About this exercise
You grade 120 high school lab reports and want reusable comments. Get exactly 4 numbered comment stems, one per rubric row, each under 15 words, written to a 10th grader as a next step (starting with a verb), with the rubric row name in parentheses at the end, plain text. No praise-only comments, and use the current rubric, not last year's.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not saying how many stems. The AI picks its own number, and it usually picks more stems than you need. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 4 numbered stems."
- Getting vague comments. The AI writes 'Great work!' and 'Needs more detail', the comments students said don't help. Try: Add: "Each starts with a verb and names a concrete next step."
- Not tying to rubric rows. The AI writes general writing tips that don't map to how you grade. Try: Add: "One per rubric row, with the row name in parentheses."
- Using last year's rubric. The removed neatness row is still in your notes. Try: Add: "Skip neatness; it was removed this year."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over. Try: Cap each stem: "under 13 words."
- Forgetting where it will be read. AI formats for a screen, with bold and headings that show up as stray symbols in your gradebook comments. Try: Say: "Plain text, no bold, no headings."
What a strong prompt includes
- Says how many comments
- Ties to rubric rows
- Asks for next steps
- Says who reads it
- Rules out the old row
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