How to come up with the best prompts to learn with ChatGPT

How good the AI is depends on the prompts you give it. Many people have been using ChatGPT to learn since it was first released, but it wasn't until they tried these prompts that it completely changed the way they studied.

1. Give ChatGPT a proper start!

Many people still use NotebookLM , but only for Audio Overview podcasts and AI-generated mind maps. They rarely bother with summaries or Q&A anymore. ChatGPT, while different in many ways, is a more capable AI.

The workflow starts with ChatGPT's Projects feature. You upload your notes and lecture files there. Then, give it context about those files.

ChatGPT is superior to NotebookLM because notes are often imperfectly written. NotebookLM relies entirely on the content you provide, so if notes are missing or wrong, its answers will also be wrong.

With ChatGPT, you use notes as a guide. They help it understand what topics you're studying and what subtopics are important to you. This helps it operate on the same frequency as you.

Next, upload a PDF file of the answered quiz questions, ask ChatGPT to solve them and explain each answer.

It's important to remember that ChatGPT - and every other LLM program - can only handle a certain number of questions in a response. If you ask it to answer 100 questions at once, the chances of making a mistake are much higher. The context window is pretty good, but not infinite. The best way is to ask it to break them into groups of 5 questions and set a simple keyword to signal when to move on to the next question.

This approach allows for control over your progress. You can stop after each round, dig deeper into a difficult question, and then give the go-ahead to continue — rather than sitting through a long series of answers and trying to answer them after they're done.

Note : Not only can you check your answers using ChatGPT, but the answers and key points from them are now in the chat. ChatGPT can reference those for future tasks.

2. Add your own twist to the conversation

After you complete the questions, add your own notes - a collection of key points about the topic you are preparing for. Don't ask it to do anything right away. Just send it the key points to process. It's best to do it step by step.

After reading, ask:

"Okay cool. Can we now organize and structure all the pearls in this conversation into a bullet list? Use markdown for headings".

Okay . Now, can we organize and structure all the key points in this conversation into a bulleted list? Using markdown for headings.

Note : Many people prefer conversational language in their suggestions. Not because it's a secret ChatGPT suggestion trick, but because it's just the right thing to be polite.

ChatGPT formats everything neatly in Markdown , ready to copy to the Obsidian repository . You've probably done similar things before, but the real magic is what happens next.

Again, that summary note isn't just for you. When ChatGPT needs to recall context, it doesn't have to scroll through dozens of messages. It has a clear, concise reference right there. This is important for the next step.

3. Use this prompt to actually learn

Once you've gone through all the material and feel confident, it's time to ramp up your recall. Flashcards are great, and many people use AI-generated flashcards for courses that require a lot of memorization. But they're static cards and there's no feedback loop when you get something wrong.

Many people like open-ended questions. They don't want to guess, they want to know the answer. With ChatGPT, they can answer each question one by one and get immediate explanations - something multiple choice flashcards never provide.

Here's a quote that will completely change your study session:

"Quiz me on the material in your project files and the pearls we went over in this conversation. Ask one by one, and once I answer, tell me if I was correct or wrong, explain, then move on to the next. OK?"

" Please ask me about the documentation in your project file and the key points we discussed in this conversation. Ask one question at a time, and after I answer, tell me if I'm right or wrong, explain, and then move on to the next question. Okay?"

The first answer is just a question. You can write down your thoughts so it understands your reasoning and can guide you better. Even typos don't matter - it knows what you want to say.

If you answer correctly but still feel uncertain about the topic, you can ask for further explanation before moving on to the next question. If you answer incorrectly, an explanation will be provided immediately, and you can clarify before tackling the next question.

This makes ChatGPT a dynamic, patient tutor who is always adaptable to your weaknesses.

4. End with a review

Since we have new material from ChatGPT's answers and explanations, let's end the lesson with this prompt:

"Let's write all the pearls we've talked about here in full detail in a single markdown message. It should be organized and structured with headings. Include explanations where needed. I want to review it before the exam!"

Please write down all the key points we have discussed here in detail in a single markdown message. The content should be organized and clearly structured with headings. Please provide explanations if necessary. I want to review for the exam !

This turns the entire conversation into a neatly organized study sheet that you can use on test day.

Testing has always been one of the best ways to learn. However, most educators choose multiple choice because they are easier to grade, not because they are the most effective. Sure, they are easier for students, but their educational value is much lower. You will never truly master a topic if you cannot answer without having the choices in front of you.

​​​​​​​​ChatGPT is the only tool that can continuously score your answers, explain them, and continuously ask you more questions. Perfect!

Samuel Daniel

Update 19 August 2025