轮的提问和反复修改来精进。要尽可能再和AI进行多几轮的互动。

If something doesn’t quite hit the mark, don’t hesitate to say, “This isn’t quite what I meant. Let’s adjust this part.” Or you can commend its improvements: “This is much clearer, but let’s tweak the ending for a stronger transition to the next section.”

提升同行评议 （Elevating peer review）

GPT在审稿时也会非常有用。作者建议首先自己阅读文稿，并且总结好评审的要点和领域。

建议是不要直接将文稿上传到Chatbot中，避免学术隐私泄露。

作者给出的提示词示例：

“Assume you’re an expert and seasoned scholar with 20+ years of academic experience in [field]. On the basis of my summary of a paper in [field], where the main focus is on [general topic], provide a detailed review of this paper, in the following order: 1) briefly discuss its core content; 2) identify its limitations; and 3) explain the significance of each limitation in order of importance. Maintain a concise and professional tone throughout.”

作者发现，在进行Peer Review时，Chatbot通常可以给出很多他没考虑过的观点。

For instance, ChatGPT excels at explaining and justifying the reasons behind specific limitations that I had identified in my review, which helps me to grasp the broader implications of the study’s contribution. If I identify methodological limitations, ChatGPT can elaborate on these in detail and suggest ways to overcome them in a revision. This feedback often helps me to connect the dots between the limitations and their collective impact on the paper’s overall contribution.

也就是说，我如果发现了论述过程中的缺陷，或者方法上的局限性，但我可能在描述上有困难，AI可以帮我们解决这种问题。

然而，作者仍然强调了，AI会有犯错的可能，有时他的建议会是牵强的甚至是错误的，他认为，这也是为什么审稿这件事最终还是要人工完成，AI只能作为辅助，因为只有审稿人才能区分什么是事实，什么不是。

优化编辑反馈 （Optimizing editorial feedback）

在第三个部分，作者提到了他作为一个期刊编辑，每天可能遇到的稿件数量非常大，他可能没有办法在很短的时间内为那么多研究提供建设性的反馈。他收到过类似于“After careful consideration, we have decided not to proceed with your manuscript”这样毫无建设性的反馈文字。所以，他觉得清晰和建设性的沟通非常有必要。

“I recognize the importance of clear and constructive communication. ChatGPT has become indispensable in this process, helping me to craft precise, empathetic and actionable feedback without replacing human editorial decisions.”

因此，他在评估完一篇论文后，会总结它的优缺点，并输入Chatbot让它起草一篇更精确、富有同理心而且是有具体内容的反馈。他的提示语示例是：

“On the basis of these notes, draft a letter to the author. Highlight the manuscript’s key issues and clearly explain why the manuscript, despite its interesting topic, might not provide a substantial enough advancement to merit publication. Avoid jargon. Be direct. Maintain a professional and respectful tone throughout.”

之后，经过几次交互调整，让内容和语气恰到好处。

他发现，这样的过程帮助他提高了给出反馈的质量，也有助于他确保能够非常supportive的传达自己的意见。使得编辑和作者之间的交流更积极、更有成效。

最后，作者鼓励大家积极使用生成式AI~

There is no doubt that generative AI presents challenges to the scientific community. But it can also enhance the quality of our work. These tools can bolster our capabilities in writing, reviewing and editing. They preserve the essence of scientific inquiry — curiosity, critical thinking and innovation — while improving how we communicate our research.
Considering the benefits, what are you waiting for?

原文出处：https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01042-3
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01042-3