> "run prior work research first".

As effective as “make no mistakes.”

It is trying to please you, and it always determines that the way to please you is to fulfill the original, core request. Any caveats or first steps will always be secondary to the ultimate goal of “this person wants to do X, so I will do X.”

The only first step I have found somewhat consistently useful, because as we know LLMs do not behave consistently, is when doing tech troubleshooting I will go “look at documentation for X before answering” so that it will search manuals and such. Helps avoid speculation. But even then, it’s still not full proof.

Sidebar: this is one of the core problems of LLM’s currently. You are basically arguing with them to get them to behave a certain way all the time and it’s not always clear if they’re doing what they’re being told to do. Then add the compounding layer that the longer the conversation goes on, the more likely it is to misunderstand or just ignore things as it descends into context-length-induced madness

> As effective as “make no mistakes.”

Those aren't comparable instructions. Providing useful, related context to improve outcomes is a basic best practice, and asking LLMs to do research first is an important source of that.