Slides to notes ChatGPT matters because lecture decks are dense, fast, and easy to forget. With the right prompts you extract structure, key terms, and next steps for faster studying. Expect clearer outlines, better retrieval practice, and exam-ready summaries. Recent research on multimedia design and AI in learning supports structured prompts for improved comprehension and reduced cognitive load. Try the free AI note taker. See: U.S. Department of Education, 2023 and Noetel et al., 2022.
What Are Slides to Summary Student Prompts?
These prompts convert lecture slide decks into clean study notes: hierarchical outlines, glossary terms, examples, and action items. They’re built for high school and college students, teachers, and professionals who want fast, structured summaries from slides.
They differ from study guide prompts and quiz prompts by focusing on transforming slide content into readable notes you can review or export.
How to Use These 100 ChatGPT AI Prompts
Pick 3–5 prompts, paste your slides’ text or exported captions, then run them in ChatGPT or Gemini. Iterate until the outline fits your class goals. Export the results to Google Docs, Markdown, or CSV. New to AI note-taking? Read the Beginner’s Guide to AI Note-Taking to get started.
Slide Prep & Learning Goals Prompts (1–15)
Use these to set objectives, scope the deck, and normalize terminology before outlining. You will map chapters to outcomes and standardize slide labels, which speeds all downstream prompts.
- Summarize this slide deck in 5 bullets, each tied to a course outcome.
- List the three most testable ideas across the deck with one-sentence justifications.
- Define 10 key terms from the slides with 12-word plain-language explanations each.
- Map each section of the deck to one learning objective using action verbs.
- Standardize slide titles into consistent H2 headings with brief scope notes.
- Detect duplicate slides and merge overlapping content into unified bullets only.
- Rewrite vague slide labels into precise, test-aligned headings under 60 characters.
- Extract all numbers, dates, and thresholds from slides with one-line context each.
- List assumptions the deck makes about prior knowledge and link to prerequisites.
- Identify jargon and propose student-friendly synonyms without losing technical accuracy.
- Create a short agenda for reviewing the deck in 12 minutes, timed segments.
- Flag unclear figures and suggest one clarifying caption for each ambiguous graphic.
- List three misconceptions students might form from these slides with fixes per item.
- Convert presenter notes into concise bullet points aligned to each slide heading.
- Generate a one-paragraph “why this matters” overview using student-centric language.
Core Concepts & Glossary Prompts (16–30)
Focus on definitions, relationships, and formulas. You will extract a compact glossary and stitch concepts into cause-effect and compare-contrast structures for deeper understanding.
- Build a glossary of 20 terms with formulae or units where applicable, concise.
- Create a concept map: parent ideas, children, and cross-links in bullet form only.
- List variable names, symbols, and definitions pulled from equations across slides.
- Provide two real-world examples for each major concept using discipline-specific contexts.
- Compare and contrast three look-alike terms with distinguishing cues and pitfalls listed.
- Explain each process as inputs → steps → outputs, one line per step only.
- Extract all if-then rules implied by the slides and rewrite as conditional bullets.
- List domain-specific units, conversions, and acceptable ranges mentioned or implied here.
- Convert dense paragraphs into bullet hierarchies with H2 topics and H3 subpoints cleanly.
- Extract all named frameworks and summarize each in three labeled bullets only.
- Rewrite key definitions at two levels: beginner and advanced, both precise and short.
- List common confusions between graphs and tables here with quick interpretation tips.
- Turn formula-heavy slides into worked steps: knowns, unknowns, substitutions, final result.
- Produce quick mnemonics for remembering ordered lists without changing technical meaning.
- Identify prerequisite micro-skills students must practice before solving end-of-deck tasks.
Structured Outline Prompts (31–45)
Turn slides into a clean hierarchy you can skim. These prompts enforce H2/H3 structure, parallel phrasing, and bullet brevity for reliable test review.
- Convert slides into H2 section bullets with two H3 subpoints each, max 12 words.
- Remove filler bullets and keep only claims, evidence, and implications per section clearly.
- Rewrite headings to start with strong verbs and keep parallel grammar across siblings.
- Collapse multi-slide sequences into three-tier bullets: theme, key steps, cautions listed.
- Group slides into 5 sections and title each with outcome-aligned, search-friendly headings.
- Add “why it matters” sub-bullets to each heading using audience-relevant payoffs only.
- Reorder sections to follow prerequisite logic and mark dependencies between topics clearly.
- Create a one-screen summary: five bullets that cover scope, steps, risks, applications.
- Add visual tags to bullets: [Definition], [Process], [Example], [Warning], [Formula] only.
- Transform speaker notes into parallel bullets under each heading, delete repetition aggressively.
- Flag any unsupported claims and suggest minimal evidence bullets drawn from the deck only.
- Add short transitions between H2 sections to improve flow for rereading sessions later.
- Create a collapsible outline in Markdown with H2/H3 levels and tight labels only.
- Turn long bullet lists into numbered steps where order matters; justify each ordering.
- Attach one clarifying question to each heading to support active review sessions later.
Examples, Cases, and Analogies Prompts (46–60)
Examples cement understanding. These prompts convert abstract bullets into worked examples, analogies, and mini-cases so you can apply ideas beyond the slides.
- Draft one concrete example for every abstraction bullet using realistic classroom contexts only.
- Generate a short analogy per key idea and explain where the analogy breaks down clearly.
- Create one numerical example for each formula using simple round numbers and units only.
- Write a two-minute case vignette applying three deck concepts to a real decision point.
- Translate each warning bullet into a failure scenario and a prevention checklist afterward.
- Attach one bar chart description per data slide explaining trend, outliers, and implication succinctly.
