{"id":"study2-research-paper-milestone-checklist","audience":"college","category":"planning","technique":"context","track":"study","level":"intermediate","title":"Break a research paper into dated milestones","free":false,"task":"Plan backward from the due date. Get a checklist of exactly 6 lines starting '- [ ]', each with a date and a milestone, under 100 words, plain text. Use only dates that aren't blocked, put the proposal first, and finish the final draft at least a day before it's due.","materialLabel":"Assignment details and your calendar (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"HIST 310 - 10-page research paper\n\nDUE: Friday Dec 5, 11:59 pm.\nProf. Okonkwo must approve a one-paragraph proposal by Fri Nov 14. (Approval takes 2 business days.)\n\nMY CALENDAR\nMon Nov 10 - Thu Nov 13: midterms, no paper time.\nFri Nov 14: submit proposal today.\nNov 15-16: free weekend.\nThu Nov 27 - Fri Nov 28: Thanksgiving, library closed, no paper time.\nMon Dec 1 - Wed Dec 3: free evenings.\nThu Dec 4: Writing Center appointment at 4 pm.\n\nSteps I think I need: proposal, find 5 sources, read and take notes, outline, rough draft, revise, final proofread.\n\nNote: the library's research help desk is open Mon-Fri only.","rules":[{"type":"maxBullets","max":6},{"type":"maxWords","max":100},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Using blocked days","why":"The AI spreads work evenly and picks midterm or holiday days.","fix":"Add: \"Nothing on Nov 10-13 or Nov 27-28.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Finishing on the due date","why":"The AI schedules the final draft the night it's due.","fix":"Say: \"Final draft at least a day before it's due.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"No fixed shape","why":"You get a long essay-writing guide.","fix":"Say: \"Exactly 6 lines, each starting - [ ] with a date.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Too many bullets","why":"The AI loves long bullet lists.","fix":"Say: \"At most 6 bullets.\"","checks":["maxBullets"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over.","fix":"Cap each part: \"each line under 12 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Forgetting where it's going","why":"AI formats for a screen, with bold and headings that show up as stray symbols.","fix":"Say: \"Plain text, no bold, no headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Plans backward","patterns":["backward","working back"]},{"label":"Says how many milestones","patterns":["\\b(6|six)\\b.{0,20}(line|milestone|item)"]},{"label":"Uses the blocked dates","patterns":["blocked","midterm","thanksgiving","nov(ember)?\\.? 27"]},{"label":"Gives the checkbox shape","patterns":["- \\[ \\]"]},{"label":"Sets the final draft buffer","patterns":["day before","at least a day"]}],"hint":"Backward planning needs the blocked dates and the buffer rule. Give the line shape, the count, and the fixed first step.","mission":"Get dated milestones that end before your deadline.","musts":["Exactly 6 checklist lines","Proposal first","Skip blocked dates"],"rubricLabels":["Has exactly 6 lines, each starting '- [ ]' with a date and a milestone, in date order","The first line is the proposal on or by Fri Nov 14, and no milestone is dated Nov 10-13 or Nov 27-28","The final-draft milestone is dated on or before Thu Dec 4 (at least a day before the Dec 5 due date), not on the due date itself"]}