Prompt Engineering

Prompt Engineering#

Developing Effective Prompts#

To use a GenAI tool effectively, it is essential to feed it with well-designed prompts. Experts have identified the following six components as elements of an effective prompt:

  1. Define the task clearly: Give clear, specific and unambiguous instructions (this could also include limitations on what should not be included in the output).

  2. Assign a persona: Tell the GenAI tool “who they are” to make the output more specific and appropriate for your situation.

  3. Provide context: Specify the goal and target audience as well as other background information that could help the GenAI tool to make the output more relevant to your situation.

  4. Specify the format: Define the desired length, structure and other format requirements.

  5. Specify the tone: Define the desired tone of voice (writing style).

  6. Supply exemplars: Provide examples of what the output should look like (either a full example or a framework, such as IMRD).

Below you can find examples of effective prompts:

If you are uncertain about the prompt that you want to use, you could always ask the GenAI tool to optimise the prompt for you. Another option is to give your prompt and ask the AI what additional information it needs to give an optimised response.

Follow-up Prompts#

Effective use of GenAI tools is (often) an iterative process: it doesn’t stop after your initial prompt, but you have to ask follow-up questions to improve the output. Possible elements for follow-up prompts include:

  1. Specify what you like and don’t like about the output (e.g., the structure is good, but the tone should be more formal).

  2. Ask for more variations.

  3. Add additional background information.

  4. Ask for explanation (especially when you ask the GenAI tool to improve text).

  5. If you asked for multiple suggestions, select the suggestion you like most and specify what you want to do with it (and what you want to know from the GenAI tool ).

References#

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