How do I use ChatGPT for writing?

How do I use ChatGPT for writing?

ChatGPT can be used as a writing assistant at almost every stage of the writing process. It can help you generate ideas, understand an audience, create an outline, organize scattered notes, draft sections, rewrite unclear sentences, improve grammar, shorten long passages, expand explanations, create titles, and review a finished document. It can also help writers explore different tones and formats for different audiences.

The most useful way to work with ChatGPT is not simply to ask it to write everything for you. Writing involves judgment, purpose, personal experience, factual understanding, and decisions about what the reader should think or do after reading. ChatGPT can support those decisions, but you should remain responsible for the ideas, facts, final wording, and overall message.

A productive workflow usually looks like this: define the purpose, understand the audience, collect your ideas, create an outline, draft the material, review the draft, fact-check important claims, revise the language, and proofread the final version. ChatGPT can assist with many of these steps when you provide clear instructions and useful context.

What can ChatGPT help with in writing?

ChatGPT can assist with brainstorming, outlining, drafting, editing, proofreading, summarizing, rewriting, translation, tone adjustment, title generation, paragraph organization, and content planning. It can also provide feedback about clarity, repetition, transitions, and logical structure.

For example, if you have a topic but no clear structure, you can ask ChatGPT for several possible outlines. If you already have a draft, you can ask it to identify sections that are difficult to understand. If your writing is technically correct but too formal, you can request a more conversational version. If your article is too long, you can ask for suggestions about where ideas overlap.

Different writing tasks require different prompts. A request to proofread an academic essay should not be identical to a request to create a social media caption or a product description. The more clearly you describe the task, the more relevant the response is likely to be.

Start by defining your writing goal

Before asking ChatGPT to write, identify what you are trying to accomplish. You might be writing an article, email, report, essay, blog post, product description, presentation, documentation page, story, research summary, or social media post.

Your goal affects vocabulary, structure, length, tone, and the amount of explanation required. A technical report may need precise terminology and evidence. A blog article may need clear headings and accessible explanations. An email may need to communicate the main point quickly. A story may prioritize character, pacing, dialogue, and atmosphere.

A useful prompt can state the purpose directly. For example, you might say, "Help me plan a beginner-friendly article that explains cloud computing to readers who have no technical background." This is more useful than simply saying, "Write about cloud computing."

Tell ChatGPT who the audience is

Audience is one of the most important factors in writing. The same subject may require very different language depending on who will read it.

If you are writing for beginners, ask ChatGPT to avoid unnecessary jargon and explain technical terms. If you are writing for professionals, you may want more precise terminology and fewer introductory explanations. If the audience consists of children, the language and examples should be age appropriate. If you are writing for customers, the focus may need to be practical benefits and clear instructions.

You can also describe what the audience already knows. For example, tell ChatGPT that the reader understands basic computers but has never used an AI system. This helps establish a more appropriate starting point.

Use ChatGPT for brainstorming

One of the easiest ways to use ChatGPT for writing is brainstorming. Give it your general topic and ask for possible angles, questions, examples, counterpoints, or subtopics.

Do not automatically accept every idea it provides. Brainstorming is most useful when you treat the suggestions as possibilities that you can evaluate. Some ideas may be repetitive, too broad, irrelevant, or unsuitable for your audience.

You can make brainstorming more focused by adding constraints. For example, ask for ten article angles aimed at beginners, five practical examples, and several common questions readers might ask. You can then select the ideas that fit your purpose.

Ask for multiple writing angles

If you are unsure how to approach a subject, ask ChatGPT to suggest different perspectives. An article about artificial intelligence could focus on how AI works, practical applications, benefits and limitations, beginner questions, workplace changes, or responsible use.

Comparing possible angles can help you choose a structure before you begin writing. This is especially useful when a topic is broad and you want to avoid producing an unfocused article.

Create an outline before drafting

An outline gives your writing a logical structure. ChatGPT can create an outline based on your topic, audience, target length, and purpose.

A typical informational article might contain an introduction, definition, explanation of the main concepts, practical examples, benefits, limitations, best practices, frequently asked questions, and conclusion. The exact structure should depend on the subject rather than following the same template for every article.

Ask ChatGPT to identify the purpose of each section. This can prevent headings from becoming simple labels without a clear role in the article.

