Following Written Instructions guide
Following Written Instructions questions give you a small set of rules and a case, and ask what the rules require. Success is procedural: apply every rule in the right order and let exceptions override the defaults.
The method
- Read the rules as a checklist and note their stated priority.
- Apply them in priority order, not in the order they happen to be written.
- Let any exception or override beat the default rule it applies to.
- Separate eligibility ('may') from requirement ('must') before deciding.
Common mistakes
- Missing an override or exception clause.
- Applying rules in reading order instead of priority order.
- Confusing eligibility with permission or obligation.
- Stopping at the first rule that seems to fit.
Frequently asked questions
What if two rules seem to conflict?
One will have priority or be framed as an exception. Find the stated ordering — well-formed instruction sets resolve their own conflicts.