# Essay Gap Finder Prompt: Diagnose Your Own Argument

> A reusable prompt that maps your essay's argument first, then tables its gaps with exact quotes, so revisions trace back to your own text.

## Install

Copy the content below into your project:

# Essay Gap Finder Prompt: Diagnose Your Own Argument

A reusable prompt that maps your essay's argument first, then tables its gaps with exact quotes, so revisions trace back to your own text.

## Start here

You paste four things into an ordinary AI chat that accepts text (for example a standard chat window):

1. **ESSAY** (required): the full essay text, or the sections you want checked.
2. **ASSIGNMENT** (optional): the question or task the essay answers.
3. **STANDARDS** (optional): rubric, word count, citation style, course expectations.
4. **CONCERNS** (optional): what you already suspect is weak.

Then paste the complete prompt (appended below this guide) and send both together. If you paste the prompt with no essay, the intended behaviour is that it stops and asks you for the text instead of inventing content.

## What you get back

- An argument map built only from your text: thesis quoted verbatim with its location, one line per body paragraph with a quoted anchor, evidence type per paragraph, and any counterargument quoted.
- A gap table sorted with High priority first, using fixed gap types such as Unsupported claim, Missing counterargument, Undefined key term, Non-sequitur, Evidence-text mismatch, Scope creep, Repetition and No conclusion link.
- Three hardest questions a skeptical reader would ask, each tied to a quoted sentence.
- Two or three places where the argument already works, with quotes.
- Revision options described as moves, not replacement paragraphs.

## How to check the output

Search your essay for every quoted fragment. A quote that is not word-for-word in your text fails the prompt's own check. Every gap row should carry quoted words, not just a paragraph number. If you left ASSIGNMENT blank, the relevance judgments should be marked as limited. If no thesis exists, you should see NO EXPLICIT THESIS FOUND.

## Prerequisites, permissions and limits

The only requirement is a text chat and your own essay. No terminal or API setup is involved. The prompt performs diagnosis on the text you supply; it does not rewrite sentences, does not write new paragraphs, and does not produce citations, statistics or sources for you. Where a claim needs outside evidence, it names the kind of evidence that would count and you must verify that evidence independently. Because you paste your essay into a chat, treat it as you would any document you share with a third-party service and remove anything confidential first. Source reviewed; runtime not tested.

## FAQ

**Can it fix my essay?** No. It is designed to describe moves you could make yourself, such as finding a source type, naming a counterargument or defining a term. Rewriting only happens if you ask separately.

**What if it flags a paragraph I think is fine?** Check the quoted anchor against your own text, then judge the priority yourself; the ranking is a starting point, not a verdict. The prompt is instructed not to claim your essay is strong or weak overall.

## Source and thanks

Original TokRepo prompt, category: learning, licensed CC BY 4.0. Reference for context: [ChatGPT release notes](<https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notes>), reviewed 2026-10-04. The complete prompt text is appended separately.

## Complete reusable prompt

You are helping me find the gaps in an essay argument. You are not rewriting the essay and you are not writing new paragraphs for me. Your job is diagnosis based only on the essay text I paste.

WHAT I WILL PROVIDE
1. ESSAY: the full essay text, or the sections I want checked.
2. ASSIGNMENT (optional): the prompt, question, or task the essay is answering.
3. STANDARDS (optional): any rubric, required word count, citation style, or course-level expectations.
4. CONCERNS (optional): what I already suspect is weak.

If ESSAY is missing or looks like a fragment with no argument, stop and ask me for the missing text instead of inventing content. If ASSIGNMENT is missing, say so once and proceed with a general argument check, but mark every relevance judgment as limited.

STEP 1 - ARGUMENT MAP (show before any critique)
Reconstruct, using only my text:
- Thesis as the essay actually states it, quoted verbatim, with the location (paragraph number or opening words).
- Main claim of each body paragraph, one line each, each with a short quoted anchor.
- Stated evidence type per paragraph (example, statistic, quotation, anecdote, analogy, none).
- Any counterargument or opposing view that appears in the essay, quoted.
If you cannot find a thesis, write: NO EXPLICIT THESIS FOUND and quote the closest candidate lines.

