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Prompts are the instructions you give an AI. The quality of your output depends heavily on how you phrase and structure these prompts.
1. Clear & Specific Instructions
- Why: AI performs better when the task is clearly stated.
- How: Instead of vague prompts, provide details.
- Example (ChatGPT):
- ❌ “Write about dogs.”
- ✅ “Write a 150-word blog post about the benefits of owning a Labrador as a family pet, in a friendly tone.”
- Example (Image AI):
- ❌ “Draw a car.”
- ✅ “A futuristic electric car, glowing neon lights, cyberpunk Tokyo background, ultra-detailed.”
2. Role Prompting
- Why: Giving AI a “role” helps guide the style and perspective of the response.
- How: Start your prompt with “Act as…”.
- Example:
- “Act as a career coach. Suggest tips for preparing for a property management interview.”
- “Act as a travel guide. Plan a 3-day trip in Japan for food lovers.”
3. Context + Instruction + Format
- Why: Adding context improves accuracy.
- Formula:
- Context (what it’s about)
- Instruction (what to do)
- Format (how to present it)
- Example:
- Context: “You are helping a student.”
- Instruction: “Explain how machine learning works.”
- Format: “Use simple language and bullet points.”
✅ Prompt:
“Explain how machine learning works to a high school student in 5 simple bullet points.”
4. Examples in Prompts (Few-shot prompting)
- Why: Showing examples teaches AI the style/structure you want.
- Example:
- *“Translate the following sentences to French.
- Hello, how are you? → Bonjour, comment ça va ?
- I love ice cream → [your turn]”*
- *“Translate the following sentences to French.
This guides the AI to follow the same structure.
5. Step-by-Step Instructions (Chain of Thought prompting)
- Why: Breaking tasks into steps leads to clearer, more accurate responses.
- Example:
- ❌ “Explain photosynthesis.”
- ✅ “Explain photosynthesis step by step: 1) light absorption, 2) conversion to energy, 3) glucose production, 4) oxygen release.”
6. Refinement (Iterative prompting)
- Why: AI works best when you refine results.
- How: Start broad, then narrow down.
- Example:
- “Write me a poem about the ocean.”
- “Make it shorter, in 4 lines.”
- “Change the tone to motivational.”
7. Constraints & Styles
- Why: Helps AI match your exact needs.
- How: Add word count, tone, perspective, or formatting.
- Examples:
- “Write a LinkedIn post in under 100 words, persuasive, with emojis.”
- “Generate a recipe in the style of Gordon Ramsay.”
- “Create an image in the style of Van Gogh, pastel colors, night sky.”
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Be clear (avoid vagueness).
- Add context, role, and format.
- Use examples to guide output.
- Refine results by iterating.
- Apply constraints (tone, length, style).