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Prompting in Gen AI

A prompt is a set of instructions used to ask an AI tool to perform a task and produce an output. The more specific, explicit, and concise the instructions are, the more successful the resulting outputs will be.

Prompt Examples

How Can I Use Copilot?

  • Create or edit content, such as presentations, reports, or syllabi.
  • Solve problems and get answers by utilizing its powerful search engine capabilities.
  • Generate code for tech projects.
  • Brainstorm ideas by simulating different points of view.
  • Explore image input and output features, including analyzing images or creating images based on text descriptions.
  • Ask Copilot how it can specifically help with your job duties. It provides custom suggestions tailored to individual roles.
  • For those new to large language models (LLMs), experimenting with Copilot is great practice. You can learn how to maximize generative AI by exploring different prompts.
  • Using Copilot with Data Protection means your prompts and chats will not be retained. You will not have access to your chat history.
  • While Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection is more secure than other LLMs, you should still be mindful of the data you send. Do not include personal details about yourself or others. Do not input copyrighted materials.

Tips for Successful Prompts

A successful prompt (Crabtree, 2024) is comprised of several characteristics:

  • Instruction: Clear and explicit instructions tell the AI tool what action(s) you want it to perform.
  • Context: This information helps the AI tool understand your request's broader scenario or background and helps better tailor and frame its response.
  • Input data: data is the information you provide to the AI tool for processing. It could be a paragraph or a set of numbers, for example.
  • Output indicator: This part of your prompt tells the AI tool how to respond to your request. It might be a stylistic direction or citation style, for example.

Some other tips and tricks to consider trying (University of Calgary Libraries and Cultural Resources, 2023):

  • Provide an example that you have already found or created.
  • Prompt the AI tool to act as an expert using wording like "Guide me…" or "Act as the expert…"
  • Divide significant questions or topics into smaller chunks.
  • Create new chats for unrelated questions or prompts for the AI tool.
  • Prompt the AI tool to ask questions to clarify your desired output.

Image Prompting

How good are your prompting skills? Try it with this Say What You See activity from Google Arts and Culture Experiments.

CLEAR Framework

The  CLEAR Framework consists of five principles that help users “learn to navigate and develop AI-generated content more effectively” and develop critical thinking skills (Lo, 2023).

  • Concise: Be brief and clear in your prompt, using precise language.
  • Logical: Structure prompts coherently to reveal relationships between concepts.
  • Explicit: Provide clear instructions and expectations of output, including format, scope, and content, to reduce irrelevant responses.
  • Adaptive: Be flexible and adjust the prompt as needed.
  • Reflective: Evaluate the performance of your AI prompts and adjust your approach if necessary.

Dive Deeper into Prompting