If you get nervous seeing the empty code editor and can’t find a way to kickstart your coding assignment solution, then you don’t need to worry, as you can easily use “ChatGPT for Solving Coding Assignments”.
Many computer science students struggle with their Programming Assignments when they encounter new concepts or unfamiliar programming languages. So, you are not alone in such a situation.
In this article, we will talk about some steps that are proven to be highly effective in solving coding assignments with the help of ChatGPT. So, grab the seatbelt and stay with us to know about those steps.
TL;DR: ChatGPT For Solving Coding Assignments
Aspect | Summary |
What is ChatGPT? | An advanced AI language model by OpenAI that understands natural language prompts and generates human-like responses, including code, explanations, etc. |
Why Use ChatGPT? | Acts as an instant coding assistant for multiple languages, explains concepts simply, fixes bugs, and helps learn beyond books. |
Core Steps |
|
Case Study Example | A Java program to check prime numbers with a prompt, generated code, explanation request, and further learning on divisibility |
Ethical Considerations | Follow institutional AI policies, use ChatGPT as an assistant (not a replacement), modify outputs, and avoid sharing confidential data. |
Why Use ChatGPT For Completing Coding Assignments?
ChatGPT is an advanced AI Language model developed by OpenAI. ChatGPT can understand the queries asked in Natural Language and generate human-like responses based on the provided context.
There was a time when a student got stuck on any programming or coding assignment, they first asked their teacher about their doubt. Later, they ask any other fellow students. But now, there is ChatGPT.
There are multiple reasons behind using ChatGPT for completing a coding assignment. Let us check that.
- You can get the explanation and guidance in any language that you prefer.
- You will get an instant coding assistant for different programming languages like Java, Python, C++, etc.
- The complete code of any problem gets generated in front of you, and you can ask more questions about it.
- In your own developed code, if there are any bugs or issues. ChatGPT can fix it.
- ChatGPT can provide a learning aid by giving some deep insights into a concept that is lacking in books.
What Are The Steps To Use ChatGPT For Solving Programming Assignments?
Without wasting much more time, we will directly start the section for which you are all waiting. In this segment, the necessary steps to use ChatGPT for Programming Assignments will be discussed.
In total, we will share 6 Steps with you. If you can implement and follow the steps properly, getting help from ChatGPT for your coding assignment will become a breeze. So, let us start with the first step.
Step 1: Understand The Assignment First
The very first step is about understanding the Programming Assignment. This is the step that you have to accomplish by yourself. This is the main step before asking anything of ChatGPT.
You have to read the Programming Assignment a couple of times. By this, some concept will develop in your mind about how to approach such a problem. With that concept, you have to ask questions to ChatGPT.
Here, we are going to mention some tips that you can use to complete this necessary step.
- You can rewrite the task in your version. But that should be in one sentence.
- If there are any Constraints like limits, file names, required APIs, etc., then you have to highlight those.
- You also have to note down the required language, versions, and tools from the assignment.
- You can also list down the Inputs, Outputs, any success criteria, etc., for more clarity.
Step 2: Ask Specific And Clear Questions
Now, your task has been done in the previous step. In the second step, you have to open the ChatGPT Application. In ChatGPT, you can now ask questions about the Programming Assignment Solution.
Whatever, you have understood by going through the assignment that you have to mention in ChatGPT in a Simple, Clear, and Specific Manner. Based on the prompt, the answer will be generated in ChatGPT.
To write Specific and Clear Questions, there are some tips that you can follow to avoid generic replies.
- You have to always ask the question in one sentence where the Goal and Exact Task are mentioned.
- Whatever you have noted about the Version, Constraints, Language, etc., all should be mentioned.
- Try to provide a Simple Input and Output Pattern to ChatGPT to get a perfect solution.
- If you have already tried anything on your own, then you have to mention that as well with the code.
Step 3: Understand And Get The Solution
Now, after getting your prompt, ChatGPT will analyze the problem. And based on the problem, you will get the solution. This is the step where you have to collaborate with ChatGPT for understanding the solution.
ChatGPT can write code as the solution. But you have to ask for its explanation. If the explanation is still out of your understanding, then you have to again ask a question on it by keeping the tips of Step 2 in mind.
To understand and get the best solution from ChatGPT using prompts, the following tips can be used.
- You have to always ask for the Code Explanation after getting a programming solution.
- You can also ask to create the Pseudo-code or Algorithm of the solution for easy understanding.
- You also have to reconfirm with ChatGPT that the code solution is going to meet all the requirements.
- You can ask ChatGPT to summarize the whole solution and match it with your understanding.
Step 4: Learn More Concepts Beyond The Code
In most coding assignments, writing the code solution to a problem is the main requirement. And with the help of ChatGPT, most students will only perform that much. But we will advise you to do more.
Not only do you have to understand the code, but you have to go beyond the code solution. If there are any more questions that are not needed from your assignment perspective, you also have to ask ChatGPT.
Here, we have mentioned that you can use to learn more concepts beyond the code solution.
- Don’t be satisfied with only one solution. Always ask to write 2 alternative solutions to a problem.
- You can ask for the explanations of the 2 alternative solutions to have a better understanding.
- For every code, always ask for the Time and Space Complexity to understand its performance.
- You can also ask why a solution is marked as the best solution by ChatGPT.
Step 5: Debug The Code With ChatGPT (Optional)
The next step will talk about debugging the code with ChatGPT. However, we can mark it as Optional. The Code Solution that will come from ChatGPT, you have to test that code.
