Prompt Engineering

Prompt engineering refers to the process of carefully crafting the instructions to guide an AI model to answer a question or prompt in a way that is most accurate and relevant. It involves using precise instructions and keywords to carefully craft your questions or statements as well as providing context or examples. The more clear and direct you are with your instructions, the more likely you are to get the answers you need. 

Writing prompts for AI tools is different from writing questions for search engines. Here are some best practices:

• Use natural language. Talk to AI just like you would to a friend or colleague.

• Be clear and concise. AI tools can follow precise instructions, so avoid using ambiguous language.

• Provide context. The more context you give the AI tool, the better it can understand your request and generate a useful response.

• Use specific and relevant keywords. AI tools can understand the meaning of individual words and phrases. Using specific and relevant keywords in your prompt will help the AI generate a more accurate and informative response.

Break down complex tasks into separate prompts. If you want AI tools to perform several related tasks, break them apart into separate prompts. This helps the AI understand the task and provide useful responses. 

One example is specifying the level and length of your desired answer. For example: "How does ChatGPT learn information? Answer at an 8th grade level in 100 words or less."

Another example of prompt engineering is giving a chatbot a specific role to answer from: "What are the best courses to apply for at college if I love sports and computer science? Answer as an experienced college counsellor in 150 words or less."