AI

What are Prompts?

Users can input prompts to start a conversation or ask questions for more information on a specific subject. A prompt serves as the conversation's jumping-off point and can be as straightforward or complicated as the user chooses.

The questions "What does AI mean?" or "How do you tie your shoe?" are two examples of prompts. The answer might be a simple answer to a question or a more in-depth explanation.

Core Principles for Effective AI Prompting

The best results come from a prompt+clarification/example+refinement. Great prompting is not one-and-done; think of it as a conversation.

Clarity and Specificity:

• Be Direct: Avoid ambiguity. State exactly what you want. Vague prompts = vague answers
• Define Terms: If you use jargon or terms with specific meanings, define them within the prompt.
• Avoid Vagueness: Instead of "write something nice," say "write a 100-word paragraph praising the benefits of exercise for mental health."
• Background Information: Give the AI any necessary context about the topic, the audience, or the purpose of the output.
• Pretend AI has No Prior Knowledge: Even if it's a well-known topic, assume the AI benefits from you explicitly stating relevant facts.

Specify Format and Length:

• Desired Output Format: Clearly state if you want a list, a paragraph, an essay, a code snippet, a table, a JSON object, etc.
• Length Constraints: Specify word count, sentence count, paragraph count, or even a specific length for a code output. 

Define the Role/Persona (for the AI and/or the writing): 

• Give the AI a role it should adopt. (e.g., "Act as a marketing expert," "You are a seasoned history professor," "Be a creative storyteller.") This helps it tailor its tone, style, and knowledge base.

Content's Persona/Tone:

• Describe the desired tone for the output. (e.g., "Write in a formal tone," "Use a humorous style," "Keep it professional and concise.")

Zero-Shot:

• Just a question or instruction. Ideal for short prompts and common tasks. Very low token cost. (A token is a small unit of text.) 

One-Shot:

• Adds one example. Slightly higher token count. Useful for guiding format or tone. 

Few-Shot: 

• Multiple examples = more tokens. Increases clarity, but also cost and complexity

Break Down Complex Tasks:

• For multi-part requests, break them down into smaller, sequential steps. You can either put them all in one prompt or use a conversational approach, giving one instruction at a time. Example: "First, summarize the key arguments of the article. Second, identify any counterarguments. Third, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of both."

Iterate and Refine:

• If you're unsure, start with a broader prompt and then refine it based on the AI's initial output.
•  Tell the AI what you liked and disliked about its previous response. (e.g., "That's good, but make it more concise," "Expand on point number two," "Don't use jargon in the next version.")

Consider Output Limitations (for image or code generation):

• Image Prompts need to be very descriptive of subjects, styles, lighting, colors, background, and mood. Specify aspects you want to emphasize or de-emphasize.
• Code Prompts need to specify the programming language, the desired function, inputs, outputs, error handling, and any specific libraries or frameworks to use

Prompts - To copy & paste into the search bar

 Provide me with a sample introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion to demonstrate the structure of a well-written essay. 

Give me an example of an essay,<analyzing the multifaceted impact of social media on modern communication>. Discuss both the positive ways [social media has enhanced connectivity and information sharing] and the negative consequences. This essay should present a balanced argument, supported by clear examples and reasoning.

 Generate an example of an outline for different types of essays, such as persuasive, descriptive, or narrative essays.

• AI can generate outline examples for different types of essays to help students organize their thoughts and ideas. Outlining is a valuable tool for organizing thoughts and ideas before writing.
• AI can provide an example outline that includes the important sections and supporting points that should be included in an essay.

 Suggest vocabulary words or phrases that can enhance the quality of my writing, such as transitional phrases or sophisticated adjectives. <Provide your writing example >

• AI can suggest vocabulary words or phrases that can enhance the quality of a student's writing. 
• AI can suggest synonyms for words that a student has used repeatedly, helping to vary the language and make their writing more engaging. For example, if a student has used the word "good" several times, it can suggest an alternative such as "excellent." 
• AI can suggest more specific words to help students convey their ideas more precisely. For example, instead of using the word "walk," it can suggest words such as "stroll" or "amble," depending on the context of the writing.
• AI can recommend expressions and phrasal verbs to improve writing and convey ideas more effectively. 
• AI can suggest transitional phrases to help the student connect different ideas and create a more connected structure in their writing. It can suggest phrases such as "however," "in contrast," or "on the other hand" to introduce a contrasting idea.

  Identify common grammatical errors in the following writing and suggest corrections. <Provide your writing example >

• AI can be used as an editor to improve the quality of a student's work and suggest modifications. It can then provide explanations for why the suggested corrections are needed.

 Provide feedback on the submitted writing, highlighting areas for improvement and suggesting ways to enhance the piece's overall quality. <Provide your writing example>

• AI can suggest ways to enhance the overall quality of the work.
• AI can clarify or define terms.
• AI can identify technical or specialized terms that may be unclear to the reader and suggest providing definitions or explanations to improve understanding of the work.
• AI can analyze the writing and suggest reorganizing paragraphs to create a better flow of ideas.
• AI can analyze the writing to identify long or hard-to-understand sentences. It can then suggest a way to break them into shorter, more straightforward sentences.
• AI can identify when the passive voice is used and suggest revisions for the active voice. 

