A good research prompt isn't a magic trick. It's a checklist you don't have to remember, run by something that never gets bored.
Keep a negative list
Ask for the reasoning, then the result. When the model shows its steps you can see exactly where to push back.
- Compare two outputs instead of trusting one
- Ask for three angles, then cut to the one worth shipping
- Name the audience and the single goal before you generate
Anchor to one reader
Lock the parts that never change and leave one slot for the variable. Now every run shares a family resemblance instead of starting from scratch.
Treat the first output as a draft, not a verdict. The prompt does the typing; you keep the judgment about what ships.