Prompt Engineering Course
Research Prompting
Research prompting is the practice of using prompts to guide a language model through exploration, comparison, and synthesis of information in a structured and verifiable way.
Unlike casual searching, research requires discipline.
The model must be guided to reason, not just respond.
Why Research Prompting Is Different
Research is not about getting one answer.
It is about understanding a space, identifying patterns, and evaluating alternatives.
Without structure, models produce surface-level summaries that sound confident but lack depth.
Thinking Like a Researcher Before Prompting
Before writing a prompt, ask:
- What do I already know?
- What am I trying to discover?
- How will I verify correctness?
These questions shape the prompt.
Exploratory Research Prompts
Exploration helps map the topic space.
The goal is breadth, not conclusions.
Provide an overview of the main approaches used in this field.
Do not rank or recommend yet.
This prevents premature conclusions.
Comparative Research Prompts
Once options are identified, comparison becomes necessary.
Models need explicit comparison criteria.
Compare the identified approaches based on scalability, cost, and reliability.
This forces structured evaluation.
Evidence-Oriented Prompts
Research without evidence is opinion.
Prompts should require justification.
For each claim, explain the reasoning or supporting evidence.
This reduces unsupported assertions.
Synthesis Prompts
Synthesis combines multiple findings into insight.
This is where real value emerges.
Summarize the key patterns and trade-offs observed across all approaches.
This moves beyond listing facts.
Preventing Hallucination in Research
Research prompts should discourage guessing.
Explicit uncertainty handling helps.
If information is uncertain or unavailable, state the limitation clearly.
This builds trust in the output.
Iterative Research Workflow
Good research prompting is iterative:
- Explore broadly
- Narrow focus
- Compare deeply
- Synthesize insights
Each iteration refines understanding.
How Learners Practice Research Prompting
Learners should:
- Choose a real topic
- Write exploratory prompts
- Refine into comparison prompts
- Synthesize findings
This mirrors professional research workflows.
Common Research Prompt Mistakes
Teams often:
- Ask for conclusions too early
- Skip verification
- Mix opinions with evidence
These mistakes weaken insights.
Practice
Why should research begin with exploration?
Why must comparison criteria be explicit?
What is the goal of synthesis in research prompting?
Quick Quiz
Exploratory research focuses on:
Why require evidence in research prompts?
Effective research prompting is:
Recap: Research prompting guides exploration, comparison, and synthesis through structured reasoning.
Next up: Marketing prompting — designing prompts that persuade, position, and communicate clearly.