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OPINION

JPPT | Invited Commentary

ChatGPT for Research and Publication:

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A Step-by-Step Guide
Som S. Biswas, MD, MS, DNB, DMRD, MBA
J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther 2023;28(6):576–584

DOI: 10.5863/1551-6776-28.6.576

Introduction understanding of its capabilities, limitations, and

This commentary provides a concise step-by-step best practices.
guide on using ChatGPT, an advanced natural In this commentary I offer my thoughts for a
language processing (NLP) model, for research and stepby-step guide for researchers and authors who
publication purposes. The guide assesses crucial seek to harness the potential of ChatGPT in their
aspects, including data preprocessing, fine-tuning research endeavors and publication efforts. By
techniques, prompt engineering, and ethical exploring various aspects, such as data
considerations. By addressing challenges related to preprocessing, fine-tuning techniques, prompt
biases, interpretability, and plagiarism, this engineering, and ethical considerations, this guide
commentary offers insights and recommendations will equip researchers with the necessary knowledge
for the responsible and ethical use of ChatGPT. The to harness the full potential of ChatGPT in their
guide empowers researchers to ethically integrate scientific pursuits. Moreover, this commentary will
ChatGPT effectively into their workflows, enhancing delve into the challenges associated with using
productivity and improving the quality of their ChatGPT for research and publication, including
scientific publications. Through clear instructions biases, interpretability, and concerns regarding
and guidelines, researchers can tap into the plagiarism. By addressing these challenges directly, I
transformative potential of ChatGPT, driving aim to provide researchers with valuable insights
scientific progress in a language-driven world. and recommendations to navigate these important
In recent years, the field of NLP has witnessed issues and ensure the responsible and ethical use of
remarkable advancements, bringing us closer to the ChatGPT as a research tool.4
realm of humanlike language generation. Among The significance of my guide lies in its potential to
these advancements, ChatGPT, based on the bridge the gap between the rapid progress of
groundbreaking GPT-3.5 architecture developed by language models like ChatGPT and the research and
OpenAI, stands as an impressive language model publication process. By elucidating the intricacies of
capable of generating coherent and contextually integrating ChatGPT into scientific workflows,
relevant text responses. With its ability to researchers will be empowered to leverage this
understand and respond to user inputs, ChatGPT has advanced technology effectively, thereby enhancing
opened up new possibilities for various applications, the overall quality and impact of their research
including research and publication.1–3 output.5 In the following sections, I present a
The traditional process of conducting research and comprehensive overview of the steps involved in
publishing scientific papers has been significantly using ChatGPT for research and publication.
transformed by the emergence of ChatGPT.
Researchers and authors can now leverage the Step 1: Title and Title Page Creation by
power of this sophisticated language model to ChatGPT
streamline and enhance their workflow, leading to ChatGPT can be a valuable tool in generating titles
improved efficiency and higher-quality publications. for research papers. Its ability to understand and
However, using ChatGPT effectively in the research generate humanlike text allows it to analyze and
and publication domain requires a comprehensive synthesize information provided by researchers to
craft concise and impactful titles. By leveraging its perspectives and angles that researchers can
vast knowledge base and language capabilities, consider. This collaboration with ChatGPT can save
ChatGPT can assist in capturing the essence of a time and stimulate creativity, helping researchers
research paper, conveying the main focus and refine their titles to accurately represent their work
contributions succinctly. Researchers can collaborate and engage potential readers. ChatGPT can then be
with ChatGPT by providing relevant information, used to create the entire title page and then can also
such as the subject, objectives, methodology, and customize based on each journal’s
key findings of their study. ChatGPT can then recommendations. Downloade

generate multiple title options, offering different

For example:

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 Biswas, S et al ChatGPT: Guide for Researchers

Thus, we see that ChatGPT can write an entire title is incorrect and needs manual rectification. However,
page based on just the title and author details. We the rest of the title page, including keywords and the
notice that ChatGPT has created an email address that running title, is appropriate.

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ChatGPT: Guide for Researchers Biswas, S et al

Step 2: Abstract/Summary Creation In this example, we demonstrate that ChatGPT can

create an entire abstract just by using the title alone.
by chatGPT
However, the more information researchers provide
ChatGPT can assist in condensing complex information
(preferably the entire body of the paper should be
into a clear and engaging abstract/summary, helping
entered into chatGPT), the more accurate the abstract
researchers communicate the significance and novelty of
becomes.
their research to a wider audience. By leveraging the Downloade

language proficiency of ChatGPT, researchers can save

time and effort in crafting abstracts while ensuring that
the key aspects of their study are accurately represented.

