Plan an essay structure

intermediate⏱ Rough guide only: 30–60 minutes

Last reviewed by Amara Lewis

How can AI help me plan an essay?

Paste the essay question, word limit and your initial ideas into Claude or ChatGPT and ask for a paragraph-by-paragraph structure, counter-arguments and research questions – not the essay itself. Check your school or university's rules on AI use before you start.

Copy-and-paste prompt

Swap the bits in [square brackets] for your own details.

Help me plan (not write) an essay. Question: [paste]. Word limit: [number]. My initial ideas: [notes]. Give me a suggested structure with a one-line purpose for each paragraph, the counter-arguments I should address, and questions to guide my research.

How to do it

  1. Open Claude or ChatGPT and start a new chat.
  2. Copy the prompt below and replace everything in [square brackets] with your details.
  3. Read the answer and ask follow-up questions to adjust it.
  4. Check anything important yourself, then save or print the result.

What a good answer looks like

Illustrative example written by the AI My Day team to show the kind of answer you can expect. Real results vary.

Question: 'Should social media be banned for under-16s?' (1,500 words) Intro (150): define the issue; state your position. Para 1 (300): mental-health concerns – find recent studies. Para 2 (300): practical problems with enforcement – age checks. Para 3 (300): counter-argument – benefits for connection and learning. Para 4 (250): middle ground – design and education measures. Conclusion (200). Research questions: What does the evidence actually show? What have other countries tried?

Recommended tools

Strong at structuring arguments and spotting gaps, without writing the essay for you.

Claude

An AI assistant known for clear, natural writing and handling long documents.

Free planbeginner

ChatGPT

A general-purpose AI assistant you can chat to by typing, talking or sharing photos.

Free planbeginner

Top tips

  • Check your institution's AI rules first.
  • Write the essay in your own words.

Frequently asked questions

Is using AI cheating?

Rules differ – check your institution's policy. Planning help is often treated differently from AI-written work.

Can it find sources?

It may suggest sources that don't exist; always find and read them yourself.

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