Summarize a Long Document
Get an accurate, appropriately-sized summary of a long document without the AI smoothing over contradictions or dropping specific numbers.
Prompt template
Replace the parts in curly braces: the text or document, target length (e.g. 3 bullet points, 150 words)
Summarize the following text in {target length}. Focus on the main conclusions and any numbers or dates that matter — don't pad with generic statements. If something important is ambiguous or missing, say so instead of guessing.
{the text or document}Example
Input: A 12-page quarterly report, pasted as text.
Output: Illustrative only — actual output depends on the document and model. A good result reads like: "(1) revenue up 8%, driven by X. (2) new risk flagged in section 4 — Y. (3) no change to guidance." If key numbers are missing, ask a more specific follow-up rather than trusting an incomplete answer.
Quality checklist
- Check that specific numbers and dates in the summary actually appear in the source
- Confirm nothing labeled a conclusion is actually a caveat or hypothetical in the source
Where this tends to go wrong
- The AI can smooth over contradictions in the source and present a tidier picture than the document actually supports
- Very long documents may get truncated by the model's context window without a clear warning — check what a summary implies was actually read