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Biswas, S et al ChatGPT: Guide for Researchers

Step 3: Introduction Creation by ChatGPT important to note that the generated introduction should
By collaborating with ChatGPT, researchers can provide be reviewed, customized, and refined by the researchers
key information, such as the background, significance, to align with their specific study and writing style.
and objectives of their study. ChatGPT can then generate In the example below, we note that ChatGPT has not
a well-structured introduction that sets the context, only created an introduction but also the objectives of
highlights the relevance of the research, and outlines the the study, which can then be edited by the human Downloade
paper’s objectives. Also, ChatGPT can be used to author.
generate keywords and generate an abbreviations list
from the article by using prompts. However, it is

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ChatGPT: Guide for Researchers Biswas, S et al

Step 4: Can ChatGPT Create a Literature generated response may not cover all relevant studies.
Nonetheless, it can assist in providing a basic literature
Review?
review on a given topic, which will need human authors
Yes, ChatGPT can help generate a literature review, but
to add to and edit it.
it is important to note that it may not have access to the
For example:
most up-to-date research articles and studies due to
copyrights and limited access to some journals. Downloade

Additionally, a literature review typically requires a

comprehensive analysis of multiple sources, so the

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Biswas, S et al ChatGPT: Guide for Researchers

As we can see, ChatGPT is not as good at giving

a detailed review of the literature as it is at sum-
marizing contents or creating an introduction. Thus,
its use is limited, if there is any at all, in this section of the paper.

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Step 5: Can ChatGPT Assist in Brainstorming the Methodology of Studies?

ChatGPT can be a helpful tool in conceptualizing the methodology for research papers. By engaging

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ChatGPT: Guide for Researchers Biswas, S et al

in a conversation with ChatGPT, researchers can discuss suggestions and insights based on its knowledge base
their research objectives, study design, data collection and understanding of research methodologies. Although
methods, and data analysis techniques. ChatGPT’s ChatGPT can assist in generating ideas and providing
natural language understanding allows it to provide guidance, it is important for researchers to critically

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Biswas, S et al ChatGPT: Guide for Researchers

evaluate and adapt the suggestions to align with their 1. Lack of domain expertise: ChatGPT is a
specific research goals and requirements. generalpurpose language model trained on a
Although the methodology is something that is unique diverse range of Internet text, which means it may
to each paper and needs a human researcher to lack the specific domain expertise required for
conceptualize it, we see in this example that ChatGPT can certain research topics. It may generate responses
assist by giving ideas and examples based on the input of that are not accurate or well informed in Downloade
the title by the human researcher. Thus, ChatGPT can be specialized fields, potentially leading to incorrect or
part of brainstorming sessions when conceptualizing a misleading information in research papers.
study, although this section needs significant editing by a 2. Inconsistency and variability: ChatGPT’s responses
human, unlike the introduction or summary. can be inconsistent and vary depending on the
input phrasing or prompt formulation. This can lead
Step 6: Do Not Use ChatGPT for Fabricating to unpredictability in generating reliable and
coherent content, requiring additional effort to
Patient Data or Results!
refine and ensure accuracy in research papers.
This section of the paper must be authentic, and
3. Limited control over output: Although researchers
ChatGPT has a limited role, if any, because patient data
can guide the model’s responses through prompts,
have to be original. ChatGPT also currently cannot
ChatGPT’s generation process is still primarily
analyze clinical data compared with statistical software,
autonomous. Researchers have limited control over
like SPSS Statistics and Base SAS. However, Microsoft
the precise content and structure of the generated
appears to be developing an Excel copilot that uses AI to
text, which may require careful editing and review
create graphs and plots, and its use needs to be
to align with specific research goals, standards, and
evaluated once it is released to the public.6
above all, accuracy.
4. Biases and ethical considerations: Language models
Step 7: Discussion and Conclusions like ChatGPT can inadvertently reflect biases
This section of the paper can be generated by ChatGPT present in the training data. These biases may
if all results are pasted as input; however, this section perpetuate existing societal or cultural biases in
also needs manual editing because inaccuracies are research papers, potentially leading to unfair or
common. By discussing their research with ChatGPT, discriminatory content. The careful examination
researchers can also identify potential limitations, discuss and mitigation of biases are crucial to ensure
the broader implications of their findings, and propose ethical and unbiased research output.7
future research directions. Although ChatGPT can 5. Lack of interpretability: ChatGPT’s decisionmaking
generate suggestions and facilitate the thought process, process is complex and not easily interpretable.
it is important for researchers to critically evaluate the Researchers may struggle to understand the
information provided and ensure that the Discussion and reasoning behind the model’s generated responses,
Conclusion sections align with the specific research making it challenging to assess the reliability and
objectives and findings of their study. Ultimately, credibility of the information provided. Ensuring
ChatGPT can serve as a supportive tool in developing a transparency and interpretability in research
comprehensive and well-rounded discussion and papers becomes more challenging with such
conclusion for research papers. models. ChatGPT should cite the sources for its
data, like Google Bard does.
Step 8: References 6. Plagiarism concerns: Because of its vast training
As per the author's experience, although ChatGPT is data from the Internet, ChatGPT may inadvertently
capable of creating references for an article, most of generate text that resembles or replicates existing
them are incorrect. So, using ChatGPT for creating content without proper citation or attribution.
references is not recommended. However, ChatGPT can Researchers must be cautious about unintentional
convert references into any journaling style if the plagiarism and ensure that generated content is
references are entered into ChatGPT and it is asked to appropriately referenced and original. So, all
convert them into a specific style. ChatGPt-generated articles need to be double
checked using antiplagiarism software.
Disadvantages of Using ChatGPT in Discussion
Research In this commentary I have provided a comprehensive
Although ChatGPT offers numerous advantages for step-by-step guide for researchers and authors on
assisting in the writing of research papers, there are also harnessing the power of ChatGPT in the realm of
some important potential disadvantages to consider: research and publication. By exploring crucial aspects,

