Matching Prompt Strategy to Task Type
CoreAdapt prompting strategy to the type of task · Difficulty 2/5
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task-type-adaptationanalysisresearchdraftingbrainstorming
Prerequisites
Explanation
Different Work, Different Prompts
Different kinds of work call for different prompting moves. Matching the approach to the task type is itself part of writing an effective prompt:
| Task type | What to emphasize in the prompt |
|---|---|
| Analysis | Provide the source data; ask for reasoning *before* conclusions; specify the lens ("analyze for cost risk"). |
| Research | Ask for structured findings, request sources/citations you can verify, and be explicit about scope and recency. |
| Drafting | Specify audience, tone, length, and format; supply an example of the desired style. |
| Brainstorming | Invite quantity and range ("give 10 varied ideas, including unconventional ones"); defer filtering to a later step. |
Notice that analysis and drafting share elements with the general prompt-building blocks (context, audience, format), but research and brainstorming add task-specific emphasis -- verifiable sourcing for research, and deliberately deferred judgment for brainstorming.
Common exam traps
- Using a rigid, single-format prompt for every task type. A brainstorm prompt and a compliance-analysis prompt should look different: one invites breadth and defers filtering, the other demands a narrow lens and grounded reasoning. Applying the same template to both produces a mismatched result -- e.g., a brainstorm that gets prematurely filtered, or an analysis that lacks a stated lens.
Key Takeaways
- Analysis prompts should supply source data, a stated lens, and ask for reasoning before conclusions
- Research prompts should request structured findings and verifiable, scoped sourcing
- Drafting prompts should specify audience, tone, length, format, and ideally a style example
- Brainstorming prompts should invite quantity and range and defer filtering to a later step
- A single rigid prompt format applied to every task type is a common exam trap
Related Concepts