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Answer a student's library fine email from the desk
Practice: Keeping the AI to your sources. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
You work the circulation desk and a student emailed about a laptop fine. Reply under 70 words. The first sentence gives the amount she owes after the first-time reduction, then give the return date from the system (not her memory), and make the last line the payment link, pay.halelibrary.example, with nothing after it. No 'per our policy' or 'unfortunately'. Write a prompt that gets that reply.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 70 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part: "3 sentences, each under 16 words, then the link."
- Opening with sympathy. AI replies start with "Thanks for reaching out, I understand your frustration", and the amount comes later. Try: Say it: "Sentence 1: you owe $20 after a one-time reduction."
- Going with her memory. She says Nov 3. The AI may accept it or blame the jammed book return. Try: Add: "Our system shows it returned Wednesday, Nov 5."
- Stock phrases, buried link. AI ends with "Let us know if you have questions!" and leans on "per our policy". Try: Add: "Last line is the payment link, nothing after. No 'per our policy' or 'unfortunately'."
What a strong prompt includes
- Sets a word limit
- Leads with the amount
- Uses the system date
- Ends with the link
- Bans stock phrases
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