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Write follow-up questions that check an AI's history answer

  • For High school students
  • You practice Catching mistakes and made-up facts
  • Time about 5 minutes

About this exercise

An AI search tool gave you 4 facts about the 1911 Carver Mill strike for your history essay, but its sources look shaky. Write exactly 4 numbered follow-up questions to send back, one per fact in order, each starting with What, Which or Who and asking for something you can check (the original document, the exact quote, who wrote the source, or when it was written). The question about fact 3 must point out its only source is an unsigned website. Plain text, under 110 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Asking "is this true?". The tool says "yes, according to historians" and you've checked nothing. Try: Say: "Each question asks for the original document, exact quote, author or date."
  • One question for everything. The AI asks one broad question, so the shaky sources hide behind the good one. Try: Add: "One question per fact, in order, each starting with What, Which or Who."
  • Missing the weak source. The AI doesn't notice the quote comes from a site with no author. Try: Add: "Point out fact 3's source is an unsigned website."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each question: "each under 25 words."
  • Getting markdown back. AI bolds the facts, which you'd have to clean up before pasting. Try: Ask for "plain text, no bold."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Asks for follow-up questions
  • One per fact
  • Asks for checkable details
  • Flags the unsigned site
  • Asks for plain text

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