Start here: sign in and run your first real task
Goal. Open ChatGPT, understand what the free tier gives you, and hand it a real research task instead of a toy question.
I'm a biologist. In plain language, explain the difference between a paired and unpaired t-test, then tell me which one fits this design: the same 12 cell cultures measured before and after adding a drug.
Go to chatgpt.com, sign in (or sign up free), and paste this into the message box. No setup, no install — it answers in the browser.
- 1Sign in at chatgpt.com. A free account works for everything in this lesson. You can start typing immediately — there is nothing to configure.
- 2Ask a real question, not a test one. Give it context about who you are and what you're doing, like the prompt above. ChatGPT does far better when it knows the setting.
- 3Read critically. Treat the first answer as a knowledgeable draft, not a verdict. Lessons 1–7 turn this into a dependable workflow.
You'll see. A clear, structured explanation that also picks the right test for your specific design — the start of using ChatGPT as a thinking partner, not a search box.
Cost. Free tier gives limited access to the GPT-5.5 Instant model and is enough for everything in Lesson 0. Paid tiers (Go, Plus, Pro) add more messages, stronger reasoning models, and higher limits — covered as each lesson needs them.
Takeaway. ChatGPT rewards context: tell it who you are and what you're trying to do, and the first answer is already useful.