Study Guide: Alex for Students
Your personal reference for applying Alex to academic work, learning, and professional development. Ready-to-run prompts, core use cases, and a practice progression for students.
What This Guide Is Not
This is not a habit formation guide (see SELF-STUDY.md for that). This is a domain use-case library — the specific things Alex can do to support your studies, and how to do them well.
Core Principle for Students
AI can be a powerful learning accelerator or a shortcut that leaves you unprepared. The difference is in how you use it.
Use Alex to think harder, not to think less. Use it to challenge your understanding, stress-test your arguments, explore ideas from multiple angles, and get unstuck — not to generate the answers you should be working out yourself.
If you ask Alex to write your assignments for you, you will understand less, not more. But if you ask Alex to argue against your thesis, explain why your logic is weak, or help you see what you’re missing — you will understand more and produce better work.
Academic integrity: Check your institution’s policy on AI tool use. These guidelines are intended for learning support, not bypassing academic requirements.
The Five Use Cases
1. Understanding Concepts You’re Struggling With
When to use: When a concept from class or a reading isn’t clicking. Alex can explain the same idea ten different ways until one of them works.
Prompt pattern:
@alex I'm studying [subject] and I don't fully understand [concept].
My current understanding is: [explain it in your own words — even if wrong].
I have background in [relevant knowledge you do have].
Explain it in a way that builds on what I already know.
Use an analogy and a concrete example.
Follow-up prompts:
That explanation assumed I know [X] — I don't. Back up and explain that first.
Now explain it the way a practitioner thinks about it in the real world, not the textbook version.
Test me: ask me a question about this concept and tell me if my answer is right.
2. Essay and Argument Development
When to use: When you have an assignment prompt and need to develop your argument before writing. The structure is the hardest part — get it right before writing a word.
Prompt pattern:
@alex I'm writing an essay for [course] on this prompt: [paste or describe the prompt].
My thesis: [your current thinking, even if half-formed].
Key points I plan to make: [list them].
Review my thesis and structure:
1. Is the thesis arguable (not just factual)?
2. Do my points actually support the thesis?
3. What's the weakest part of my argument?
4. What counterargument do I need to address?
Follow-up prompts:
Good critique. Now help me strengthen the weakest point.
What evidence or examples would best support point [X]?
Write the logical structure of my argument in 3 sentences — no prose, just the skeleton.
3. Exam and Test Preparation
When to use: Before exams, to identify what you know vs. what you think you know.
Prompt pattern:
@alex I'm preparing for an exam on [subject / topic].
Key topics I need to know: [list them].
Exam format: [essay / multiple choice / problem-solving / case study].
Design a study quiz with 10 questions at the difficulty level of the exam.
After I answer, tell me what I got right, what I got wrong, and why.
Follow-up prompts:
I answered [X] — was I right? What did I miss?
Which of these topics would I most likely get a question wrong on and why?
Create a one-page summary of the most important concepts I need to memorize.
4. Research and Reading Support
When to use: When you’re trying to understand a dense reading, synthesize multiple sources, or build a coherent picture from disconnected materials.
Prompt pattern:
@alex I'm reading [source / topic] about [subject].
Here's what I've understood so far: [explain your current understanding].
Here's what I'm confused about: [describe the gaps].
Help me build a clearer mental model.
Important: I'll verify all facts against the original sources.
Follow-up prompts:
How does [concept from source A] relate to [concept from source B]?
What are the main schools of thought on [topic] and what does each one argue?
What question would a professor most likely ask about this reading on an exam?
5. Learning Retention and Knowledge Building
When to use: At the end of a study session, or when you want to make sure something sticks.
Prompt pattern — Teach-Back:
@alex I'm going to explain [concept I just studied] to you as if you don't know it.
After I explain it, tell me: what did I explain well, what did I get wrong,
and what important part did I leave out?
[Explain the concept in your own words]
Prompt pattern — Save Insights:
@alex /saveinsight title="[Short concept name]" insight="[Explain what you learned in your own words. Include an example.]" tags="[course],[topic],[term]"
Why this matters: Teaching something forces you to find the gaps in your own understanding. Saving it creates a searchable knowledge base you own.
Your First Week Back: Practice Plan
| Day | Task | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Use the Concept Understanding pattern on something from a recent class you found confusing | 15 min |
| Day 2 | Use the Argument Development pattern on your current or next essay assignment | 20 min |
| Day 3 | Run the Teach-Back pattern on a topic you’re supposed to know for an upcoming exam | 20 min |
| Day 4 | Use the Exam Prep pattern on a subject with a test coming up | 25 min |
| Day 5 | Save three things you learned this week with /saveinsight | 10 min |
Month 2–3: Advanced Applications
Building a Course Knowledge Base At the end of each lecture or chapter, spend 5 minutes saving what you learned:
@alex /saveinsight title="[Course] Lecture [X]: [topic]" insight="[Key points. What connects to what. What confused me.]" tags="[course],[topic]"
Revision Before Exams Search your saved notes:
@alex /knowledge [course name]
This shows everything you’ve saved about that subject since the beginning of term.
Preparing for Graduate School or Job Interviews When you need to demonstrate knowledge in interviews:
@alex I have an interview for [program/position] that will involve [topic area].
Test me: ask me the kind of question an interviewer in this field would ask.
Give me feedback on my answer — clarity, depth, and sophistication.
Continue your practice: SELF-STUDY.md — the 30/60/90-day habit guide.