The Secrets to a Great Prompt

So, how do you make sure the AI understands exactly what you want? Here are some key ingredients for a fantastic prompt:

1. Be Clear and Specific

This is the most important rule! Don't be vague. The more detail you give, the better the AI can understand.

• Bad Prompt: "Write about dogs." (Too general! What kind of dogs? What about them?)

• Good Prompt: "Write a short, exciting story about a brave golden retriever who saves a lost kitten during a thunderstorm. The story should be aimed at 8-year-olds." (Much better! We know the dog, the action, and the audience.)

2. Provide Context

Give the AI background information it needs. What's the situation? What's the purpose of the text?

• Prompt without Context: "What is the capital of France?" (Easy, but what if it's part of a bigger task?)

• Prompt with Context: "I'm planning a trip to Europe and need to know the capital cities. For my itinerary, please tell me: What is the capital of France?" (Now the AI knows why you're asking.)

3. Give the AI a Role (Persona)

Sometimes, it helps to tell the AI who it should pretend to be. This helps it adopt the right tone and style.

• Prompt without Role: "Explain photosynthesis."

• Prompt with Role: "You are a friendly science teacher explaining photosynthesis to a Year 9 class. Use simple language and give an example." (The AI will now sound like a teacher and simplify the explanation.)

4. Specify the Format or Output

Tell the AI exactly how you want the answer structured. Do you want a list? A paragraph? A poem? A table?

• Prompt without Format: "Tell me about the planets."

• Prompt with Format: "List the planets in our solar system, starting from the closest to the Sun. For each planet, include its name and one interesting fact, presented as a bulleted list." (This ensures you get a list, not just a paragraph.)

5. Add Constraints or Guardrails

These are like rules or boundaries. What should the AI not do? What are the limits?

• Prompt with Constraint: "Write a short poem about friendship. It must have four lines and rhyme AABB. Do not mention any specific names." (This limits the length, rhyme scheme, and content.)