Get step-by-step reasoning from Copilot
Ask Copilot to show its working so you can follow the logic behind troubleshooting steps or study explanations.
Best-fit scenarios
- You need to understand the “why” behind a solution, not just the final answer.
- You’re practising troubleshooting methodologies that require ordered steps.
- You want to turn Copilot’s reasoning into annotated study notes.
Pattern to follow
- Describe the scenario and desired outcome (“Diagnose intermittent Wi-Fi drops…”).
- Explicitly request reasoning (“Explain your thinking step by step before giving the final recommendation.”).
- Ask for a summarised final answer you can copy into notes.
Sample chain-of-thought prompt
“A user reports their laptop disconnects from Wi-Fi every 10 minutes. Explain your troubleshooting steps and reasoning in order, then summarise the likely root cause and final fix in three bullet points.”
Workshop: reveal the logic
- Pick a troubleshooting or security scenario from recent study sessions.
- Write a chain-of-thought prompt requesting reasoning plus a final summary.
- Compare Copilot’s reasoning with official methodologies (e.g., CompTIA’s six-step process).
- Highlight any steps Copilot missed and add them manually to reinforce your understanding.
Next steps
Want Copilot to role-play with you? Continue to 2.6 for persona-based prompting.
Continue to 2.6