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Generative Artificial Intelligence: Prompt Engineering

What is Prompt Engineering?

Prompt engineering is the process of writing commands (prompts) in a way that helps AI systems provide more accurate and relevant answers. Understanding prompt engineering is essential to maximizing the full potential of AI.

CLEAR: A Framework for Effective Prompts

 

Principle Objectives Needs Improvement Revised Prompt
Concise
  • Focus on keywords
  • Eliminate unnecessary words
  • Be direct and specific in your requests
 "Can you provide me with a detailed explanation of the process of photosynthesis and its significance?" "Explain the process of photosynthesis and its significance."
Logical
  • Organize prompts into steps
  • Break complex tasks into smaller, focused prompts
 "Please outline a 5-minute speech on the renewable energy resources and also include some data on air pollution in South Carolina." "First, outline a 5-minute speech on renewable energy resources. Then, cite at least two statistics on air pollution in South Carolina to support your argument."
Explicit
  • Provide clear, detailed instructions
  • Don't assume the AI knows what you want
  • Include specific details and output requirements
 "Tell me about the French Revolution." "Provide a concise overview of the French Revolution, emphasizing its causes, major events, and consequences."

The final two principles of the CLEAR Framework ask you to revisit your prompt after you've received a response from the AI tool.

Principle Objectives
Adaptive
  • Be flexible: rephrase or restructure your prompt if you didn't receive the response you expected
  • Revise your prompt to address inaccuracies or missing information
  • Adjust settings and parameters
Reflective
  • Evaluate the AI's response:
    • Does it make logical sense?
    • Does the response direct you to current research and include real citations?
    • Is the answer complete, or are certain voices and perspectives missing?
  • Consider what worked well and what didn't
  • Continuously improve your prompts

This chart is based on the chart found in UDC's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Help Guide.

Lo, L. S. (2023). The CLEAR framework for ChatGPT: Enhancing information literacy in the AI era. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 49(5), 102720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102720

More Prompt Engineering Resources

Other models for designing effective prompts for generative AI tools include PROMPT Design Framework (from Sarah Hartman-Caverly at Penn State University Libraries) and the CREATE Framework (from Dave Birss, a Generative AI Educator for LinkedIn Learning).

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