About this exercise
An AI wrote a 6-point summary of a local history reading for your 7th graders, and you want to check it before printing. Write exactly 6 numbered lines, one per summary point, each labeled Supported, Contradicted or Not in source. For each Contradicted line, add what the source says in quotation marks. Judge only by the reading. Plain text, under 120 words.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Asking 'is it accurate?'. The AI says it's 'mostly accurate' and moves on, missing the small number changes. Try: Say: "Label each point Supported, Contradicted or Not in source."
- Mixing up wrong and missing. A claim the reading never makes isn't the same as one it contradicts, and the AI blurs the two. Try: Define it: "Not in source means the reading doesn't mention it at all."
- No proof for corrections. The AI says a point is wrong without showing what the reading says. Try: Add: "For Contradicted, quote the source in quotation marks."
- Getting a new summary. The AI often 'helps' by rewriting the whole summary, which you didn't ask for. Try: Say: "Exactly 6 numbered lines, one per point, nothing else."
- Getting markdown back. AI defaults to bold labels, headings and tables, which break when you paste into a doc or tracker. Try: Ask for "plain text, no bold, no headings, no tables."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over. Try: Cap each line instead: "each line under 20 words."
What a strong prompt includes
- Gives exact labels
- Makes the reading the judge
- Asks for a quote
- Says how many lines
- Asks for plain text
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