Write an animal shelter's new volunteer steps in order

About this exercise

You coordinate volunteers at an animal shelter and need a checklist for the website's 'Get started' page. You want exactly 5 numbered steps in the order a new volunteer does them, each starting with a verb, under 70 words, plain text. Use the new online orientation (not the old in-person one), include the extra form for volunteers under 18, and leave out staff-only tasks. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Copying the old flyer. The old in-person orientation is written as a numbered step, so the AI keeps it. Try: Add: "Use the November updates: orientation is an online video now."
• Dropping the extra rules. The AI skips the quiz or the guardian waiver to keep it short. Try: Add: "Include the quiz and the under-18 waiver before orientation."
• Including staff tasks. The AI adds background checks and T-shirts. Try: Add: "Only what volunteers do."
• Letting the AI pick the layout. The AI writes a web page with headings and a welcome paragraph. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 5 numbered steps, verb first, plain text."
• Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 70 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each line under 9 words."

What a strong prompt includes

• Says how many steps
• Uses the updates
• Includes the under-18 rule
• Only volunteer steps
• Sets a word limit

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