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Get a negative externality explained with a campus example

Practice: Keeping the AI to your sources. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

Your Environmental Economics midterm asks you to explain a negative externality with an example. Get exactly 3 numbered sentences using only the stadium parking example from lecture (who decides, who else pays, why the market price is too low), then one line starting 'Check:' with a question to test yourself, under 75 words, plain text. Use the corrected cost figure, and no graphs or formulas.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Asking for a definition. The AI gives a textbook definition with factory pollution, not your lecture's example. Try: Say: "Use only the stadium parking example from lecture."
  • Not saying how many sentences. The AI picks its own number, and it usually picks more sentences than you need. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 3 numbered sentences."
  • Missing the correction. The slide's typo and the email's fix are both in your notes. Try: Add: "Use $8 per car from the email."
  • No way to test yourself. The AI explains and stops, so you never check whether it stuck. Try: Add: "End with one line starting 'Check:' with a question, no answer."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over. Try: Cap each sentence: "each under 18 words."
  • Forgetting where it will be read. AI formats for a screen, with bold and headings that show up as stray symbols in your notes. Try: Say: "Plain text, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the example
  • Says how many sentences
  • Uses the correction
  • Asks for a check question
  • Sets a length limit

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