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Get feedback on your essay intro without a rewrite

Practice: Setting limits and rules. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

You drafted the intro paragraph of a persuasive essay on school start times. It's graded, so you want feedback, not a rewrite: the words have to stay yours. Ask for exactly 3 numbered fixes, biggest problem first, each under 25 words, plain text, with no rewritten sentences. Your teacher's rubric weighs the thesis most, and one of your facts doesn't match the source you were assigned.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Asking for "feedback" with no limits. The AI returns a long review with headings, praise and a dozen suggestions, so the important fix gets lost. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 3 numbered fixes, each under 20 words."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over. Try: Cap each point instead of the total: "each fix under 20 words."
  • Getting a rewrite you can't use. AI loves to 'help' by rewriting your paragraph, and turning that in would break your teacher's rule. Try: Add: "Don't rewrite anything or suggest sentences. Tell me what to fix and I'll write it."
  • Not sharing the rubric's priorities. The AI ranks problems by its own taste, often grammar or the hook, not by what's worth the most points. Try: Say: "Order fixes by my teacher's rubric, biggest point value first."
  • Not asking it to check facts. The AI judges the writing, not whether your facts match your assigned source, unless you ask. Try: Add: "Check every fact against the assigned source."
  • Forgetting where it's going. AI adds bold and headings that clutter a short list you want to keep next to your draft. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold or headings."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Says how many fixes
  • Says no rewriting
  • Ranks by the rubric
  • Checks facts against the source
  • Limits each point

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