Capstone: Full Research Brief

Mechanics: a strong brief is not a long text, but a complete outline of the task, where the model has no room for ad-libbing. Each block covers its own risk: the question removes vagueness, the framework removes irrelevance, the criteria removes incomparability, the sources remove the fabrication of facts, the structure removes the mess at the end, the defense removes a confident lie. Collect six blocks from the checklist. Check the coherence: the criteria should answer the question, the structure should lead to a conclusion, the sources should cover key facts. A frequent inconsistency is rich criteria and the question “which is better?” without purpose; then the output will hang. Insider trick: end the brief with the line “first ask me 3 clarifying questions, then research.” The model will reveal your gaps before it wastes effort in the wrong places—and its questions are often more useful than your first draft. Second trick: ask for a section at the end of the report “confidence and what to check manually.” This way you immediately know your weak points. A typical mistake: inflating the brief for the sake of volume. Unnecessary requirements blur the focus - keep each block short and to the point.