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Warn your group chat about a fake financial aid email

  • For College students
  • You practice Asking for a format you can use
  • Time about 5 minutes

About this exercise

A fake financial aid email is going around your dorm. Post a warning in the group chat: first line exactly 'PSA: fake aid email going around', then exactly 2 bullets each quoting a red flag from the email, then a last line starting 'Report it:' with the campus reporting steps. Plain text, under 60 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • A long warning. The AI writes paragraphs nobody reads in a group chat. Try: Limit it: "First line, 2 bullets, one Report it: line. Under 45 words."
  • No recognizable opener. Without a clear first line, people scroll past. Try: Say: "First line exactly: PSA: fake aid email going around"
  • Generic red flags. The AI says 'urgent language' without quoting the email. Try: Ask: "Each bullet quotes the email."
  • No reporting step. The AI ends with 'stay safe!' Try: Add: "Last line: Report it: the steps from the IT page."
  • Letting markdown in. AI adds bold and headings by default, and in a group chat they show up as stray symbols. Try: Add: "Plain text only, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Gives the exact first line
  • Asks for quotes
  • Ends with reporting steps
  • Limits the bullets
  • Asks for plain text

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