Use your own outline when you already have one

You do not need ChatGPT to create every outline. If you already have a structure, provide it and ask ChatGPT to review it. It can identify repeated sections, missing logical steps, unclear transitions, or headings that do not match the content.

This approach preserves your control over the document. ChatGPT becomes an editor helping you evaluate your plan rather than an automatic author replacing it.

Turn rough notes into a draft

Many writers have useful information in an unorganized form. You might have notes, bullet points, research observations, questions, or fragments of sentences. ChatGPT can help organize those materials into a coherent draft.

When doing this, clearly distinguish between your source material and new ideas. You can ask ChatGPT to use only the information you provide and to mark places where additional information is needed. This reduces the risk of unintentionally introducing unsupported claims.

After the draft is generated, read it carefully. The resulting text should be treated as a working draft that requires your review rather than as a final document.

Write better prompts for writing tasks

A useful writing prompt normally contains several components: the task, topic, audience, tone, format, length, important information, and constraints.

For example, instead of asking "Write an introduction about AI", you could ask: "Write a 150-word introduction for beginners explaining why understanding artificial intelligence matters. Use clear language, avoid exaggerated claims, introduce the topic naturally, and prepare the reader for an article about how AI systems learn from data."

The second prompt gives the system a much clearer target. You can also specify words or phrases that should be avoided, required terminology, or the desired reading level.

Use ChatGPT to improve an existing draft

ChatGPT is often particularly useful when you already have something written. Instead of starting from an empty page, you can provide a paragraph and ask for specific feedback.

For example, ask it to identify unclear sentences, repeated ideas, unnecessary words, weak transitions, inconsistent terminology, or grammatical errors. This allows you to decide which suggestions to accept rather than asking for a complete rewrite without understanding what changed.

If you want to preserve your personal voice, explicitly ask ChatGPT to make minimal changes. You can also tell it not to change factual claims or the meaning of the original text.

Use ChatGPT for proofreading

Proofreading focuses on surface-level issues such as spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, formatting, and obvious typographical errors. ChatGPT can identify many of these problems quickly.

A useful proofreading request can ask ChatGPT to list the errors first rather than immediately rewriting the entire passage. This allows you to understand what went wrong and make the corrections yourself.

For important documents, use an additional proofreading method as well. Automated systems can miss context-dependent errors, unusual names, technical terminology, formatting problems, and subtle changes in meaning.

Improve sentence clarity

Sometimes a sentence is grammatically correct but difficult to understand. ChatGPT can suggest clearer alternatives while preserving the original meaning.

You can ask it to identify the subject and main action of a complicated sentence, split long sentences into shorter ones, remove unnecessary phrases, or replace vague wording with precise language. This is particularly useful for technical documentation and explanatory articles.

Make writing more concise

Concise writing removes unnecessary words without removing important meaning. ChatGPT can help identify repetition, redundant phrases, excessive introductions, and sentences that communicate the same idea.

You can provide a paragraph and request a shorter version that preserves all essential facts. If the exact length matters, specify a target such as 100 words, 500 words, or a particular character limit.

After shortening a document, check whether important qualifications or context were accidentally removed. Concision should not come at the cost of accuracy.

Expand a short explanation

ChatGPT can also help expand an underdeveloped section. You can provide a short paragraph and ask for additional explanations, examples, practical applications, or background information.

Expansion should be guided by a clear purpose. Simply adding more words can make writing repetitive. Instead, ask for specific types of additional information, such as an example, comparison, explanation of a mechanism, common mistake, or practical use case.

Change the tone of your writing

Different situations require different tones. ChatGPT can rewrite text to sound more formal, conversational, professional, friendly, instructional, technical, neutral, or concise.

When requesting a tone change, describe the desired relationship with the reader. For example, a customer support response may need to be polite and direct, while an educational article may need to be approachable and explanatory.

Do not assume that labels such as "professional" or "friendly" always produce exactly the style you want. Give examples of the qualities you want, such as short sentences, calm wording, limited jargon, and direct explanations.

Preserve your personal writing voice

If you regularly write articles, essays, or professional material, your writing may have a recognizable voice. Completely replacing your text with AI-generated prose can make the final result sound generic or unlike you.

Instead, provide a sample of your own writing and ask ChatGPT to identify stylistic characteristics. You can then request editing that preserves those characteristics while correcting specific problems.

