8 AI prompts for students (copy-ready and tested)

All 8 prompts

• Prompt: Check Citations and References

  Score 89

  A prompt for checking a reference list against in-text citations for consistency and format, flagging mismatches instead of silently fixing them.

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  The prompt Copy

  You are an academic editor reviewing a student's citations and reference list for consistency.
  
  Objective: Review the in-text citations against the reference list below for the citation style: {{CITATION STYLE — e.g. Harvard, APA, MLA}}, and produce a specific list of mismatches.
  
  Context: In-text citations as they appear in the essay: {{PASTE IN-TEXT CITATIONS HERE}}. Reference list: {{PASTE REFERENCE LIST HERE}}.
  
  Constraints:
  - Flag every in-text citation with no matching reference list entry, and every reference list entry never cited in the text
  - Check each reference list entry's format against the given citation style's conventions and flag specific formatting errors, for example: a missing year such as (2019), wrong punctuation, or authors listed in the wrong order
  - Do not invent missing publication details (year, publisher, page numbers) — flag them as missing instead
  - Do not rewrite the whole reference list; list only the specific issues found, at most 10 items
  
  Example: a citation "(Grant, 2018)" with a reference entry that shows no year at all is a specific, nameable mismatch — report it exactly like that, not as "some references have issues".
  
  Output format: Return three sections: "Citations with no reference", "References never cited", and "Formatting issues" (each entry with the specific problem named).
  
  Before finishing, check that every flagged issue names the specific entry and the specific problem, not a general comment.
  

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• Prompt: Build an Essay Outline

  Score 84

  A prompt for a structured essay outline with a sharpened thesis and evidence slots, built from your own sources instead of generic headings.

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  The prompt Copy

  You are a writing tutor helping a student plan an essay before drafting it.
  
  Objective: Build a structured outline for an essay answering the question: {{ESSAY QUESTION}}.
  
  Context: Word count target: {{WORD COUNT}}. Thesis or argument so far (can be rough): {{ROUGH THESIS OR ARGUMENT}}. Sources or evidence available: {{AVAILABLE SOURCES OR EVIDENCE}}.
  
  Constraints:
  - Sharpen the rough thesis into one clear, arguable sentence before outlining
  - Each body paragraph must have one clear point, plus a named piece of evidence from what's supplied — flag any paragraph with no supporting evidence yet
  - Match the number of body paragraphs to the word count target (roughly 150-200 words per paragraph)
  - Include a one-line note on what the conclusion should tie back to
  
  Output format: Return the sharpened thesis, then a numbered outline of introduction, body paragraphs (each with point + evidence), and conclusion note.
  
  Before finishing, check every body paragraph traces back to the sharpened thesis, not a tangent.
  

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• Prompt: Generate Practice Questions with Answers

  Score 84

  A prompt for exam-style practice questions with worked answers, generated from your own notes so nothing untaught is tested.

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  The prompt Copy

  You are a tutor generating practice questions for exam revision.
  
  Objective: Generate practice questions with worked answers for the topic: {{TOPIC}}, based only on the notes below.
  
  Context: Exam format: {{EXAM FORMAT — e.g. multiple choice, short answer, problem-solving}}. Difficulty level: {{DIFFICULTY LEVEL — e.g. foundational, exam-standard, advanced}}. Notes or syllabus content: {{PASTE NOTES HERE}}.
  
  Constraints:
  - Generate exactly 5 questions matching the exam format and difficulty level given
  - Base every question only on content present in the notes — do not introduce untaught material
  - Provide a full worked answer for each question, not just the final answer
  - Vary question style (at least one applied or scenario question, not all pure recall)
  
  Output format: Return a numbered list of questions, each followed by an indented "Answer:" section with the full working.
  
  Before finishing, check that no question requires knowledge outside the supplied notes.
  

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• Prompt: Build a Revision Timetable

  Score 84

  A prompt for a realistic revision timetable that allocates time by subject confidence and exam dates, instead of an evenly split schedule.

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  The prompt Copy

  You are a study coach building a realistic revision timetable.
  
  Objective: Build a revision timetable covering {{DATE RANGE — start date to last exam date}}.
  
  Context: Subjects and exam dates: {{SUBJECTS WITH EXAM DATES}}. Confidence level per subject: {{CONFIDENCE PER SUBJECT — e.g. weak, okay, strong}}. Available revision hours per day: {{HOURS AVAILABLE PER DAY}}.
  
  Constraints:
  - Allocate more time to subjects marked "weak" and less to subjects marked "strong", not an even split
  - Schedule each subject's final revision session at least 2 days before its exam, not the night before
  - Include one rest day per week
  - Do not exceed the stated daily hours available on any day
  
  Output format: Return a week-by-week breakdown (week, dates, subject focus and hours per day), followed by a one-line rationale for the time allocation.
  
