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Perplexity Prompts for Research

Perplexity is a research engine, not a chatbot — the best prompts ask focused questions and demand sources, comparisons, and recency. These patterns get cited answers you can actually verify.

13 PROMPTS · 4 CATEGORIES▸ HOW TO USE PERPLEXITY →

Deep Research

  • Give me a structured overview of [TOPIC]: current state, key players, main debates, and what changed in the last 12 months. Cite sources for each section.
  • What does the peer-reviewed research actually say about [CLAIM/TOPIC]? Separate strong evidence from preliminary findings, with citations.
  • Build a timeline of [EVENT/DEVELOPMENT] with dates and sources, then summarize the three most important turning points.
  • Who are the leading experts/critics on [TOPIC] and what does each argue? One paragraph per person with a source.

Buying & Comparison Research

  • Compare [PRODUCT A] vs [PRODUCT B] vs [PRODUCT C] on price, key features, and known problems, using reviews from the last 6 months. Table format, then a recommendation by use case.
  • What are the most common complaints about [PRODUCT/SERVICE] in recent user reviews and forums? Group them by theme with sources.
  • What's the best [PRODUCT CATEGORY] under [BUDGET] as of right now? Prioritize recent reviews and note anything about to be replaced by a newer model.

Fact-Checking & Verification

  • Is this claim accurate: "[PASTE CLAIM]"? Rate it true/mostly true/misleading/false, explain the nuance, and cite primary sources.
  • Find the original source of this statistic: "[STAT]". Who first published it, when, and is it still current?
  • What do credible sources on different sides say about [CONTESTED TOPIC]? Present the strongest sourced version of each position.

Staying Current

  • What happened in [INDUSTRY/TOPIC] this week? Top 5 developments, one sentence each, with sources, ranked by importance.
  • Summarize the latest on [ONGOING STORY] as of today — what's confirmed, what's rumored, what's next.
  • What new [TOOLS/PAPERS/PRODUCTS] in [FIELD] launched this month that are worth attention? One line on why each matters.

Tips for Better Results

  • Ask one focused question per query — Perplexity's citations get vague when you bundle topics.
  • Add "from the last 6 months" or "as of this week" to force recency.
  • Click through to sources on anything important — synthesis is good, but verify before you cite.
  • Use Focus modes (Academic, Reddit) to steer which sources it searches.

New to Perplexity? Start with the step-by-step guide.

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