Even then, review the result carefully. A writing assistant should help you communicate your ideas more effectively without removing the qualities that make your writing yours.

Use ChatGPT for titles and headlines

ChatGPT can generate multiple title ideas for an article, report, video, presentation, or other document. Tell it the topic, audience, desired tone, and any important keyword or subject phrase.

Instead of selecting a title simply because it sounds attractive, check whether it accurately represents the content. A title should set an appropriate expectation for the reader rather than promising something the article does not provide.

For search-oriented content, the main subject should usually be clear from the title. Avoid unnecessary keyword repetition or sensational claims that the content cannot support.

Use ChatGPT for introductions

An introduction should help readers understand what the content is about and why the subject matters. ChatGPT can provide several introduction structures, but the final introduction should match the actual article.

You can ask for an introduction that begins with a question, a practical situation, a problem, a definition, or a brief explanation. Compare the options and select the approach that fits the audience.

Improve transitions between paragraphs

Good transitions help readers understand how one idea connects to another. If an article feels like a collection of unrelated sections, ask ChatGPT to identify where the logical connections are weak.

Rather than adding transition words everywhere, focus on the underlying logic. A strong transition can explain why the next section follows from the previous one. ChatGPT can suggest alternatives, but you should decide whether the connection is genuinely useful.

Use ChatGPT to avoid repetitive writing

Long articles can accidentally repeat the same point several times. ChatGPT can review a draft and identify sections that overlap.

Ask it to group similar ideas and explain where repetition occurs. Then decide whether to remove, combine, or reposition the repeated material. This is more useful than simply asking ChatGPT to "make it less repetitive" because you can see the structural problem.

Use ChatGPT for blog writing

Blog writers can use ChatGPT for topic research planning, outlines, titles, introductions, FAQs, section ideas, editing, and content review. A strong blog workflow starts with a clear reader need rather than simply generating a large number of articles.

For informational blog content, focus on answering the reader's question directly. Use descriptive headings, logical sections, useful examples, and accurate information. Avoid adding paragraphs that exist only to increase word count.

If the content is intended for search engines, write for the reader first. Natural use of relevant terminology is generally more useful than repeating the same keyword throughout the page.

Use ChatGPT for academic writing

Students and researchers can use ChatGPT for brainstorming, outlining, language improvement, explaining concepts, and reviewing drafts, subject to their institution's policies.

Academic writing requires particular care with sources and evidence. Do not treat AI-generated citations as automatically valid. Verify publication details, quotations, statistics, and claims using the original source.

If an instructor requires original work or limits AI assistance, follow those requirements. Using an AI tool for proofreading may be permitted in one course and prohibited in another.

Use ChatGPT for business writing

ChatGPT can help draft business emails, proposals, reports, product descriptions, meeting summaries, internal documentation, and customer-facing explanations.

Business writing should be accurate and appropriate to the situation. Avoid allowing AI to invent prices, commitments, deadlines, policies, technical specifications, or legal statements. Important operational information should be checked by the responsible person before publication.

Use ChatGPT for technical documentation

Technical writers can use ChatGPT to reorganize documentation, explain concepts at different levels, generate examples, improve headings, and identify missing steps.

Technical documentation must prioritize correctness. A polished explanation that contains an incorrect command or configuration can be more harmful than an obviously unfinished draft. Verify commands, APIs, configuration values, version-specific behavior, and security recommendations against authoritative technical documentation.

Use ChatGPT for email writing

When writing an email, provide the purpose, recipient relationship, important facts, desired tone, and desired length. ChatGPT can then produce a draft that you review before sending.

For sensitive or important communication, read every sentence yourself. Make sure dates, amounts, names, commitments, and other factual details are correct. The final sender remains responsible for the message.

Use ChatGPT to summarize long writing

ChatGPT can turn a long document into a shorter summary, key-point list, executive overview, or set of action items. Tell it who will read the summary and how much detail is required.

A useful summary should preserve the most important ideas rather than simply shortening every paragraph equally. You can ask ChatGPT to distinguish main conclusions, supporting evidence, open questions, and recommended next steps.

Use ChatGPT to rewrite difficult language

Technical or formal writing can sometimes be unnecessarily difficult. ChatGPT can rewrite complex sentences in plain language while preserving the underlying meaning.

