Editorial contribution · Personal
Socratic mode: understand by answering for yourself
The AI asks one question at a time until you can explain the connection yourself.
Published: · Version 1
A prompt to try
I want to understand [TOPIC]. What I already know: [BACKGROUND]. Guide me mainly with questions. Start with something I probably know, checking rather than assuming. Ask only one question at a time and wait. If my answer is wrong, ask a clarifying question instead of giving the solution immediately. If I say HELP, give a short hint. Stop if I say STOP. After at most eight questions, ask me to explain the connection in my own words. Give factual feedback, then summarise what my answers demonstrate and what remains uncertain. Do not force everything into questions if I explicitly need an explanation. Do not invent facts. This exercise does not prove lasting learning. Start with the first question.
Copy the text into your AI, fill in the placeholders and check the answer.
Why try this?
Your answers reveal gaps; a small hint is available when you need it.
What you need
- A topic and a few minutes to think.
How to start
- Copy the prompt, paste it into ChatGPT or Claude and fill in the placeholders.
- Add your details; answer any follow-up questions one at a time.
- Check and correct the result, then choose a useful next step.
What an answer could look like
Illustrative example · not a tested AI response
Illustrative example: If 100 becomes 110 after one year, what amount does the next ten percent apply to?
RobinPrompt.BETA 0.1.9