AI can help organize a decision when your notes are scattered and the options are hard to compare. Start by defining the choice, then ask the tool to expose trade-offs and missing information.
The five questions below are an editorial exercise for everyday decisions. They are not a validated decision method and cannot guarantee a good outcome. You remain responsible for checking the facts and choosing which trade-offs you accept.
GUIDED PRACTICE · BEGINNER
Compare two options without guessing the missing facts
You will finish with: A comparison with clear trade-offs, unanswered questions and one useful next step.
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Device
- Phone, tablet or computer
- AI tool or plan
- No account needed for the on-page example
Before you start: No earlier lesson or purchase is required. Use the two fictional course descriptions.
Cost and access: the on-page example and checks are free. No upload or paid feature is required. Trying the prompt in another AI chat is optional; that service’s access limits and prices apply.
Practice updated October 13, 2026: added a selectable complete prompt, a worked answer with source checks and direct Help links. Examples are illustrative.
1. What am I actually deciding?
Write one sentence with the decision and a reasonable deadline. “Choose a beginner photography course I can attend next month” is easier to work with than “Help me improve my life.”
Make sure there is a real choice to make now. Waiting, gathering more information, or trying a small sample may be legitimate options.
2. Which constraints and preferences matter?
Separate requirements from preferences. A requirement might be that a course fits your work schedule. A preference might be a small class with time for questions. Do not let AI turn your preference into somebody else’s idea of the best choice.
Here is a fictional comparison for practice:
- Course A costs $60 in total and meets in person on four Tuesday evenings.
- Course B costs $45 in total and offers recorded lessons available for four weeks.
- Your hypothetical spending limit is $70; you are free on Tuesday evenings and prefer being able to ask questions.
These are invented details, not recommendations or current course listings. In a real decision, you would verify them with the providers.
3. What is fact, preference, or unknown?
Ask AI to label each kind of information instead of merging everything into a confident recommendation. In the example, the listed fee and schedule are supplied facts for the exercise. Wanting discussion is your preference. The level of feedback available on either course is still unknown.
A recorded course does not necessarily lack tutor support. An in-person class does not necessarily provide individual feedback. Those are questions to ask, not assumptions to build into a score.
Compare these fictional courses using only these details: Course A costs $60 in total and meets in person on four Tuesday evenings. Course B costs $45 in total and has recorded lessons available for four weeks. My spending limit is $70; I am free on Tuesday evenings and prefer being able to ask questions.
Separate requirements, preferences, supplied facts, and unknowns. Explain the trade-offs in plain language. Do not invent features, ratings, outcomes, or probabilities. List the questions that could change the comparison and suggest one small next step.
The complete prompt includes the fictional source and instructions. You can also select and copy the text above manually. Help copying this exercise.
A comparison you can check
Illustrative answer using the fictional course notes. This is teaching material, not a test of real courses or a recorded AI response.
| What matters | Course A | Course B |
|---|---|---|
| Listed course fee | $60 in total. | $45 in total. |
| Against the $70 limit | $10 remains after the listed fee. | $25 remains after the listed fee. |
| Format and timing | In person on four Tuesday evenings. Those evenings fit the stated availability. | Recorded lessons available for four weeks. The notes do not give required study time. |
| Getting questions answered | Not stated. Being in person does not guarantee individual feedback. | Not stated. Recordings do not prove that support is unavailable. |
| Costs beyond the listed fee | Not stated. Check any travel or materials costs. | Not stated. Check any materials or other required costs. |
A careful conclusion: both listed fees fit the budget. Course B’s listed fee is $15 lower, and Course A’s Tuesday schedule fits the stated availability. Neither format tells us whether the learner can get questions answered. Ask about support and any extra costs before choosing.
Three checks before accepting the answer:
- Check the arithmetic: $70 − $60 = $10; $70 − $45 = $25.
- Keep “not stated” beside feedback and extra costs. Do not turn a course format into a promised feature.
- Choose a next question rather than an unsupported winner: “How can a beginner ask questions, and what costs are required beyond the listed fee?”
Help with an invented feature or recommendation. The Help answer includes a link back to this comparison.
4. Which trade-off would I actually accept?
Review the comparison in your own words. Course A may suit your preference for live discussion, but first confirm how questions are handled and whether travel adds a cost. Course B has a lower listed fee and a flexible schedule, but you need to know what support is included.
If AI assigns scores, ask what the numbers mean. An 8 out of 10 is not objective evidence when it reflects invented weights or unverified assumptions. A short explanation of the trade-off may be more useful than a ranking.
You can also ask, “What information would make the other option more suitable?” Use the answer to identify a real question, not to prolong the chat indefinitely.
5. What small step will reduce uncertainty?
Before committing, request a sample lesson, confirm the timetable, or ask about feedback and cancellation terms. Choose a step proportionate to the decision. Reversibility is something to check, not something to assume.
For the fictional courses, the next step might be to ask both providers how beginners can get questions answered. Once you know that, compare the options again against your original priorities.
Know when the comparison is not enough
AI can omit an option, misread your notes, or agree too readily with your preferred answer. Use a separate fact-check for claims the decision depends on.
For consequential health, legal, or financial choices, use the comparison to organize questions for the relevant qualified professional or responsible institution. Avoid sharing sensitive records simply to get a more detailed-looking answer.
If you keep asking for reassurance after the useful work is finished, try our routine for keeping your own judgment involved. The goal is a considered next step you understand.
Is this recommendation supported?
The AI says: “Choose Course A because it guarantees individual tutoring and is cheaper overall.” What can you actually conclude from the supplied details?
Reveal a careful comparison
The listed fee for A is $60, compared with B’s $45. Both are within the $70 limit before any unlisted costs. A is not cheaper on the facts supplied.
Neither course promises individual tutoring. Confirm how questions are handled and what feedback is included.
A’s Tuesday schedule fits, while B allows flexible viewing during its four-week access period. Those facts help frame the choice, but they do not establish a universal winner.
Help if you get stuck
It gives scores without explaining them
Ask it to remove the scores and explain each trade-off using a supplied fact or a clearly labeled preference. Do not treat invented ratings as evidence.
I keep asking which one is best
Return to your requirement and the main unanswered question. For this example, ask the providers how beginners get questions answered. New evidence is more useful than another confident ranking.
Finish this practice
You have finished when: you can name the trade-off, identify the missing information, and choose one useful next step.
Want to keep what you learned? Save a practice record (PDF or Word).
Recommended next lesson
Practise spotting confident claims that the source does not support.
Reviewed October 3, 2026.
Featured photograph updated October 16, 2026. Photo by Luke Southern on Unsplash. Illustrative photograph.