STEP 2 - GAP TABLE
Produce a table with these columns:
- Gap type: one of Unsupported claim, Missing counterargument, Undefined key term, Non-sequitur, Evidence-text mismatch, Scope creep, Repetition, No conclusion link.
- Location: paragraph number plus 3-8 quoted words I can search for.
- What is missing: one or two sentences. Name the specific kind of support or step that is absent.
- Why it matters to my assignment: tie it to ASSIGNMENT or STANDARDS if given; otherwise say 'general argument strength.'
- Priority: High, Medium, Low, based on how much the gap weakens the thesis.
Sort High first. Aim for the five to ten most consequential gaps, not every imperfection. If a paragraph is sound, do not include it.

STEP 3 - THREE HARDEST QUESTIONS
List the three questions a skeptical reader would ask that my essay does not answer. For each, quote the sentence where the essay should have addressed it.

STEP 4 - WHAT IS WORKING
List two or three places where the argument is actually supported, with quotes. This is to stop me from over-cutting good material.

STEP 5 - REVISION OPTIONS, NOT REWRITES
For each High-priority gap, give one concrete move I could make myself: a source type to find, a counterargument to name, a term to define, or a link sentence to add. Describe the move; do not write the paragraph. Where a claim needs outside evidence, say what kind of evidence would count and note that I must verify it independently.

RULES
- Quote my essay exactly; never paraphrase my words and present the paraphrase as a quote.
- Never invent citations, statistics, studies, or authors.
- Do not claim my essay is strong or weak overall; report specific gaps only.
- If the essay contradicts itself, flag the two conflicting quotes rather than choosing one.
- Keep language plain and direct.
- Do not rewrite sentences unless I later ask in a separate message.

FICTIONAL MINI EXAMPLE (labelled as illustrative, not a real essay)
ESSAY excerpt: 'Remote work is clearly better for everyone. Many companies have seen productivity rise. Therefore all offices should close permanently.'
Illustrative output shape:
- Argument map: Thesis quoted as 'all offices should close permanently'; claim 1 'productivity rise' with evidence type 'vague reference, no source'.
- Gap table row: Unsupported claim | P1 'Many companies have seen productivity rise' | No named company, period, or measure; 'productivity' undefined | General argument strength | High.
- Gap table row: Scope creep | P1 'better for everyone' | Claim covers all workers but evidence covers some companies | General argument strength | High.
- Hardest question: Does the productivity gain hold for roles requiring in-person collaboration? No sentence addresses it.
- Working: The essay does state a clear position, quoted.
- Revision moves: Name two specific sectors where remote productivity was measured and define the productivity metric; add one sentence acknowledging roles where the claim may not hold.

PASS/FAIL CHECKS I WILL RUN ON YOUR OUTPUT
1. Every quoted fragment must appear word-for-word in my ERROR-FREE check: I will search my essay for each quote. Any quote that does not match is a fail.
2. Every gap row must contain a quoted location, not just a paragraph number.
3. No row may propose replacement prose; revision options must describe moves, not text.
4. If ASSIGNMENT was missing, the output must say relevance judgments are limited.
5. If no thesis was found, the output must say NO EXPLICIT THESIS FOUND rather than assume one.
6. The output must not state overall essay quality.

START NOW. If ESSAY is not present, ask for it before doing anything else.

## References and reuse

- [ChatGPT release notes](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notes) · Reviewed 2026-10-04

Original TokRepo prompt · [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Reference documents retain their own rights.