- Provide counterexamples that clarify boundaries of each rule or definition, one line each.
- Turn each process into a checklist with do/don’t examples aligned to common pitfalls only.
- Explain every equation twice: intuitive story first, then precise symbolic reasoning second.
- Write a simple analogy for each graph type shown, including axes meaning and slope cues.
- Attach a short practical tip to each concept for labs, clinics, or fieldwork contexts only.
- Create one misconception check question for each section with the correct clarification afterward.
- Turn each timeline into a two-column table: milestone and significance, terse wording only.
- Provide unit-aware examples for calculations; include dimensional analysis sanity checks briefly.
- Create one “edge case” per rule showing limits where the rule needs modification clearly.
Synthesis, Summaries, and Next-Step Prompts (61–75)
Now compress the deck into exam-ready notes and actionable study steps. These prompts emphasize brevity, priority, and transfer to new problems.
- Produce a 150-word executive summary covering purpose, methods, results, and implications only.
- Create a “five things to remember” list using spaced-repetition friendly phrasing intentionally.
- Outline three transfer scenarios where these concepts solve different domain problems clearly.
- Write a closing section titled “What will be tested” with probable formats and points weighting.
- Create three compression levels: 300-word summary, 120-word recap, 40-word snapshot sequentially.
- List actionable next steps for practice with estimated time and difficulty for each item.
- Generate a 10-question self-check with short answers keyed and one-line feedback each.
- Convert findings into a decision tree for common scenarios with labeled branches clearly.
- Write two exam-style explanations: one basic, one honors-level, on the same concept precisely.
- Create a final “pitfalls to avoid” section listing common errors with corrections afterward.
- Turn the outline into a one-page cheat sheet using terse bullets and abbreviations consistently.
- Propose spaced-repetition intervals for the 20 most important facts extracted from slides today.
- Transform summary bullets into cloze deletions ready for flashcards without losing precision.
- Extract ethical, safety, or policy implications and list compliance steps where relevant only.
- Write three “if you remember nothing else” bullets capturing the essential takeaways clearly.
Exam, Recall, and Application Prompts (76–90)
Finish by generating practice, transfer tasks, and quick-review assets. These give you questions, solutions, and rubric-ready explanations aligned to the deck.
- Create five short-answer questions from the deck with concise answer keys and sources cited.
- Write three multiple-choice questions per section including rationales for correct choices only.
- Generate two problem-solving items requiring multi-step reasoning; show worked solutions cleanly afterward.
- Turn summary bullets into oral-exam prompts with expected talking points and timing guidance clearly.
- Create three transfer problems that require choosing among methods taught in the deck only.
- Write a rubric for grading explanations: accuracy, completeness, clarity, and use of evidence weighted.
- Draft three reflection prompts asking how to improve problem choice, setup, or assumptions explicitly.
- Create five cloze deletions from formulas and definitions for flashcard conversion immediately after.
- Write three scenario-based questions that require graph interpretation and justification in two sentences.
- Produce two exam “explain the error” items using common mistakes observed in the slides logically.
- Write three “select all that apply” items with nuanced distractors based on near-misconceptions clearly.
- Create a five-minute rapid review script summarizing each section in two tight bullets each.
- Generate two open-ended prompts requiring evaluation of competing explanations using deck evidence only.
- Propose three lab or simulation extensions that apply slide concepts with measurable outcomes defined.
- Create a one-page exam crib sheet with formulas, conditions, and red-flag caveats prioritized.
Printable & Offline Options
Export your AI outline to Google Docs or Markdown, then print a one-page summary for class. Prefer PDFs? Save the final outline and glossary as a PDF and add space for annotations. Browse more categories at Students’ Prompt Library.
Related Categories
- Organized Notes Prompts
- Study Guide Prompts
- Flashcards & Quiz Prompts
- Explain-Concepts Prompts
- Free AI Study-Guide Generator
FAQ
How do I paste slides into ChatGPT or Gemini?
Export the deck to text via speaker notes or copy slide text into sections. Keep titles and bullets. Remove images unless the model supports vision. Then run the outline prompts in order.
What structure works best for studying later?
Use H2 headings for sections and H3 sub-points for details. Keep parallel phrasing and label bullets by type, like Definition, Process, Formula, or Example, so scanning is fast.
Can I make flashcards directly from these prompts?
Yes. Convert definition and formula bullets into cloze deletions. Then move the Q&A into Anki or Quizlet. See our Flashcards & Quizzes category.
How do I avoid copying slide errors?
Use prompts that require evidence citations, warn about assumptions, and add counterexamples. Keep a “pitfalls” section and verify any numbers against assigned readings or labs.
Do these prompts work for STEM and Humanities?
Yes. Replace formulas with quotes, claims, or sources in reading-heavy courses. Keep the same outline and transfer-task prompts to practice argument analysis or interpretation.
How do I paste slides into ChatGPT or Gemini?
Export deck text, keep titles and bullets, remove images if unsupported, then run the outline prompts.
What outline structure should I use?
H2 sections and H3 subpoints with labeled bullets for Definition, Process, Formula, Example.
How can I generate flashcards?
Turn bullets into cloze deletions and export to Anki or Quizlet.
How do I prevent propagating slide errors?
Cite evidence, list assumptions, add counterexamples, and verify key numbers.
Final Thoughts
Lecture decks move fast. These 90 prompts turn slides into exam-ready outlines, examples, and practice items you can trust. Use them weekly to compress content and build recall. Want more? Start AI note-taking instantly with our free tool at /f.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Education, 2023;
Noetel et al., 2022;
Voyer et al., 2022.
