Effective prompts are crucial for maximizing the utility of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. The following are tips for creating prompts that help leverage AI capabilities and generate useful responses.
- Be specific: Clearly define your topic or question.
- Use clear and concise language: Avoid ambiguous terms and complex language.
- Provide context: Include relevant background information.
- Break down complex requests: Split complex tasks into smaller, manageable prompts.
- Define roles: Inform AI of your identity or role and the persona or role you would like it to embody in its replies.
- Specify the desired output format: Indicate if you need a list, a paragraph, a table, etc.
See The CLEAR path: A framework for enhancing information literacy through prompt engineering. The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2023) by Lo for information on drafting prompts.