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# 论文论证漏洞诊断提示词：找出你自己的论证缺口

一套可复用的提示词：先还原你论文的论证结构，再用原文引用列出论证缺口表格，让修改有据可查、可回溯到自己的文字。

## 开始使用

你把四项内容粘贴到一个能接受文本的普通 AI 聊天窗口（例如常见对话界面）：

1. **ESSAY（论文，必填）**：全文，或你想检查的章节。
2. **ASSIGNMENT（作业要求，可选）**：论文要回答的题目或任务。
3. **STANDARDS（标准，可选）**：评分表、字数要求、引用格式、课程期望。
4. **CONCERNS（顾虑，可选）**：你自己已经怀疑薄弱的地方。

然后粘贴完整提示词（附在本指南之后）并一起发送。如果只粘贴提示词而没有论文，预期的行为是停下来向你索要文本，而不是凭空编造内容。

## 你会得到什么

- 只依据你原文还原的论证结构图：逐字引用的中心论点及其位置、每个主体段落一行概述并附引用锚点、每段的证据类型（例子、数据、引语、轶事、类比、无），以及文中出现的任何反方观点引用。
- 一张按优先级排序的缺口表（High 在前），缺口类型固定，如无支撑主张、缺少反方论证、关键术语未定义、逻辑跳跃、证据与文本不符、范围越界、重复、结论无衔接。
- 三个挑剔读者会问、而你的论文没有回答的问题，每个都指出本应回应的那句话。
- 两三处论证确实成立的地方，附引用，避免你把好内容删掉。
- 修改方向，只描述动作，不代写整段文字。

## 如何检查输出

用你的论文逐一搜索每一处引用片段。只要有一处引文不是逐字一致，就算不通过。每条缺口记录都应带有可搜索的引用词，而不只是段落编号。若你没填 ASSIGNMENT，相关性判断应被标注为有限。若文中没有明确论点，你应看到 NO EXPLICIT THESIS FOUND。

## 前提、权限与限制

唯一需要的是一个文字聊天窗口和你自己的论文，不涉及终端或接口配置。该提示词只对你提供的文字做诊断，不会改写句子、不会代写新段落，也不会替你生成引用、数据或来源。当某个主张需要外部证据时，它会说明什么样的证据才算数，而这些证据必须由你自行核实。由于你要把论文粘贴进聊天窗口，请像对待任何交给第三方服务的文件一样处理，事先删除机密内容。来源已审阅；未做运行测试。

## 常见问题

**它能帮我改好论文吗？** 不能。它的定位是给出你可以自己动手的修改动作，例如去找某一类来源、点明某个反方论证、定义某个术语。只有你另外提出要求时才会重写。

**如果它标记了我觉得没问题的段落怎么办？** 先把引用锚点与你的原文核对，再自行判断优先级；排序只是起点，不是定论。提示词被要求不得评价整篇论文的好坏。

## 来源与致谢

TokRepo 原创提示词，类别：学习，采用 CC BY 4.0 许可。参考背景：[ChatGPT release notes](<https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notes>)，审阅于 2026-10-04。完整提示词文本单独附后。

## 完整可复制提示词

你正在帮我找出文章论证中的缺口。你不是在重写文章，也不是在为我撰写新段落。你的工作只是基于我粘贴的文章文本做诊断。

我会提供的内容
1. ESSAY（论文）：全文，或我想检查的章节。
2. ASSIGNMENT（作业要求，可选）：文章要回答的题目、问题或任务。
3. STANDARDS（标准，可选）：任何评分表、字数要求、引用格式或课程层面的期望。
4. CONCERNS（顾虑，可选）：我自己已经怀疑薄弱的地方。

如果缺少 ESSAY，或者它看起来只是一个没有论证的片段，请停下来向我索要缺失的文本，而不是凭空编造内容。如果缺少 ASSIGNMENT，请说明一次，然后继续做一般性的论证检查，但要把每一条相关性判断都标注为有限。

第 1 步 - 论证结构图（先于任何批评展示）
只依据我的文本还原：
- 文章实际陈述的中心论点，逐字引用，并标明位置（段落编号或开头词语）。
- 每个主体段落的主要主张，每段一行，每行附一个简短的引用锚点。
- 每段所列的证据类型（例子、数据、引语、轶事、类比、无）。
- 文章中出现任何反方论证或对立观点，并引用。
如果找不到中心论点，请写：NO EXPLICIT THESIS FOUND，并引用最接近的候选行。

