Sharpen a vague research question
Turns a fuzzy question into a specific, answerable one with defined terms, scope and what a good answer would look like.
My rough question: {{ROUGH_QUESTION}}
Why I want to know: {{PURPOSE}}
1. Point out what is vague: undefined terms, missing scope (who, where, when), and hidden assumptions.
2. Write 3 sharper versions of the question, from narrow to broad.
3. For the version that best fits my purpose, define each key term and say what kind of evidence would answer it.
4. Suggest how to phrase it as a prompt for a search engine or research tool.
Ask me 1 to 2 questions if my purpose is unclear.Example output
Rough: "Is social media bad for teens?" Sharpened: "Is daily use over 3 hours linked to higher anxiety scores in UK 13 to 16 year olds, in studies since 2020?" Defined: "use" means self-reported screen time.
How to use
Use this before any research task, including before asking another AI prompt. Pick the sharpened version that matches the decision you need to make.
Why it works
Most poor research answers come from vague questions, not weak sources. Having the model rewrite the question for a research tool is a small form of meta-prompting: using a prompt to write a better prompt.