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Using ChatGPT for technical writing

Tech writing using ChatGPT

This doc discusses the different ways in which writers can use ChatGPT to help them plan, create and edit MarkDown documentation, with a focus on technical writing. Unless otherwise noted, the article uses GPT-3, since GPT-4 currently has a cap of 25 messages every 3 hours and is only available on paid OpenAI accounts.

Editing using ChatGPT

ChatGPT is phenomenal when it comes to basic writing things like:

  • Grammar
  • Spelling
  • Formatting
  • Syntax

ChatGPT can also parse a style guide like https://docs.ipfs.tech/community/contribute/grammar-formatting-and-style and use it when editing a chunk of markdown. It's not as great at this, but I suspect that formatting and writing the style guide a certain way may markedly improve output - TBD.

Examples

Get general writing issues in copy

Input

A poorly written sentence.

This here doc talksies bout different ways in which riters can use chatGpT to halp them plan create and, edit MrkDon documentation. Unless other wise noted, article uses GPT-3 cus GPT-4 be capped at 25 messages every three hours n is only available on $paid$ OpenAI accounts.

Prompt

Note and explain all grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax and formatting issues in this sentence:

...

Output

Grammar:

"This here doc talksies bout" is grammatically incorrect and should be changed to "This document discusses."
"riters" should be changed to "writers."
"halp" should be changed to "help."
"MrkDon" should be changed to "markdown."

Spelling:

"doc" should be changed to "document."
"chatGpT" should be changed to "ChatGPT."
Punctuation:

The comma after "create and" is not necessary and should be removed.
The "n" in "n is" should be changed to "and."

Syntax:

The sentence structure is not clear and could be reworded for better clarity.

Formatting:

The "$paid$" should be changed to plain text, such as "paid."

Get writing issues in markdown based on a style guide

Input

# Is THIS A Valid title????

_Chat-GPT_ is a robot that will, take ALL our jerbs! It can categorise, pluralise and CAPitalize. It's an artificial intelligence (AI). It is not on IPFS. It can code stuff like console.log(error);

It can fix lists:

- It.
* Can fix
- Lists:
  - Or sublists
  - You get the idea.

Prompt

Using https://docs.ipfs.tech/community/contribute/grammar-formatting-and-style/ as the style guide, note and explain all style guide violations in the markdown below, citing the rule violated:

...

Output

Note that it didn't catch everything:

  1. AI -> https://docs.ipfs.tech/community/contribute/grammar-formatting-and-style/#grammar-and-spelling
  2. It is not on IPFS. -> https://docs.ipfs.tech/community/contribute/grammar-formatting-and-style/#using-ipfs-not-on-ipfs

Note that it is also wrong about a few rules (points 2 and 3 in the output)

Style guide violations:

1. Capitalization: Rule 1.1 - The first letter of the first word in the title should be capitalized, as well as the first letters of all other words except for conjunctions, prepositions, and articles. The title "Is THIS A Valid title?????" should be changed to "Is This a Valid Title?"

2. Punctuation: Rule 2.1 - The title should end with a period. The title "Is This a Valid Title?" should be changed to "Is This a Valid Title."

3. Formatting: Rule 4.2 - Underscores (_) should not be used to italicize text. The text "Chat-GPT" should be changed to "Chat-GPT".

4. Capitalization: Rule 1.2 - The first letter of the first word in a sentence should be capitalized. The text "It is not on IPFS." should be changed to "It is not on IPFS."

5. Punctuation: Rule 2.2 - Sentences should end with a period. The text "It can code stuff like console.log(error);" should end with a period.

6. Capitalization: Rule 1.3 - Capital letters should only be used for the first letter of the first word in a sentence, proper nouns, and acronyms. The text "It can categorise, pluralise and CAPitalize." should be changed to "It can categorize, pluralize, and capitalize."

7. List formatting: Rule 4.3 - Lists should have a space after the bullet point. The text "- It." should be changed to "- It.".

8. List formatting: Rule 4.3 - Lists should have a bullet point before the text. The text "* Can fix" should be changed to "- Can fix".

Get general spelling issues and check against a style guide

Input

# Is THIS A Valid title????

_Chat-GPT_ is a robotttt that wheell, take ALL our jerbs! It can categorise, pluralise and CAPitalizzzzzzze. It's an artfacial intellijance. It not on IPFS. It can codez like console.log(error);

It can fix listsies goodly:

- It.
* Can fix
- Lists:
  - Or sublists
  - You get the idea.

Prompt

Using https://docs.ipfs.tech/community/contribute/grammar-formatting-and-style/ as the style guide, note and explain all style guide violations in the markdown below, citing the rule violated. Note any misspelled words:

...

Output

Similar to the output in Get writing issues in markdown based on a style guide, the bot misses rules and also interpets a few incorrectly. One theory here is that the style guide should be formatted in a more bot-friendly way for ChatGPT to properly consume it. Of course, that's just a theory

Style guide violations:

1. Capitalization: Rule 1.1 - The first letter of the first word in the title should be capitalized, as well as the first letters of all other words except for conjunctions, prepositions, and articles. The title "Is THIS A Valid title?????" should be changed to "Is This a Valid Title?"

2. Punctuation: Rule 2.1 - The title should end with a period. The title "Is This a Valid Title?" should be changed to "Is This a Valid Title."

3. Formatting: Rule 4.2 - Underscores (_) should not be used to italicize text. The text "Chat-GPT" should be changed to "Chat-GPT".

4. Capitalization: Rule 1.2 - The first letter of the first word in a sentence should be capitalized. The text "It is not on IPFS." should be changed to "It is not on IPFS."

5. Punctuation: Rule 2.2 - Sentences should end with a period. The text "It can code stuff like console.log(error);" should end with a period.

6. Capitalization: Rule 1.3 - Capital letters should only be used for the first letter of the first word in a sentence, proper nouns, and acronyms. The text "It can categorise, pluralise and CAPitalize." should be changed to "It can categorize, pluralize, and capitalize."

7. List formatting: Rule 4.3 - Lists should have a space after the bullet point. The text "- It." should be changed to "- It.".

8. List formatting: Rule 4.3 - Lists should have a bullet point before the text. The text "* Can fix" should be changed to "- Can fix".
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