SCC Research Guides: Artificial Intelligence: Writing Prompts (Prompt Engineering)

Writing Good Prompts (Prompt Engineering)

When using AI, you need to use prompts. A prompt is a question or request that causes the AI to take an action.

The better the prompt, the better the results.

A high-quality (well-written or well-crafted) prompt should lead to higher quality responses from the AI.
The more precise and detailed you are in your prompt, the more likely you will receive the results you want.
Be clear and specific. Think of prompt engineering as training a new co-worker (Ai is your new co-worker). You must tell your new co-worker exactly what it is you are looking for and how you would like the answer or results.

Below are some different prompt engineering acronyms to help guide you.

Prompt Engineering Models

P	Persona	Assign the AI a persona, role, or character You are a student, instructor, social media influencer, etc.
R	Requirements	Provide clear, detailed requirements for the output Compiling information about AI at an elementary reading level
O	Organization	Describe how the output should be organized Create a bulleted list of ten facts
M	Medium	Describe the medium (where the output will be delivered) For a classroom handout
P	Purpose	Identify the purpose and the audience To explain the benefits of AI to a class of third graders
T	Tone	Specify the tone of the output Using a tone of excitement.

When you put this all together, it looks like:

You are an instructor compiling information about AI at an elementary reading level. Create a bulleted list of ten facts for a class handout to explain the exciting benefits of AI to a class of third graders. Below is a screenshot taken when providing Google Gemini this prompt.

Screenshot of this prompt using Google Gemini and the output

C	Character	AI needs to know who you want it to be. Will it be a student, instructor, parent, researcher, expert, marketer, social media influencer, etc.? What tone or style should AI use?
R	Request	Be as clear and specific as possible when making your request to AI. Do you want it to craft a social media post, find scholarly articles, plan a vacation with friends, or create an outline for a speech? How many words do you need? What format do you want (bullet points, a paragraph, an email, etc.)?
E	Examples	It is helpful to provide AI with examples of what you want. You can be specific in telling it to write an outline based on the five paragraph essay model. Some AI tools allow you to upload files or documents that can be used as examples.
A	Adjustments	Adjust your original prompt as needed based on the results you receive. Provide more context. Clarify misunderstandings. Adjust the tone.
T	Type of Output	Be specific in type of output (the format) you would like to receive. Here are some potential types of output to request: List Bullet points Table Paragraph Outline Infographics
E	Extras	Continue to prompt AI with more information until you receive the results you want. Offer feedback. Ask for more details or clarification.

When you put this all together, it looks like:

You are an instructor compiling information about AI at an elementary reading level. Create a bulleted list of ten facts for a class handout to explain the exciting benefits of AI to a class of third graders similar to something Scholastic Junior would produce. Below is a screenshot taken when providing Microsoft Copilot this prompt.

A screenshot of prompt engineering using Microsoft Copolit

C	Clear/Concise	Use clear, simple wording Provide critical information Be concise	*Weak:* Can you write about AI in education? *Strong:* Find academic resources discussing the potential benefits of AI in academics.
L	Logical	Provide structure Establish context	*Weak:* Can we use AI in college? *Strong:* Summarize research findings that show AI is beneficial for college students.
E	Explicit	Provide clear instructions for format Specify length, tone, and types of sources Define the audience Use examples	*Weak:* What's AI used for? *Strong:* Create a ten point bullet list on AI in education written for an adult audience using academic resources (provide links or documents).
A	Adaptive	Adapt as needed Rephrase the prompt Adjust your request	Being adaptive means using more than one prompt. Ask AI to be more specific or provide more information about part of the original response.
R	Reflective	Reflect on the type of response received Refine your prompt engineering	Take time to reflect on the original prompt and the result. Then, add to your prompt to get better results. *Prompt 1:* Summarize research findings to show how AI is useful. *Prompt 2:* Summarize research findings to show how AI is useful for college students.