 Suggest revision strategies to help improve the clarity and organization of the following writing: <Provide your writing example>

• AI can identify areas where the writing could be tightened up by removing unnecessary words or phrases. This can improve the overall clarity and concision of the writing.
• AI can identify overly complex or technical language and suggest simpler alternatives to improve clarity.

It is extremely important to know that using any AI language model for assistance is not foolproof. It may not catch every error or provide the best corrections in every instance. Students should always review their writing carefully and ask for feedback from their instructors.

AI language model users need to understand the ethical implications. It is ultimately the writer's responsibility to ensure that their work is original and properly cited and to follow the guidelines and policies of their institution regarding academic dishonesty.

Prompts to Reduce Hallucinations: 

This approach is designed to help the AI tool provide more accurate, reliable information and to show confidence levels in its responses. However, it is still a good idea to check and double-check everything! Taking a moment to verify AI-generated content against trusted sources can ensure accuracy and authenticity. 

1. Instruct for Verified Information Only:

   • Use a directive to tell the AI to provide information it is certain of or can confidently verify.
   • Example Prompt:

     "Answer this question only if you are certain of the information. If uncertain, please say 'I don’t know' or clarify that it requires verification."

2. Request Citation of Reliable Sources:

   • Ask the AI to reference known sources or authoritative facts.
   • Example Prompt:

     "Provide information based on known and reliable sources. If there is any uncertainty, state that you’re unsure or indicate which details might need additional verification."

3. Encourage Simplicity and Fact-Only Responses:

   • Keep the response focused and fact-based, reducing the chance of speculative or overly complex answers.
   • Example Prompt:

     "Give a concise, fact-based answer. Avoid making assumptions or providing information you cannot verify."

4. Limit Output to Established Knowledge:

   • Prompt the model to provide answers based solely on established information, particularly helpful in technical or academic contexts.
   • Example Prompt:

     "Respond only with established facts or well-known information. Do not add new interpretations or unsupported details. State if a question requires further verification."

5. Incorporate Uncertainty Handling:

   • Allow the model to express uncertainty if an answer may not be fully reliable.
   • Example Prompt:

     "Answer this question using only widely accepted information. If uncertain, please acknowledge any limitations in the answer."

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• Summarize a recent news article for me.

• Explain <topic> that I am struggling to understand.

• Provide me with some tips on how to improve my writing skills.

• Recommend a resource on <topic>.

• Help me come up with ideas for a creative writing assignment.

• Provide me with some study tips for my upcoming exam in <topic>.

• Help me research a topic for a project.

• Help me practice a <language> conversation. (Add the foreign language you are learning)

• Provide me with career advice based on < my interests/strengths>. (Add your interests and strengths)

• Help me with this math problem <problem>. (Add a specific math problem or equation)

• Provide me with some strategies for managing my time and staying organized.

• Provide me with some tips on how to improve my public speaking skills.

• Provide me with some tips on how to prepare for a job interview or internship.

• Provide me with information on how to stay motivated and avoid procrastination.

• Provide me with some advice on how to negotiate effectively in a business setting.

• Provide me insights into industry trends, market conditions, or consumer behavior.

• Provide me with some case studies to analyze and discuss with my classmates.

• Help me practice my patient communication skills by role-playing a conversation with a pretend patient.

• Suggest some evidence-based practices or interventions for a particular patient population or health issue.

• Help me create a care plan or treatment plan for a hypothetical patient scenario.

• Help me prepare for a certification exam by providing practice questions or study tips.

• Help me troubleshoot a coding error or bug in my program.

• Suggest some ways to improve software testing and quality assurance.

• Help me create a survey or questionnaire to gather data and research on <topic>.

What Helps:

• Direct verbs: “Summarize,” “List,” “Rewrite,” “Compare,” “Explain like I’m 12.”
• Defined goals: “In 100 words,” “3 bullet points,” “As if I were a librarian.”
• Step-by-step prompts: “First, define the term. Then give one example.
• Finally, explain why it matters.”    
• Framing: “I’m making a presentation for librarians. Keep it short and clear.”
• Show: Here is an example: ‘This is a myth → False, because...’
• Now try: ‘AI is always objective.’” 

What Hurts:     

• Vague or broad requests like “Tell me everything about AI.”
• Mixing too many tasks in one message (e.g., “Give me a definition, rewrite it,
• translate it, and make it funny”). It is better to break that into steps.
• “Make it better” without saying what better looks like. 
• “Write something interesting.”
• “Help me with this.”     
• “Make a poster.”
• “Sound poetic and academic at the same time.” (Contradiction in output) 
• “Do that style I like.”
• “Add stuff.”