Research Prompts Prompts — Free AI Prompts for M365 Copilot

Research best practices for [TOPIC/AREA] in [INDUSTRY/CONTEXT]. Provide: (1) Top 5 proven best practices with evidence, (2) Which leading companies follow each practice, (3) Common mistakes to avoid, (4) Implementation difficulty for each, (5) Where to start (recommended sequence). Base on reputable sources and cite them.

Review this contract and create a checklist assessment. For each section evaluate: (1) Clarity — is the language clear and unambiguous? (2) Completeness — are any standard clauses missing? (3) Risk — flag any terms that are unfavourable or unusual, (4) Compliance — does it align with standard business practices? Check specifically for: termination clauses, liability limitations, indemnification, confidentiality, intellectual property ownership, payment terms, dispute resolution, and force majeure. Rate each area as ✅ Acceptable, ⚠️ Needs Review, or ❌ Concerning.

Fact-check this claim: "[PASTE CLAIM OR STATEMENT]". Provide: (1) Verdict — True, Partially True, Misleading, or False, (2) Evidence For — sources and data supporting the claim, (3) Evidence Against — sources and data contradicting the claim, (4) Context Missing — important nuance the claim leaves out, (5) Original Source — where this claim likely originated, (6) Current Status — is this still accurate as of today or has it been updated/corrected? Cite specific, credible sources for every point. Prioritise official data, peer-reviewed research, and reputable news outlets.

Find our company policy on [TOPIC] from SharePoint or shared documents. Summarise the key points in plain language, including: (1) What the policy requires, (2) Who it applies to, (3) Any exceptions or special cases, (4) Who to contact for questions, (5) When it was last updated. If multiple versions exist, use the most recent one.

Provide a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the [INDUSTRY] industry. Include: (1) Top 5 Trends — what is changing and why it matters, (2) Key Disruptions — technologies or business models disrupting the status quo, (3) Competitive Landscape — major players and their strategies, (4) Opportunities — where growth potential exists for new entrants or innovators, (5) Threats — regulatory, economic, or technological risks, (6) 12-Month Outlook — what to expect in the near future. Cite specific companies, products, or data points where possible.

Research current trends in [INDUSTRY]. Cover: top 5 trends, driving forces behind each, early adopters, implications for our business, and recommended actions for the next 12 months.

Give me a comprehensive crash course on [TOPIC]. Structure it as: (1) ELI5 — explain it in one simple analogy a 10-year-old would understand, (2) Core Concepts — the 5-7 key ideas I must understand, each in 2-3 sentences, (3) How It Actually Works — a more technical explanation with a step-by-step process, (4) Common Misconceptions — 3 things people get wrong about this topic, (5) Real-World Examples — 3 concrete examples of this in action, (6) Key Terminology — a mini-glossary of 8-10 essential terms, (7) What to Learn Next — recommended path to go deeper. Write in clear, simple English. Avoid jargon unless you define it first.

Conduct a literature review on [TOPIC] using [NUMBER — 5 / 10] sources. For each source: (1) Citation, (2) Key findings, (3) Methodology, (4) Relevance to our question. Then synthesise: (1) What the consensus is, (2) Where experts disagree, (3) Gaps in current research, (4) Implications for our work. Present as an academic-style summary.

Research the market for [INDUSTRY/PRODUCT/SEGMENT]. Cover: (1) Market size and growth rate, (2) Key players and market share, (3) Customer segments, (4) Industry trends (3-5), (5) Regulatory considerations, (6) Barriers to entry, (7) Opportunities for new entrants. Cite sources and note confidence levels. Present as an executive brief.

Based ONLY on the documents I have uploaded as sources, answer these questions: (1) [QUESTION 1], (2) [QUESTION 2], (3) [QUESTION 3]. For each answer: cite the specific source document and section where you found the information. If the answer is not in my sources, say "Not found in uploaded sources" rather than making something up. After answering, suggest 5 additional questions I should ask about these documents that I might not have thought of.

Create a detailed comparison between [TECH A] and [TECH B]. Include: (1) Overview — one paragraph for each, (2) Feature comparison table with categories like pricing, ease of use, scalability, integrations, learning curve, (3) Best for — which use cases each excels at, (4) Limitations of each, (5) My recommendation with reasoning. Be objective and cite specific features, not marketing claims.