Module 3: Simple Steps to Better Prompts

You know the ingredients, now let's learn simple tricks to make any prompt clearer and more powerful. Think of these as your prompt-polishing tools! Small changes make a big difference.

Trick #1: Be Specific! (The Golden Rule)

The AI isn't a mind reader. Vague prompts lead to vague answers.

• Vague: "Tell me about space." (About what? Planets? Stars? Aliens?)
• Specific: "Explain what a black hole is in simple terms."
• Vague: "Write a story."
• Specific: "Write a short story (100 words) about a squirrel astronaut."

Ask yourself: What exactly do I want? Am I leaving out key details? Could this be misunderstood?

Trick #2: Use Action Verbs

Start with a clear command word telling the AI what to do.

• Instead of: "Information about electric cars."
• Try: "List pros and cons of electric cars." OR "Summarize electric car history." OR "Compare electric vs. gasoline cars."

Great verbs: Explain, Define, Create, Generate, Translate, Suggest, Brainstorm, Analyze, Rewrite...

Trick #3: Give Context

Sometimes the AI needs background info.

• No Context: "Write a review." (Of what?)
• With Context: "Write a positive review of the movie 'The Lion King' for a family blog."
• No Context: "Explain that concept." (Which one?)
• With Context: "I'm learning photosynthesis. Explain chlorophyll's role simply."

Trick #4: Avoid Ambiguity

Ensure your prompt has only one clear meaning.

• Ambiguous: "Tell me about bats." (Animal or baseball?)
• Clearer: "Tell me about the animal, the bat." OR "Tell me about baseball bats."