第 2 步 - 缺口表
生成一张包含以下列的表格：
- 缺口类型：无支撑主张、缺少反方论证、关键术语未定义、逻辑跳跃、证据与文本不符、范围越界、重复、结论无衔接 之一。
- 位置：段落编号，外加 3-8 个我可以搜索的引用词语。
- 缺失什么：一到两句话。指出缺失的具体支持类型或步骤。
- 为什么对我的作业重要：如果有 ASSIGNMENT 或 STANDARDS，就与它们关联；否则写“general argument strength”。
- 优先级：High、Medium、Low，依据该缺口在多大程度上削弱了中心论点。
把 High 排在前面。目标是找出五到十个最关键的缺口，而不是每一处不完美。如果某段是扎实的，就不要纳入。

第 3 步 - 三个最难的问题
列出挑剔读者会问、而我的文章没有回答的三个问题。对每个问题，引用本应回应它的那句话。

第 4 步 - 哪些地方成立
列出两三处论证确实有支撑的地方，并附引用。这是为了防止我过度删掉好材料。

第 5 步 - 修改方向，而不是重写
对每个 High 优先级缺口，给出一个我可以自己动手的具体动作：去找某一类来源、点明某个反方论证、定义某个术语，或添加一句衔接句。描述这个动作；不要写整段。当某个主张需要外部证据时，说明什么样的证据才算数，并注明我必须自行核实。

规则
- 逐字引用我的文章；绝不要把我的话转述后却把转述当作引用呈现。
- 绝不编造引用、数据、研究或作者。
- 不要评价我的文章整体是强是弱；只报告具体缺口。
- 如果文章自相矛盾，标出两处相互冲突的引用，而不是选择其中一个。
- 语言保持平实直接。
- 不要改写句子，除非我之后在单独的消息里提出要求。

虚构迷你示例（已标注为示例，不是真实文章）
ESSAY 节选：'Remote work is clearly better for everyone. Many companies have seen productivity rise. Therefore all offices should close permanently.'
示例输出形态：
- 论证结构图：中心论点引用为 'all offices should close permanently'；主张 1 为 'productivity rise'，证据类型为 'vague reference, no source'。
- 缺口表行：无支撑主张 | P1 'Many companies have seen productivity rise' | 没有具名公司、时间段或衡量方式；'productivity' 未定义 | General argument strength | High。
- 缺口表行：范围越界 | P1 'better for everyone' | 主张覆盖所有工作者，但证据只覆盖部分公司 | General argument strength | High。
- 最难的问题：这种生产率提升对需要面对面协作的岗位也成立吗？没有任何句子回应。
- 成立之处：文章确实陈述了明确立场，并引用。
- 修改动作：指出两个测量过远程生产率的行业，并定义生产率指标；添加一句承认该主张可能不成立的岗位。

我将对你的输出运行的通过/失败检查
1. 每一个引用片段都必须逐字出现在我的文本中——无错误检查：我会在论文中搜索每一处引文。任何不匹配的引文都算失败。
2. 每条缺口记录都必须包含引用的位置，而不仅仅是段落编号。
3. 任何一行都不得提出替换性文字；修改选项必须描述动作，而不是文字。
4. 如果缺少 ASSIGNMENT，输出必须说明相关性判断有限。
5. 如果未找到中心论点，输出必须说 NO EXPLICIT THESIS FOUND，而不是假设存在。
6. 输出不得评价论文整体质量。

立即开始。如果没有提供 ESSAY，请先索要，再做其他任何事情。

## 参考资料与复用

- [ChatGPT release notes](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notes) · Reviewed 2026-10-04

TokRepo 原创提示词 · [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)。参考资料保留各自原有权利。

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/essay-gap-finder-prompt-diagnose-your-own-argument-e874d92d
Author: Prompt Lab