www.jppt.org J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther 2023 Vol. 28 No. 6 583

ChatGPT: Guide for Researchers Biswas, S et al

such as data preprocessing, fine-tuning techniques, Note

prompt engineering, and ethical considerations, the • Please use ChatGPT only if allowed by your
guide equips researchers with the necessary knowledge institution, research lab, and the journal in
and tools to effectively integrate ChatGPT into their question.
scientific workflows.8 • Please acknowledge ChatGPT within your
Through clear instructions, examples, and guidelines, manuscript/published paper wherever you are Downloade
researchers can navigate the complexities of using using it.
ChatGPT, leading to enhanced productivity and improved • Please do not fabricate or plagiarize data. ChatGPT
quality in their research output. Moreover, I address the can be used only for summarizing texts, improving
challenges associated with biases, interpretability, and English writeups, and brainstorming ideas, and not
plagiarism concerns, ensuring the responsible and ethical for creating fabricated research raw data.
usage of ChatGPT as a research tool.
The significance of this research lies in its ability to Article Information
bridge the gap between the rapid advancements in Affiliation. Department of Pediatric Radiology, Le Bonheur
language models like ChatGPT and the research and Children’s Hospital, The University of Tennessee Health Science
publication process. By empowering researchers with the Center, Memphis, TN.
skills to leverage ChatGPT effectively, this guide fosters
innovation, drives scientific progress, and opens up new Correspondence. Som S. Biswas, MD; ssbinmemphis@ gmail.com
possibilities for transformative contributions to various
fields.9 Disclosure. The author declare no conflicts or financial interest in
any product or service mentioned in the manuscript, including
As language-driven technologies continue to evolve,
grants, equipment, medications, employment, gifts, and
researchers must stay abreast of the latest advancements honoraria.
and best practices. The step-by-step guide presented in
this commentary serves as a valuable resource, providing Acknowledgment. The author acknowledges that this article was
researchers with the knowledge and guidance necessary partially generated by ChatGPT (powered by OpenAI’s language
to maximize the potential of ChatGPT in their research model, GPT-3; http://openai.com). The editing was performed by
endeavors. By embracing the capabilities of ChatGPT and
the human author. Submitted. August 11, 2023
ensuring its responsible and ethical use, researchers can
revolutionize the way research and publications are Received. August 11, 2023
conducted. With ChatGPT as a powerful tool in their
arsenal, researchers are poised to make significant Copyright. Pediatric Pharmacy Association. All rights reserved.
strides in their respective fields, pushing the boundaries For permissions, email: [email protected]
of scientific knowledge and ushering in a new era of
language-driven innovation.10 References
However, and to reiterate, I cannot overemphasize that 1. Brown TB, Mann B, Ryder N, et al. Language models are
ChatGPT has, at present, many disadvantages, including few-shot learners. 2020. arXiv preprint: 2005.14165.
inconsistencies, bias, and plagiarism concerns, that must 2. Radford A, Wu J, Child R, et al. Language models are
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submitted for publication to a journal, as well as prior to
research/gpt-3 accessed June 6
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step-by-step guide, researchers can unlock the full
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potential of ChatGPT, driving scientific progress and
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