Writing Tips

Summarizing Your Points Without Using AI-Like Phrases

Faizan Mehdi
· 1 min read
Send by email

Writing Tip: Steer clear of phrases like “In conclusion” when you’re wrapping up your thoughts in a paper. These phrases are hallmarks of AI writing tools, which use very obvious, formulaic transition phrases to signal the end of a thought. Instead, opt for something more nuanced or personal to summarize your points.

ChatGPT tends to put a summary sentence at the end of any response, even if it's just writing a few simple sentences.

For example, if you ask: “Why is the sky blue?”, it will give you a myriad of reasons. Then it will conclude its response to your query with, "In summary, the sky is blue because of the way the Earth's atmosphere scatters sunlight, with shorter wavelengths (blue) being scattered more than longer wavelengths (red), and our eyes and the atmospheric conditions favoring the visibility of blue light." It reiterates the points it made above, and then neatly concludes.

The tendency to wrap things up and put a bow on them with “In conclusion” persists, no matter the length of the query or response. One of ChatGPT’s design principles seems focused on reinforcing the key points it made in response to a query, right at the end of that response. Perhaps it was modeled to underscore user comprehension, or believes a succinct summary sentence is the best way to ensure deep understanding of the subject matter at hand.

In conclusion, using “In conclusion” is a strong tell that an AI writing tool was used.