AI Prompts for Students: Essay, Study & Research Templates

Help me develop a thesis statement:

ESSAY TOPIC: [GENERAL TOPIC]
ASSIGNMENT TYPE: [Argumentative/Analytical/Compare-Contrast/Research]
MY INITIAL POSITION: [WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS]
WORD COUNT: [LENGTH REQUIREMENT]

Help me create a thesis by:
1. Asking 3 questions to clarify my position
2. Identifying the strongest angle to take
3. Suggesting 3 thesis statement options:
   - Conservative (safe, clear)
   - Moderate (balanced, nuanced)
   - Bold (takes a strong stance)

For each thesis, explain:
- What arguments it requires
- Potential counterarguments
- Evidence I'll need

DO NOT write my essay. Help me think through my argument so I can write it myself.

Remind me: A thesis is debatable (not obvious), specific (not vague), and supportable (I can prove it).

Help me outline my essay:

THESIS: [MY THESIS STATEMENT]
ESSAY TYPE: [Type and length]
REQUIRED SECTIONS: [Intro, body paragraphs, conclusion]
SOURCES REQUIRED: [NUMBER/TYPE]

Create an outline with:
1. Introduction structure
   - Hook options (3 ideas)
   - Background context needed
   - Thesis placement

2. Body paragraph plan (for each paragraph):
   - Topic sentence idea
   - Evidence type needed
   - How it connects to thesis
   - Transition to next paragraph

3. Conclusion approach
   - Thesis restatement angle
   - Broader implications
   - Ending strategy

Also identify:
- Potential weak points in my argument
- Where I need more research
- What counterarguments to address

This is a planning tool—I'll write the actual essay.

Review my essay argument:

MY THESIS: [THESIS STATEMENT]
MY MAIN POINTS:
1. [POINT 1]
2. [POINT 2]
3. [POINT 3]

MY EVIDENCE: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SOURCES]

Analyze my argument:
1. Logical consistency check
   - Do my points actually support my thesis?
   - Are there logical fallacies?
   - Missing connections?

2. Counterargument preparation
   - What would critics say?
   - How should I address these?
   - What am I ignoring?

3. Evidence evaluation
   - Is my evidence sufficient?
   - What types of evidence am I missing?
   - Are there stronger examples?

4. Suggestions for strengthening
   - Most vulnerable point
   - How to make it stronger
   - What would make this A-grade worthy

Be critical—I want to find problems now, not after grading.

Explain this concept to me:

CONCEPT: [TOPIC/TERM/THEORY]
SUBJECT: [COURSE/FIELD]
MY LEVEL: [Intro/Intermediate/Advanced]
WHAT I ALREADY KNOW: [RELATED KNOWLEDGE]

Explain this concept in layers:
1. Simple explanation (like I'm 12)
2. Technical explanation (textbook level)
3. Expert nuance (what professors emphasize)

Include:
- Real-world analogy
- 3 concrete examples
- Common misconceptions
- How it connects to [RELATED TOPIC]
- Why it matters (so what?)

Then test my understanding:
- Ask me 3 questions to check comprehension
- Predict what exam questions might look like

I want to UNDERSTAND this, not just memorize it.

Create flashcards for:

TOPIC: [WHAT I'M STUDYING]
SOURCE: [TEXTBOOK CHAPTER/LECTURE NOTES]
EXAM TYPE: [Multiple choice/Short answer/Essay]
NUMBER NEEDED: [10-20 CARDS]

For each flashcard:
FRONT: Question or term
BACK:
- Concise answer
- Memory hook (mnemonic, association)
- Example if applicable

Create cards for:
1. Key terms and definitions
2. Important concepts
3. Cause-effect relationships
4. Compare/contrast pairs
5. Application questions

Format for Anki/Quizlet import if possible.

Focus on:
- Understanding, not just recall
- Connections between concepts
- Common exam question patterns

Avoid:
- Trivial details
- Exact textbook wording (rephrase)
- Questions with obvious answers

Create a practice test:

SUBJECT: [COURSE NAME]
TOPICS COVERED: [LIST MAIN TOPICS]
EXAM FORMAT: [Multiple choice/Short answer/Essay]
DIFFICULTY: [Midterm/Final level]
TIME: [HOW LONG IS REAL EXAM]

Generate:
1. [X] multiple choice questions
   - 4 options each
   - Explain why wrong answers are wrong

2. [X] short answer questions
   - Key points expected in answer
   - Common mistakes to avoid

3. [X] essay questions (if applicable)
   - What a good answer includes
   - Grading criteria hints

After I answer, help me:
- Identify weak areas
- Prioritize what to review
- Suggest study strategies

Make questions similar in style to [PROFESSOR NAME]'s exams if I describe them.

Help me refine my research question:

BROAD TOPIC: [GENERAL AREA OF INTEREST]
ASSIGNMENT: [Paper type and length]
FIELD: [Academic discipline]
DEADLINE: [Time available for research]

Help me narrow this down:
1. What's too broad about my current focus?
2. Suggest 5 specific research questions
3. For each question:
   - Why it's researchable
   - What sources I'd need
   - Potential challenges

4. Help me pick the best one by asking:
   - What interests me most?
   - What sources are available?
   - What's appropriate for my level?

The question should be:
- Specific enough to answer thoroughly
- Broad enough to find sources
- Interesting enough to keep me engaged
- Appropriate for [X] page paper

Help me evaluate this source:

SOURCE TYPE: [Journal article/Book/Website/etc.]
TITLE: [SOURCE TITLE]
AUTHOR: [AUTHOR NAME]
PUBLICATION: [WHERE PUBLISHED]
DATE: [WHEN PUBLISHED]
URL: [IF APPLICABLE]

Evaluate using CRAAP test:
1. Currency: Is it recent enough for my topic?
2. Relevance: Does it address my research question?
3. Authority: Is the author credible?
4. Accuracy: Is the information verifiable?
5. Purpose: What's the author's intent/bias?

Help me determine:
- Is this source appropriate for academic work?
- How should I use it (primary evidence, background, etc.)?
- What are its limitations?
- What other sources would complement it?

Teach me to evaluate sources myself, not just judge this one.

Help me with citations:

CITATION STYLE: [APA/MLA/Chicago/Harvard]
TASK: [Creating bibliography/In-text citations/Both]

For these sources:
[LIST YOUR SOURCES WITH DETAILS]

Provide:
1. Properly formatted citation for each
2. In-text citation format
3. Common mistakes to avoid for this style
4. How to cite specific cases:
   - Multiple authors
   - No date
   - Online sources
   - Quotes vs. paraphrases

Also explain:
- When to cite (avoid plagiarism)
- When paraphrasing counts as citation
- How to integrate quotes smoothly

I'll use a citation manager, but I want to understand the rules.