Ask for the rubric before the task
A rubric written first constrains everything that follows. Ask for the task first and you get generic work you then argue with.
Aug 6, 2026 · 1 min read
When you ask an AI for a task, worksheet, or assessment, reverse your usual order: get the success criteria first, edit those, and only then ask for the task built against them. The rubric is short, easy to judge, and cheap to fix, and every downstream generation inherits its precision.
In practice
prompt.txt
I teach Grade 8 science. Before writing anything else, draft a
4-criterion rubric for a short explanation of why ice floats.
Wait for my edits. Only after I approve the rubric, write the
task and a model answer that would score top marks on it.- Edit the rubric ruthlessly. This is where your professional judgement goes in, and it's a two-minute job instead of a rewrite.
- Reuse approved rubrics as the seed for the next topic: "Same structure, now for photosynthesis."
Quick takeaway: edit the criteria, not the essay. It's the cheapest place to be demanding.