This is useful for educational material, public information, instructions, and customer communications. After rewriting, verify that simplification has not removed an important qualification or changed the technical meaning.

Use ChatGPT for multilingual writing

ChatGPT can help translate and adapt text between languages. It can also explain differences in formality, idioms, and sentence structure.

For professional, legal, medical, or highly specialized translation, additional human review may be necessary. A literal translation can be grammatically correct while still sounding unnatural or changing the intended meaning.

Use ChatGPT for creative writing

Writers can use ChatGPT to brainstorm characters, settings, plot possibilities, dialogue situations, themes, titles, and alternative scenes. It can also provide feedback on pacing, consistency, and clarity.

Creative writing benefits from personal judgment and originality. Instead of asking ChatGPT to generate an entire story and accepting it unchanged, consider using it as a brainstorming partner or critical reader.

Ask ChatGPT to critique your writing

Critique can be more useful than automatic rewriting. Give ChatGPT your draft and specify the dimensions you want reviewed, such as clarity, organization, evidence, tone, grammar, pacing, or audience suitability.

Ask it to identify strengths as well as weaknesses. This helps distinguish genuine problems from stylistic differences. You do not need to accept every recommendation.

Use a revision checklist

After drafting, ask ChatGPT to create a revision checklist based on your document type. For an article, the checklist might include title accuracy, introduction, heading structure, factual claims, examples, repetition, conclusion, readability, and links or references. For an academic essay, it might include thesis clarity, evidence, argument structure, citations, and conclusion.

A checklist makes revision systematic instead of relying only on a general feeling that the writing needs improvement.

Use ChatGPT to identify unsupported claims

Informational writing often contains statements that sound factual but need evidence. Ask ChatGPT to identify claims that should be verified rather than asking it to decide whether every statement is true.

Then verify those claims using appropriate sources. This is especially important for statistics, scientific findings, historical statements, legal information, health information, and claims about current events.

Do not rely on ChatGPT for invented citations

One important limitation of generative AI is that a response can contain plausible-looking references that are inaccurate or nonexistent. If you need academic sources, search for the actual publication and inspect the original material.

ChatGPT can help formulate search terms and explain terminology, but source verification should happen independently. Never cite a publication simply because an AI response named it.

Keep factual information separate from generated wording

When working on research-heavy writing, it can be useful to separate facts from prose. Maintain a list of verified facts, sources, quotations, statistics, and your own conclusions. Then use ChatGPT to help organize those materials.

This workflow reduces the risk that generated language will accidentally become treated as evidence. It also makes later fact-checking easier.

Use ChatGPT for SEO writing carefully

For web content, ChatGPT can help generate topic ideas, descriptive headings, meta descriptions, FAQ questions, and content outlines. However, SEO should not become an excuse for repetitive or low-value writing.

Focus on satisfying the reader's intent. If a page answers a specific question, make the answer clear early and then provide useful context, examples, limitations, and related information. Use relevant terms naturally rather than repeating the same phrase unnaturally.

Use ChatGPT to create FAQs

ChatGPT can generate likely questions readers may have about a topic. Review the questions and remove those that are repetitive or unrelated. Then make sure every answer is accurate and actually addresses the question.

FAQs work best when they provide information that readers genuinely need. They should not simply repeat headings from the main article.

Use ChatGPT to adapt writing for different audiences

The same core information may need different presentations. You can ask ChatGPT to adapt a technical explanation for a beginner, an executive, a student, or a developer.

When adapting content, preserve the factual core while changing vocabulary, examples, depth, and structure. Always compare the adapted version with the original to make sure important details were not lost.

Use ChatGPT for content planning

Writers who publish regularly can use ChatGPT to organize a content calendar around a topic. It can suggest related questions, subtopics, beginner and advanced material, and possible article sequences.

A content plan should be based on actual audience needs and available evidence rather than producing many nearly identical pieces. Distinct articles should have distinct purposes and useful information.

Use ChatGPT to break writer's block

Writer's block often becomes easier to handle when the task is made smaller. Instead of asking ChatGPT to write the entire document, ask for three possible opening approaches, five questions the article should answer, or a list of points you could explain.

You can then choose one idea and write the next paragraph yourself. The objective is to create momentum rather than outsource the entire writing process.

