The Prompt is Key: How to Ensure the Most Useful Generative AI Output

The Prompt is Key: How to Ensure the Most Useful Generative AI Output

Background

A professor at the University of Iowa is teaching students how to get better results from an AI generator through an assignment centered around the prompts entered in to the generator. Instead of trying to prohibit her students from using AI in her business-communication course, Pamela Bourjaily decided to incorporate AI into the course and teach the students how to more efficiently and accurately use the technology.

Bourjaily found that many students were using insufficient or vague prompts for AI generation, which results in insufficient and vague output. One of her objectives in creating the prompt analysis and modification assignment was to demonstrate the weaknesses of generic prompts. In the article, she states:

I want students to have the opportunity to practice using ChatGPT as a communication tool and encourage them to think critically about the output they get from it and then have the skills to know how to refine that output. 

Methodology

From the article, Professor Bourjaily created these criteria for generative AI prompts that yield the most useful output:
  1. Role. Tell ChatGPT its role, or desired role in the assignment. “Act as a college student” or “Act as a job applicant.”
  2. Task. Summarize the function you want ChatGPT to complete. “Write an essay” or “Create a cover letter.”
  3. Requirements. Include desired elements in the output. “Referencing The New York Times” or “including a job experience at McDonald’s.”
  4. Context or constraints. Supply ChatGPT with the intended audience or define elements that should not be included. “For an English literature assignment,” “Use 10 unique sources” or “Do not include an intro paragraph.”
  5. Goal. Establish the why of the output, meaning what the reader should be able to do or understand at the end. “What further reading would you recommend for my audience?” or “Select topics that could be discussed in small groups.”
  6. Format of output. Give ChatGPT a word or page limit or formatting specifications. “Five hundred words” or “10 pages.”

Potential Benefits to Students

  1. Exposure to and practice with real-world application of AI.
  2. Becoming more proficient at extracting optimal AI output.
  3. Critical thinking in action, and deeper learning.

Interested in trying?


    • Related Articles

    • Generative AI Use Case: Creating and Fixing Students' Computer Coding

      Applicable Course/Department/Division Computer Science/STEM Specific AI Technology ChatGPT/Microsoft Copilot Background In 2023, Harvard professor David Malan and colleagues introduced a ChatGPT "bot" in Harvard's flagship Intro to Computer Science ...

    • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Detection Tools

      Generative AI and AI Detection The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools has proliferated quickly. ChatGPT, for example, is an application that produces written text at a desired length, format, and style, depending on the user’s ...

    • How do I use TurnItIn for AI detection in student writing assignments?

      What is TurnItIn? TurnItIn is an application used to gauge the authenticity of written text, and to flag plagiarism in student writing. It compares the text in question against a vast database of existing writing and delivers a % score (the higher ...

    • How do I make sure my Office 365 documents are accessible?

      Universal design boosts inclusivity by reducing barriers to access. In addition to being Federal law, it benefits all students to have clear, easy-to-use material online. Here are some simple things you can do to make your course accessible. Please ...

    • Building Community and Instructor Presence

      Being an active presence in an online class isn't as intuitive as when we are face-to-face. In this workshop we will look at simple ways an instructor can create a strong learning community in an online course. Learn how to build instructor presence ...