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Turn a lecture transcript into Cornell-style cue questions
Practice: Asking for a format you can use. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
You use the Cornell method and want cue questions for your Sociology lecture: exactly 4 numbered lines, each a question and its short answer on the same line separated by ' | ', then a last line starting 'Summary:' under 25 words, plain text. Use only the transcript, including the year the professor corrected.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Asking for notes. The AI writes a long outline with headings, not cue questions you can quiz yourself with. Try: Show the shape: "1. question | short answer".
- Not saying how many lines. The AI picks its own number, and it usually picks more lines than you need. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 4 numbered lines."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over. Try: Cap the parts: "each answer under 10 words, summary under 20 words."
- Missing the midterm point. The AI defines terms but may skip the WHY your professor said she'll test. Try: Add: "One question must ask why weak ties bring new information."
- Forgetting the summary line. Cornell notes need a summary at the bottom, and the AI won't add one unless asked. Try: Add: "End with one line starting 'Summary:'."
What a strong prompt includes
- Says how many questions
- Shows the line shape
- Asks for a summary line
- Names the midterm point
- Says to use only the material
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