Getting the Most out of AI

Getting the most out of generative AI models largely depends on the quality of the prompts you provide. A well-crafted prompt can make the difference between generic, irrelevant output and highly specific, useful content. Writing effective prompts will save time and improve the quality of your results. This usually requires trial and error: giving the model feedback, and re-asking questions in different ways to get different results.

These tips will help you create prompts that yield more accurate, relevant responses.

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Be Specific: Instead of vague prompts, provide clear instructions. For instance:

  • Vague Prompt: “Write a poem.”
  • Improved Prompt: “Write a romantic poem about a moonlit night by the ocean in the style of William Shakespeare.”
Include Constraints: Specify any constraints or requirements. For example:
  • Without Constraints: “Write a short story.”
  • With Constraints: “Generate a short story with UMass Lowell as the setting. The story must be about a student who is in the witness protection program. Include a twist ending.”
Use Examples: Show the model you want by providing examples. If you’re looking for a specific writing style, share relevant samples. If you want the model to write an email on your behalf, provide some examples of similar emails you have written. If you organize your ideas with a specific outline format, provide an example of an outline in that format.
Experiment: Refine your prompts. Try different variations and observe how the model responds. You might give feedback to a result with something like, “Present the same content using bulleted points,” or, “Make the tone friendlier.”
Provide Context: When crafting prompts, include relevant context to help the AI model better understand your intentions and generate more appropriate content. This context might include information about the target audience, the purpose of the generated content, or any specific background details that could influence the output. For example, if you're generating an email to prospective students, you could mention the age and background of the intended audience, your department's unique selling points and the desired tone (e.g., formal, friendly or humorous).