Ask ChatGPT questions about your own draft

You can use your draft as the center of an interactive conversation. Ask questions such as: Which paragraph is least clear? Where might a beginner become confused? What information appears to be missing? Which sections could be combined? What questions remain unanswered?

These questions encourage analysis of the document rather than simply producing replacement prose.

Use ChatGPT to check consistency

Long documents can contain inconsistent terminology, capitalization, names, dates, abbreviations, or formatting. ChatGPT can help identify possible inconsistencies.

For example, if you use one technical term in one section and a different term in another, ask ChatGPT to flag the difference. Then decide whether the terms are genuinely interchangeable or whether one should be used consistently.

Use ChatGPT to create different versions

You can request multiple versions of the same paragraph for different purposes. One might be concise, another explanatory, and another more formal. Comparing alternatives can help you decide what best fits your document.

Do not confuse variation with improvement. A more elaborate version is not automatically better. Select the wording that communicates the intended idea most clearly.

Use ChatGPT for final proofreading

Before publishing or submitting important writing, perform a final review. Ask ChatGPT to check spelling, grammar, punctuation, repeated ideas, unclear references, and formatting consistency.

Then perform your own final read. Read slowly and check factual information, names, numbers, links, citations, headings, and the overall meaning. Automated proofreading should be one layer of review rather than the only review.

Protect private and confidential information

Do not casually paste passwords, private financial information, confidential business documents, personal identification numbers, unpublished sensitive research, or another person's private information into an AI system. Remove unnecessary identifying details before asking for writing assistance.

For example, replace a person's real name with a placeholder if the name is not necessary for the writing task. The same principle applies to addresses, account numbers, private correspondence, and other sensitive information.

Maintain academic and professional integrity

Before using ChatGPT for school, university, employment, or professional work, understand the relevant rules. Some organizations permit AI for brainstorming or language correction, while others may require disclosure or prohibit certain forms of AI assistance.

If a document must represent your own original work, do not submit generated material as though you personally produced it when that would violate the applicable rules. Use AI in ways that are permitted and transparent.

Do not let ChatGPT remove your judgment

Good writing requires decisions about what matters, what should be included, what evidence is sufficient, and what the reader needs to understand. ChatGPT can suggest possibilities, but it does not automatically know your complete context.

If an AI-generated sentence sounds impressive but does not communicate a useful idea, remove it. If an AI-generated claim conflicts with your source material, investigate the difference. If a rewrite changes your intended meaning, keep your original meaning and revise manually.

A practical ChatGPT writing workflow

A simple workflow can begin with a writing brief. State the topic, purpose, audience, format, approximate length, tone, and important requirements. Next, ask ChatGPT for possible angles and an outline. Review the outline yourself and make changes.

Then write a first draft using your own ideas or ask ChatGPT to help turn your approved notes into draft sections. Review each section for accuracy and relevance. Ask ChatGPT to critique unclear areas and identify repetition. Revise the document, verify important facts and sources, and then perform a final proofreading pass.

This workflow keeps human judgment involved at every major stage. It also makes it easier to identify where AI assistance was useful and where independent work is required.

Example prompt for writing an article

You could write: "Help me create an outline for a beginner-friendly article about how artificial intelligence is used in education. The audience has basic computer knowledge. Cover practical applications, benefits, limitations, privacy considerations, examples, and responsible use. Avoid exaggerated claims and make every section serve a clear reader question."

After reviewing the outline, you might ask for one section at a time rather than requesting the complete article immediately. This gives you more control over the content and makes it easier to correct problems as they appear.

Example prompt for editing

A useful editing prompt is: "Review the following paragraph for clarity, grammar, repetition, and logical flow. Preserve my meaning and writing style. First list the problems you find, then provide a lightly edited version."

This format makes the changes easier to understand and gives you the opportunity to reject unnecessary edits.

Example prompt for proofreading

You can ask: "Proofread this document for spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and obvious typing errors. Do not change the meaning, tone, facts, or structure. List significant corrections separately from optional style suggestions."

This distinction is useful because proofreading and rewriting are different tasks. You may want to correct an error without changing the author's style.

Example prompt for writer's block

You can say: "I need to write an article about learning programming as a beginner. I am stuck at the introduction. Give me five different opening approaches: a practical problem, a question, a short scenario, a common misconception, and a direct explanation. Do not write the full article."

