Claude excels at nuanced reasoning, long-document analysis, careful instruction following, and producing thoughtful, less formulaic prose. These prompts leverage those unique strengths.
8 Prompts Optimized for Claude
I am going to share a long document (attached below). Please read it carefully in its entirety before responding. Then provide: (1) a 3-sentence executive summary, (2) the 5 most important points in order of significance with page/section references, (3) any inconsistencies or contradictions you notice, (4) 3 questions a critical reader would ask after reading this, and (5) a one-paragraph assessment of the document’s overall quality and persuasiveness.
Document:
[PASTE LONG DOCUMENT]
I need you to help me think through a nuanced ethical dilemma. Situation: [DESCRIBE THE DILEMMA]. Analyze this from multiple ethical frameworks: utilitarian (greatest good), deontological (duty-based), virtue ethics (character-based), and care ethics (relationship-based). For each framework, explain what it would recommend and why. Then identify where the frameworks agree and disagree. Finally, share what considerations you think are most important and why, while acknowledging genuine uncertainty.
Write a piece of creative nonfiction about [TOPIC] in approximately 800 words. I want prose that feels genuinely human — varied sentence lengths, unexpected metaphors, moments of vulnerability or humor. Avoid: cliches, generic transitions like “furthermore” and “moreover,” lists disguised as paragraphs, and the word “tapestry.” The piece should have a clear narrative arc and leave the reader with a single lasting impression. Audience: [DESCRIBE READER]. Publication style: [e.g., The Atlantic, Wired, personal blog].
Compare and contrast these two approaches to [PROBLEM/TOPIC]. Approach A: [DESCRIBE]. Approach B: [DESCRIBE]. I do not want a simple pros/cons list. Instead, provide a nuanced analysis that: explains the philosophical assumptions underlying each approach, identifies the specific conditions where each approach performs best, discusses what each approach’s advocates would say about the other’s weaknesses, and recommends how to combine the strengths of both. Be intellectually honest about trade-offs.
Review this legal/business contract and identify potential issues. I am not asking for legal advice, but for a careful reading that surfaces: ambiguous language that could be interpreted multiple ways, obligations that seem one-sided, missing protections I should ask about, unusual or non-standard clauses compared to typical [CONTRACT TYPE] agreements, and any deadlines or auto-renewal terms buried in the text. Organize findings by severity (critical, notable, minor). Contract text:
[PASTE CONTRACT]
Help me refine my argument about [THESIS]. Below is my current draft. I want you to play the role of a thoughtful, well-informed critic who disagrees with me. Identify the 3 weakest points in my argument, explain WHY they are weak (not just that they are), suggest specific evidence or reasoning that would strengthen each one, and point out any logical fallacies I may be committing. Be rigorous but constructive. My draft:
[PASTE ARGUMENT]
Translate this technical concept into clear language for three different audiences. The concept: [EXPLAIN THE TECHNICAL CONCEPT]. Write three versions: (1) for a non-technical executive who needs to make a budget decision about it (focus on business impact, 100 words), (2) for a technically curious generalist like a product manager (accurate but accessible, 200 words), (3) for a peer expert who wants the precise details (use proper terminology, 200 words). Each version should be genuinely useful to its audience, not just simplified.
I want to have a Socratic dialogue about [TOPIC]. Your role is to guide my thinking by asking probing questions rather than giving me answers directly. When I make a claim, ask me to examine my assumptions. When I give an example, ask me to consider counterexamples. When I reach a conclusion, ask me to test it against edge cases. Only provide your own perspective if I explicitly ask “what do you think?” Let’s begin. My opening position: [STATE YOUR POSITION].
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Claude different from ChatGPT for prompting?
Claude tends to follow instructions more literally, produces less formulaic prose, handles very long inputs well (up to 200K+ tokens), and is more willing to express uncertainty or push back on flawed premises. Prompts that ask for nuance, careful analysis, and honest uncertainty play to Claude’s strengths.
How long of a document can Claude process?
Claude supports context windows up to 200,000 tokens (roughly 150,000 words or a 500-page book). This makes it exceptionally powerful for analyzing contracts, research papers, codebases, and entire book manuscripts in a single conversation.
Which Claude model should I use?
Claude Opus is best for complex reasoning, creative writing, and tasks requiring deep thought. Claude Sonnet offers a strong balance of speed and quality for everyday tasks. Claude Haiku is fastest and cheapest for simple, high-volume tasks. Match the model to the complexity of your prompt.
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