In short. OpenAI documents that you can review and modify the proposed ChatGPT deep research plan before it begins.
Definition: Yes. ChatGPT deep research shows a proposed research plan before the research begins, and OpenAI documents that you can review and modify it. The plan is the outline ChatGPT prepares from the requested outcome, sources and constraints.
Key facts
- OpenAI's deep research help page says ChatGPT creates a proposed research plan and lets you review and modify it before research begins.
- The same help page says a task can be interrupted while it runs to refine the focus and adjust the sources it can access.
- OpenAI Academy's deep research guide says the plan can be shaped before it starts and its direction or sources can be adjusted during the work.
- The Academy guide asks for a research goal, scope, timeframe and output format in the request.
- OpenAI's help page says the completed result includes citations or source links for checking the information.
What can you change before research starts?
The documented answer is yes: after you describe the outcome, ChatGPT creates a proposed research plan, and you can review and modify that plan before the research begins. The help page does not name every editable field in the plan, so the documentation supports changing the proposed direction without defining a fixed list of controls.
OpenAI Academy describes the information that should shape the request: the goal, scope, timeframe and desired output format. These fields give a practical review frame. Check whether the plan addresses the question, covers the intended boundaries, uses the requested time period and promises a useful report form.
How do sources fit into the plan?
Deep research can use the public web, uploaded files, specific sites and enabled ChatGPT apps, according to the help page. For specific sites, OpenAI documents two choices: restrict research to the entered websites or domains, or prioritize those sites while allowing full web search.
The Academy guide likewise describes adding read-only apps and setting allowed domains. It says that after the chat starts, you can interrupt the running plan to clarify, narrow the scope or add sources. Source selection is therefore part of the review and adjustment process, alongside the wording of the research question.
/Deepresearch
OpenAI lists /Deepresearch as one way to start a task. The tool menu and the sidebar are also documented starting points.
What happens after approval?
The help page says you can follow progress as the research runs, interrupt it to refine the focus and adjust accessible sources, then receive a structured report with citations or source links. The report view includes a table of contents, a sources used section and an activity history. Completed reports can be downloaded in Markdown, Word or PDF formats.
OpenAI Academy recommends reviewing the generated report by validating key claims, inspecting citations and requesting an alternate version with a different scope, audience or depth. It also says that citations help trace claims to sources, while the underlying sources still merit review for decisions, external publishing and high-stakes work.
Related terms
FAQ
Can I edit the plan after ChatGPT proposes it?
Yes. OpenAI's help page explicitly says that you can review and modify the proposed research plan before research begins.
Can I change the scope once research has started?
Yes. OpenAI documents interrupting the running task to refine its focus, including adjusting accessible sources. The Academy guide names clarifying the request, narrowing the scope and adding sources as examples.
What should a research request contain?
OpenAI Academy recommends stating the goal, scope, timeframe and desired output format. The help page also says that the request should describe the question, desired outcome and relevant constraints.
How can I check the result?
Review the report's citations or source links and inspect the underlying sources. The documented report view also provides a sources used section and an activity history.
Sources
- OpenAI Help Center, "Deep research in ChatGPT", undated
- OpenAI Academy, "Deep research", 2 September 2026
Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer