Essay Prompt Generator: Outlines, Drafts and Feedback

Use AI for essays without getting a generic essay

The weak spot of AI essays is not grammar, it is structure and evidence: a vague thesis, paragraphs that restate instead of argue, and sources that do not exist. This builder targets those three. It makes you state the essay type (an argumentative essay needs a position and a rebuttal; an expository one must not take sides), a topic as a question, and, if you have one, a thesis. The prompt then asks for one claim per paragraph, each supported by evidence, and forbids invented sources: if the model has no real source, it must say so and mark where you need to find one.

The mode field matters for how you use the result. "Outline" gives you a thesis and a paragraph plan to write from yourself, which is the best option for school and university work. "Feedback on my draft" turns the AI into an editor that comments on your argument, structure and clarity without rewriting your text. "Full draft" is useful to see how an argument could be built, but check your institution's rules before submitting anything AI-written as your own.

Citation style, level and length are passed through so the output matches the assignment. The plain-language option removes the padding that gives AI essays away: "In today's society", "It is important to note", "In conclusion".

Worked example

Say you have to write an argumentative essay about car-free city centres and want a strong outline first. These are the inputs:

What do you need?

an outline with thesis and paragraph plan

Essay type

argumentative

Topic or question

Should cities ban private cars from their centres?

Your position or thesis

Yes, if public transport and deliveries are solved first

Level

undergraduate

Length

about 1,200 words

Sources and citations

cite sources in APA style

Structure

thesis first, then evidence, then rebuttal

Points, evidence or sources to use (one per line, optional)

Paris car-free days reduced NO2 by 40% (city report 2023); Small shops fear losing customers; Madrid Central: traffic fell, retail sales rose

Assignment requirements

must address at least one counterargument; no first person

Plain, natural language (no filler phrases, no "In conclusion")

Yes

The builder turns these inputs into the following prompt. Load it into the form above with the Car-free cities example chip and change anything you like.

You are an experienced writing tutor who helps students produce clear, well-argued essays at undergraduate level.

## Task
Write an outline with thesis and paragraph plan for an argumentative essay.
- Topic: Should cities ban private cars from their centres?
- My position / thesis: Yes, if public transport and deliveries are solved first
- Level: undergraduate
- Length: about 1,200 words
- Structure: thesis first, then evidence, then rebuttal

## Points, evidence or sources to use
- Paris car-free days reduced NO2 by 40% (city report 2023)
- Small shops fear losing customers
- Madrid Central: traffic fell, retail sales rose

## Assignment requirements
must address at least one counterargument; no first person

## Requirements
- Cite sources in APA style. Cite only real sources you are confident exist; where a claim needs a source you do not have, write [source needed] instead of inventing one.
- One claim per paragraph, each supported by evidence or reasoning, each linked to the thesis.
- Address at least one serious counterargument fairly before answering it.
- Plain, natural language. No filler ("In today's society", "It is important to note", "In conclusion") and no padding to reach the length.

## Output format
Thesis statement, then a paragraph-by-paragraph plan: topic sentence, supporting points, evidence to use, and how it connects to the thesis. End with a list of sources or facts I still need to find.

This page shows only the prompt. The answer depends on the AI tool you paste it into, so always review the result before you use it.

Tips to improve your results

• Phrase the topic as a question; a question forces a thesis, a title does not.
• Paste your own notes or sources into the points field. Real evidence beats whatever the model remembers.
• For feedback mode, ask for the three biggest problems first, then fix them yourself.
• Ask for the counterargument paragraph separately if the first draft treats it too briefly.
• Check every cited source yourself. Models can produce plausible-looking references that do not exist.