The capability of the AI tool, ChatGPT, really challenges our imagination. Frequent users may notice that responses by ChatGPT to a prompt vary. It is common that ChatGPT often generates different responses to prompts for the same intent. Of course, casually formulated similar prompts may be perceived by ChatGPT as different commands. In addition, it turns out that there are several language models behind ChatGPT. Unless a specific prompt is provided ChatGPT defaults to one of the language models. Thus, the prompt plays a critical role when humans interact with ChatGPT. Although a simple prompt such as "write a short essay about artificial intelligence" can elicit what seems to be a quite impressive result, well-formulated prompts are often needed to get desired results from ChaGPT. The followings are some useful tips to formulate good prompts when using ChatGPT.
Be specific: Be clear and specific about the task or question you want ChatGPT to answer. The more specific the prompt, the more likely ChatGPT is to generate an accurate and relevant response.
Be open-ended: Avoid asking yes-or-no questions or closed-ended questions. Open-ended prompts that allow ChatGPT to generate a more detailed and complete response are often more effective.
Pay attention to the grammar: Grammatically correct prompts can help the model understand the task better and generate more accurate responses.
Provide context: Provide enough context for ChatGPT to understand the task or question. This can include background information, specific details, or related information that will help ChatGPT generate a more accurate response.
Use clear and natural language: Use clear, natural language when formulating prompts for ChatGPT. Avoid using jargon, technical terms, or complex sentence structures that may be difficult for ChatGPT to understand.
When the results are still not optimal, consider the following strategies
Use follow-up prompts: It takes some practice to formulate complex prompts for desired responses by ChatGPT. As a result, the initial response by ChatGPT is often suboptimal. Use follow-up prompt(s) to get more relevant and accurate responses.
Provide examples: Provide examples to ChatGPT that demonstrate the type of response you are looking for. This will help ChatGPT understand the task better and generate more accurate responses.
Use alternative structure and format: This can include using bullet points, numbered lists, or other formatting techniques that make it easier for ChatGPT to understand the task or question.
Specify output style: Instruct ChatGPT to use formal language, or to generate an informal response. Changes in style and tone can alter the perception of the responses.
Assign a specific persona: A persona is an image or personality that a person presents in a specific setting or simply a fictional character. In the setting of using ChatGPT, it usually means assigning a specific role or character to respond to the user's prompt (query). There are literally innumerable personas that can be used. A typical example may start with "I want you to act as a psychologist to guide me through a session of ... . "
Although only a limited number of tips and strategies are presented here based on our experiences and validation, readers are encouraged to explore many more, and the increasing number of creative prompts and strategies on the Web, especially via ChatGPT.
Suggested References
ChatGPT Guide: 10x Your Results with Better Prompts. Accessed on Feb 1, 2023, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os-JX1ZQwIA
Dr-Alex-Young. Learn Anything FASTER With ChatGPT (13 ChatGPT Prompts For Studying). Accessed on Feb 1, 2023, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEq5chOb4is
Awesome ChatGPT Prompts. https://github.com/f/awesome-chatgpt-prompts?ref=FutureTools.io
