AI Literacy: Building Good Prompts

Be clear and specific

Use complete sentences with clear/direct language. AI is trained on natural language, so complete sentences will be the best way to translate your prompt into a desired output.

It also helps to think of the result you would like from your prompt and write it out. Be specific about every little detail.

• Example: if you want ChatGPT to "generate a picture of a light brown leather bound book sitting on a dark oak wooden lectern", say so. Asking for "pic of book" will not get you the results you want. 

Use keywords and phrases, especially some professional jargon that could help guide AI in generating information specific to a chosen field. 

Include Action Verbs

Instructing AI with an action that it needs to complete will guide it to the output you want. Include action verbs early on in your prompt. 

Common action verbs include: Generate, Write, Create, Draft, List, Brainstorm, Analyze, Compare & Contrast, Explain, Refine, Summarize, Identify, Translate, Condense, Expand, Simplify, Organize, Categorize, Outline, etc.

• Example: "Translate this text from Japanese to English."

Give context

Giving context will help deliver the appropriate tone and language in the output.

• Example: "I'm drafting an email to my professor about why I missed class on Thursday" is more likely to generate a professional, apologetic tone. 

It is also helpful to give AI a role.

• Example: "Imagine you're a currently employed forensic investigator in New York City. List the top 5 requirements for your line of work, including tangible and intangible qualities."

Specify the format

The format of a chatbot's output can vary depending on the question, but you can always request a specific format to best suit your needs.

You can ask for outputs to be concise, wordy, detailed, simplistic, strictly factual, etc.

You can ask for a summary, bulleted list, poem, script, etc. 

• Example: "generate a 5 point bulleted list of the most effective instructional design models for secondary social studies education", "summarize the book The Great Gatsby in five sentences", or "write a haiku about the importance of brushing your teeth". 

Follow-up

Most AI chatbots are tracking your inputs like a conversation and will be able to reference recent activity. 

• Example: "What is the secret to making flavorful vegan chocolate chip cookies?" can be followed up with "What recipe is best?" without needing to clarify the kind of recipe.  
• Example: Follow up an output with context or formatting specifications: "make it more concise", "now explain it at an 8th-grade level", or "make that a five sentence elevator pitch".

Check your own bias

The way you phrase a prompt affects the viewpoint of the information in an output. If you're not looking for persuasive/opinionated information, use neutral phrasing and don't ask leading questions. If you're asking about a controversial topic, ask for multiple viewpoints in the output.  

• Example: "Explain why AC/DC is the greatest band of all time?" vs. "List the top 5 most popular musical artists of all time and the metrics used to determine their cultural impact."

Ask open-ended questions

Chatbots don't stop at "yes" or "no" for answers, even when you phrase your questions that way. However, by providing an open ended question, you will get more information.

• Example: "Is the pepperoni roll from WV?" vs. "What is the history of the pepperoni roll?" 

Break down complex questions

Some topics are so wide and varied that you may not get all the necessary details if you don't break down your question.

• Example: "What was it like to be alive during the Cold War?" vs. "How did the economic structure of Estonia affect its citizens during the Cold War?", "In what ways did the Cold War shape American culture during the 1960's?", "What were the recorded psychological effects of people who were taught safety protocol in case of a nuclear war?"