Improving quality on hard tasks.
THE TECHNIQUE
Ask the model to work through the problem before stating a conclusion.
"Think through this step by step, then give your answer."
WHY IT WORKS
The model generates each word with everything before it in view.
Reasoning written first becomes context that shapes the conclusion.
WHERE IT HELPS
Problems with several steps Analysis Anything requiring comparison Decisions with trade-offs
WHERE IT DOES NOT
Simple retrieval or straightforward writing. It adds length without benefit.
WHAT TO ASK FOR
"Work through the considerations, then conclude." "List what matters here, then assess each." "Set out the options and their trade-offs before recommending."
THE ORDER MATTERS
Reasoning before the answer, not after.
An explanation produced after a conclusion is justification, not reasoning.
WHAT THIS ALSO GIVES YOU
Visible reasoning you can check.
If the conclusion is wrong, you can see where it went wrong.
THE LIMITATION
Written reasoning is not necessarily the actual process. It still improves output.
