Section 5: Creating a Chapter, Step By Step
Writing a textbook chapter with AI isn’t as simple as saying, “Hey ChatGPT, write me a 2,000-word masterpiece.” AI works best when given structure, clear instructions, and prompts that guide it toward producing useful, coherent content. This section will walk you through how to create a textbook chapter step by step, from outlining the content to refining AI-generated text.
Because my textbook was an introductory international relations (IR) book centered around global disasters and film, my prompts reflect that unique focus. However, I’ll provide generic prompts that any professor can use, followed by specific examples of what I used for my IR textbook. Whether you’re writing about political science, biology, or business ethics, these methods will help you craft a structured, engaging, and pedagogically sound chapter.
Chapter Outline
Before generating content, it’s essential to have a structured outline. That’s why we covered that in Chapter 4. If you skipped that chapter, shame on you! Just kidding. But still, go back and read it first. Here’s the basic flow of a chapter in my textbook:
- Introduction (Write this last—once everything else is in place.)
- Summary of the Film & Main Topic
- How Each Major IR Theory Would Analyze That Film
- Subsections Based on the Chapter Outline
- Conclusion (Write this second to last—after you’ve finalized the content.)
Each part of the chapter has a specific function, and ChatGPT will work best if you generate them separately. Below, I’ll break down each step with explanations, a generic AI prompt, and an example of my own subject-specific prompt from my IR textbook.
Step 1: Summary of the Film and Basic Information
This section provides students with a brief summary of the film and introduces the main topic. The goal is to give enough context for students to understand how the film connects to key concepts in the chapter.
Generic AI Prompt:
“Act as a [subject] professor and write a partial textbook chapter designed for college freshmen. Use the previously provided Learning Outcomes for this chapter, Subsection Topic, and Key Terms to structure the chapter. Start with an engaging introductory paragraph explaining the topic’s importance. Then provide a summary of the film [FILM TITLE], highlighting key themes relevant to [SUBJECT AREA].”
My IR-Specific Prompt:
“Act as a political science professor and write a partial chapter on the topic below, designed for college freshmen. Start with an introductory paragraph explaining the importance of [IR topic] within international relations. Then summarize the film World War Z, highlighting key themes related to globalization, international cooperation, and crisis management. Structure and Flow: Each key term should be explained in a separate paragraph, building upon previous concepts. Use global examples where appropriate. Ensure academic clarity while maintaining student engagement.”
Possible Follow-Up Prompts:
- “Rewrite these paragraphs to expand on the connections between the film and [subject area].”
- “Provide additional examples from real-world events that illustrate these concepts.”
Step 2: Film and Connections to Theories
After summarizing the film, the next step is to analyze it through the lens of different theories. This is particularly useful in the social sciences, where different theoretical perspectives shape how scholars interpret events.
Generic AI Prompt:
“Act as a [subject] professor and write a partial textbook chapter for college freshmen. Using the film [FILM TITLE], explain how each of these theories would interpret its events: [THEORY 1], [THEORY 2], [THEORY 3], etc. Start with an introductory paragraph explaining why analyzing this film through different theoretical lenses is valuable in [subject]. Structure and Flow: Write at least one paragraph per theory, ensuring each builds upon the previous discussion.”
My IR-Specific Prompt:
“Act as a political science professor and write a partial chapter designed for college freshmen. Using the film World War Z, explain how international relations theories—realism, liberalism, constructivism, Marxism, and feminism—would interpret global responses to the zombie outbreak. Start with an introduction explaining why different theories offer unique insights into global crises. Write one paragraph per theory, using key IR concepts and real-world historical parallels to illustrate each interpretation.”
Possible Follow-Up Prompts:
- “Expand on these paragraphs by adding a specific real-world case that aligns with each theory’s perspective.”
- “Rewrite these explanations to be more accessible for a first-year student audience.”
Step 3: Subsection Creation
This is where the core of the chapter gets written—each subsection dives deeper into specific concepts outlined in your book-wide structure. The key is to ensure ChatGPT follows a structured, logical progression, building on previously introduced ideas.
Generic AI Prompt:
“Act as a [subject] professor and write a partial textbook chapter for college freshmen. Use the previously provided Learning Outcomes, Subsection Topic, and Key Terms. Start with an engaging introductory paragraph that explains the importance of the topic. Then, for each key term, write a paragraph (at least 8 sentences), combining related terms where appropriate. Use real-world examples and avoid listing key terms in the first sentence. End each paragraph with a transition sentence that connects it to the next concept <insert concept>.”
My IR-Specific Prompt:
“Act as a political science professor and write a textbook section on ‘Global Governance in Crisis Response,’ designed for college freshmen. Use World War Z as a case study to explore key IR concepts like international institutions, multilateralism, state sovereignty, and humanitarian intervention. Each key term should be explained in its own paragraph, with real-world examples. Avoid using the key term in the first sentence; instead, start with an engaging hook. End each paragraph with a transition sentence that connects it to the next concept of human security.”
Possible Follow-Up Prompts:
- “Expand each paragraph by adding more historical and contemporary examples.”
- “Rewrite these sections to include additional connections to [FILM TITLE].”
Step 4: Conclusion and Introduction (Write These Last!)
Once the body of the chapter is complete, write the conclusion and introduction. The conclusion should wrap up the key ideas and leave students with a final takeaway, while the introduction should hook them in and preview what’s to come.
Generic AI Prompts:
- “Write a one-paragraph conclusion for this chapter, summarizing key takeaways and ending with a light-hearted joke to balance the seriousness of the topic.”
- “Write a two-paragraph introduction for this chapter. Start with an engaging hook explaining why [TOPIC] is important. Briefly introduce the film [FILM TITLE] and explain why it’s a useful case study. Include a joke or witty pun to make it more entertaining.”
My IR-Specific Prompts:
- “Write a conclusion for this chapter on ‘Global Governance in Crisis Response.’ Summarize key takeaways, including the role of international institutions in responding to global threats. End with a lighthearted joke about how, if the UN can handle a zombie apocalypse, maybe there’s hope for tackling climate change.”
- “Write a two-paragraph introduction for this chapter. Hook students with an engaging statement about how pandemics and disasters shape global politics. Introduce World War Z as a case study, explaining why it’s useful for understanding international cooperation. Add a joke about how foreign policy is sometimes scarier than zombies.”
Conclusion
By breaking chapter creation into structured steps, you can guide ChatGPT to generate useful, relevant content while maintaining control over quality and focus. AI works best in small, structured chunks—so instead of asking for a full chapter all at once, generate content section by section, refining as you go. With a clear outline, targeted prompts, and a bit of fine-tuning, you’ll have a well-organized, engaging textbook that meets your teaching needs—without feeling like you’ve been devoured by an AI-powered workload.