Most of the time, the code given by ChatGPT will work. But if the code is executing on any other environment, then some errors can arise. Also, when copying the code from ChatGPT, some mistakes can be made.
So, you can easily debug such code with ChatGPT. Here are some tips that can be followed during debugging.
- If the code is smaller, then the whole code can be pasted. Otherwise, the impacted area should be.
- Whatever the Error comes up on the screen, it should be fully given to ChatGPT as a prompt.
- If you have tried any solution to come out of the error, you have to also mention that.
- Write down the expected and actual output in the ChatGPT Prompt and ask it to alter the code.
Step 6: Refine And Submit The Coding Assignment
In the last step, you have to do the Refinement of the Programming Assignment Solution. The answer that comes from ChatGPT is raw, and there is no human touch present. In this step, we have to do that.
In a Code Editor, we have to write the code using Indentation and proper structure. Also, if there are no comments present in the code, we have to write them down. Then, the solution refinement will be complete.
You can use the following tips to refine the solution received from ChatGPT.
- Execute the code with different input values to check even with negative values to check its’ working.
- You can also run the code by providing the edge cases like Zero, Empty, and Max.
- You have to modify the Variable and Function Names, Code Structure, and Indentation.
- Do check the submission guidelines, like File Name, File Format, etc., before completing the solution.
Case Study: Use ChatGPT For Coding Assignment Problem
We hope the steps to use ChatGPT for solving coding assignments should become clear to you. However, if it is still not clear, then this section will be enough to make it clear. Let us go through it.
In this section, we will share a case study where we will ask ChatGPT for a Coding Assignment Solution. So, we will start with the problem statement “Write a Java program to check if a number is prime or not”.
Understand The Assignment:
After going through the problem statement multiple times, the following understandings can be developed.
- The goal of the problem is to check if the Input Number is prime or not prime and then print the result.
- The Input will be an Integer from the user.
- The output will be either “Prime” or “Not Prime”.
- One of the constraints is Java 17, which can handle numbers up to 1,000,000.
Ask The Specific Question:
Now, whatever we have marked in the previous step should be submitted to ChatGPT as the prompt. In this case, the Specific and Clear Prompt to generate the code will be the following.
Prompt:
I have a Java 17 assignment to check if an input number (up to 1,000,000) is prime or not and print either "Prime" or "Not Prime". Can you provide efficient code that handles edge cases like negative numbers, 0, and 1?
This will be the prompt that will generate a code to Print Prime and Non-Prime Numbers by handling all the Edge Cases mentioned in this ChatGPT Prompt.
Generated Code:
import java.util.Scanner;
public class PrimeChecker
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in); // Creating The Scanner Object
int n = sc.nextInt(); // Reading Integer From The User
// Calling The Function
System.out.println(Prime(n) ? "Prime" : "Not Prime");
}
static boolean Prime(int n)
{
// Conditions To Check Prime Numbers
if (n <= 1) return false;
if (n == 2) return true;
if (n % 2 == 0) return false;
// Checking Divisibility Up To Square Root Of N
for (int i = 3; i <= Math.sqrt(n); i += 2)
{
if (n % i == 0) return false;
}
// If There Are No Divisors, Then It Is Prime
return true;
}
}
Understand And Get The Solution:
After giving such a prompt, the code will open in front of you. Now, you have to understand the solution. For that purpose, you can use the below prompt that will give more insights about the code solution.
Prompt:
Please explain this Java 17 prime-checking code step-by-step in plain language, describing what each part does, why it’s written that way, and how it works for numbers up to 1,000,000, including how it handles edge cases like negative numbers, 0, and 1.
What Are Some Ethical Considerations While Using ChatGPT For Coding Assignments?
No doubt, the usage of ChatGPT for Coding Assignment Solutions is very helpful. However, there are some Ethical Considerations that, as a student, you should practice. We would like to discuss them before ending.
Let us check the following list of Ethical Considerations which you should follow while using ChatGPT.
- You should always follow the AI Usage Policy developed by your institution while using ChatGPT.
- It is always better to use ChatGPT as your assistant rather than assuming it as a replacement.
- Don’t submit the AI-generated content to your institution without performing modifications.
- It will always be better not to share any Confidential Details or Projects with ChatGPT for assistance.
- After getting the proper understanding of the solution, write it in your assignment.
Conclusion:
In the end, we can say that using “ChatGPT for Solving Coding Assignments” is not at all complicated.
While ChatGPT can be a powerful assistant, it often provides code that is generic or doesn’t fully meet the specific requirements of your assignment brief. For a guaranteed, plagiarism-free solution tailored exactly to your needs, the most reliable option is to have a human expert do your coding homework.
You have to be confident while asking questions to ChatGPT. Also, do follow the six steps mentioned in this article for taking ChatGPT Assistance. The rest of the work will become a cakewalk for you.
With so many students juggling multiple assignments, it’s no surprise that they turn to online help, something we also explored while discussing why students look for assignment help online.
Takeaways:
- Understanding the programming assignment by manually reading is the very first thing you have to do.
- Whatever you ask ChatGPT, ask in a Simple, Concise, and Clear manner to get the best result.
- Whatever the answer comes, understand that by asking more questions about it.
- You should not be satisfied with the ChatGPT answer. Ask some more questions beyond the concept.
- Before submitting the answer, you should check, test, and verify the plagiarism to avoid more problems.