This gives you raw material without requiring the AI to determine the entire direction of your article.

How to use ChatGPT without losing originality

Originality comes from your ideas, observations, experiences, analysis, examples, research, and decisions. ChatGPT can help organize and express those elements, but relying on generic generated prose for everything can make content less distinctive.

Add your own examples, explanations, lessons, comparisons, and conclusions. When writing about a technical project, describe what you actually built and what you learned. When writing educational content, explain concepts in a way that reflects your understanding. When writing creatively, use your own characters, situations, observations, and themes.

How to fact-check AI-assisted writing

Divide claims into categories. Some statements are common knowledge and may require little verification, while others are specific claims that need reliable sources. Statistics, dates, quotations, scientific findings, legal rules, product specifications, and current information deserve particular attention.

Trace important claims to their original sources. If a statement is based on a study, inspect the study rather than relying on an AI-generated description. If a technical statement concerns software behavior, check the relevant official documentation.

When ChatGPT is most useful for writing

ChatGPT is especially useful when you have a clear objective but need assistance with organization, alternative wording, feedback, or practice. It can reduce the friction of starting a document and provide another perspective during revision.

It is less suitable as an unquestioned authority on facts. It should also not be treated as a replacement for subject-matter expertise, professional review, or source verification when the stakes are high.

Final thoughts

Learning how to use ChatGPT for writing is mainly about learning how to give useful instructions and evaluate the results. ChatGPT can help you brainstorm ideas, create outlines, organize notes, draft sections, improve clarity, adjust tone, proofread text, summarize information, and critique a finished document.

The strongest writing workflow keeps you involved. Define the purpose and audience, decide what you want to say, use ChatGPT for targeted assistance, review the generated material, verify important claims, and make the final editorial decisions yourself.

Whether you are writing a blog article, school assignment, business email, technical document, report, presentation, or creative project, ChatGPT can be a flexible writing partner. Its value comes from how deliberately you use it. Asking for specific assistance, requesting feedback instead of automatic replacement, and checking important information can help you produce clearer and more useful writing while maintaining control over the final result.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can ChatGPT help me write better?

Yes. ChatGPT can help identify unclear sentences, grammatical errors, repetition, weak transitions, and structural problems. It can also suggest alternative wording while allowing you to preserve your original meaning and voice.

2. Can I use ChatGPT to write an entire article?

ChatGPT can generate a complete draft, but a generated draft should be reviewed, edited, fact-checked, and adapted to your actual audience and purpose. You should not assume that every generated claim or phrase is correct.

3. Can ChatGPT correct my grammar?

Yes. You can provide your writing and ask ChatGPT to identify grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence-structure problems. You can also ask it to explain the corrections so you can learn from them.

4. Can ChatGPT make my writing more professional?

Yes. You can specify the desired professional tone and ask ChatGPT to improve clarity, structure, and wording while preserving the original meaning. Review the result to ensure it still represents your intended message.

5. Can ChatGPT help with academic writing?

Yes, subject to your institution's rules. It can help with brainstorming, outlining, explaining concepts, reviewing drafts, and language improvement. Academic claims and citations should be independently verified.

6. Can ChatGPT help with blog writing?

Yes. It can assist with topic ideas, outlines, headings, introductions, FAQs, editing, summaries, and content planning. The final article should provide genuine value and should be checked for accuracy and originality.

7. How should I prompt ChatGPT for writing?

Describe the task, topic, audience, purpose, tone, format, approximate length, and important constraints. Specific prompts usually provide more useful results than very broad requests.

8. Should I use ChatGPT to rewrite everything I write?

Not necessarily. For many tasks, targeted feedback is more useful than a complete rewrite. Ask ChatGPT to identify problems and explain possible improvements while keeping your own voice and ideas.

9. Can ChatGPT check whether my writing is factually correct?

It can help identify claims that should be checked, but you should not rely on ChatGPT alone for factual verification. Important claims should be compared with reliable primary or authoritative sources.

10. What is the best way to use ChatGPT for writing?

Use it as an assistant throughout the writing process: define your goal, brainstorm, outline, draft, review, revise, fact-check, and proofread. Keep control of the ideas and final decisions, and verify important information before publishing or submitting the work.