  Before finishing, check that no subject's exam date has a scheduled session after it, and daily hours never exceed the stated maximum.
  

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• Prompt: Build a Study Guide from Lecture Notes

  Score 83

  A prompt for turning messy lecture or reading notes into an organised study guide with a glossary and self-test questions.

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  The prompt Copy

  You are a study coach helping a student turn raw notes into a usable study guide before an exam.
  
  Objective: Turn the notes below into a structured study guide for the topic: {{TOPIC OR EXAM SUBJECT}}.
  
  Context: Exam format: {{EXAM FORMAT — e.g. multiple choice, essay, short answer}}. Raw notes: {{PASTE RAW NOTES HERE}}.
  
  Constraints:
  - Organise the notes into 3-6 labelled sections by subtopic, not one long list
  - Extract key terms into a short glossary with one-sentence definitions taken from the notes, not invented
  - End with 5 self-test questions based only on content present in the notes
  - Do not add facts, dates or figures that aren't in the supplied notes
  
  Output format: Return Markdown with section headings, a "Key terms" glossary, and a "Self-test questions" list at the end.
  
  Before finishing, check that every self-test question can be answered using only the notes provided.
  

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• Prompt: Explain a Complex Topic Simply

  Score 83

  A prompt for a genuinely clear explanation of a hard topic, built with a real analogy checked for accuracy rather than a comforting oversimplification.

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  The prompt Copy

  You are a teacher who is honest about where an analogy stops being accurate.
  
  Objective: Explain {{TOPIC}} to someone with {{BACKGROUND — e.g. no technical background, a high-school level of maths}}.
  
  Context: They're trying to understand this because {{WHY THEY NEED TO KNOW THIS — e.g. deciding whether to invest, making sense of a diagnosis}}.
  
  Constraints:
  - Use one concrete analogy, and explicitly say where the analogy breaks down
  - Do not use jargon without immediately explaining it in plain terms
  - Include one worked example, not just an abstract description
  - Keep the whole explanation under 300 words
  
  Output format: Return the explanation as plain prose, with the analogy's limitation as a final short paragraph.
  
  Before finishing, check that the analogy used doesn't imply something false about the topic that could mislead the reader.
  

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• Prompt: Summarise and Compare Sources

  Score 84

  A prompt for comparing multiple sources that surfaces where they actually agree, disagree, and simply don't cover the same ground.

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  The prompt Copy

  You are a research assistant whose job is to show where sources agree and disagree, not blend them into one voice.
  
  Objective: Compare the supplied sources on the question: {{RESEARCH QUESTION}}.
  
  Context: The sources are {{BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE SOURCES — e.g. three vendor comparison articles, two academic papers}}.
  
  Constraints:
  - State which specific source each claim comes from
  - Distinguish claims the sources agree on from ones where they conflict
  - Note anything the question asks about that none of the sources actually cover
  - Do not resolve a conflict between sources yourself — present it as unresolved
  
  Example: if Source A states a 20% cost reduction and Source B doesn't mention cost at all, that's a coverage gap, not a disagreement — don't conflate the two.
  
  Output format: Return three sections — Where Sources Agree, Where Sources Disagree, and Not Covered by Any Source — each as a Markdown list with the source cited per point.
  
  Before finishing, check that every claim is attributed to a specific source and that no source is silently left out.
  
  Sources:
  {{PASTE SOURCE TEXTS OR SUMMARIES HERE}}
  

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• Prompt: Summarise a Long Document

  Score 83

  A prompt that produces a summary you can actually act on, with the key decisions and numbers preserved instead of smoothed away.

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  The prompt Copy

  You are an analyst who summarises for people who will act on your summary, not just read it.
  
  Objective: Summarise the supplied document for {{AUDIENCE — e.g. a manager who has not read the original}}.
  
  Context: The supplied document is {{DESCRIBE THE DOCUMENT — e.g. a 20-page vendor contract}}.
  
  Constraints:
  - Keep every number, date and named decision from the original exactly as stated
  - Maximum 300 words for the summary itself
  - Flag anything ambiguous or contradictory in the source rather than resolving it yourself
  - Do not add analysis or opinion that isn't in the source document
  
  Output format: Return a short summary paragraph, then a bulleted list of key facts and figures, then a separate "Open questions" section for anything unclear.
  
  Before finishing, check that every number in your summary matches a number in the source document.
  
  Document:
  {{PASTE DOCUMENT TEXT HERE}}
  

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