5.3. Examples of Good vs Bad Prompts

❌ Poor Prompt “Tell me about climate change.”

The poor prompt presented here lacks specificity and clarity. Simply asking, 'Tell me about climate change' is too vague. There are numerous aspects of climate change, from its causes and effects to statistics, and it's unclear what kind of information the AI should focus on. Without a clear directive, the AI's response may be unfocused or too general, leading to an output that doesn’t effectively meet the user's needs.

Imagine asking a friend at a party to 'Tell me about history.' Your friend might feel overwhelmed and not know where to start — should they tell you about ancient civilizations, the World Wars, or a specific historical figure? A clearer question helps your friend give you a detailed and relevant answer.

✅ Improved Prompt “Write a 3-paragraph summary explaining the causes and effects of climate change.”

The improved prompt is significantly more effective because it specifies the desired output. It requests a 3-paragraph summary and explicitly states that the focus should be on both causes and effects of climate change. This structure guides the AI toward generating a more organized and relevant answer that meets the user’s expectations.

Think of this like giving a chef a recipe. If you just say, 'Make something with chicken,' you might get something completely different each time. But if you specify, 'I want a roasted chicken with herbs and vegetables,' the chef has a clear roadmap to follow, resulting in a consistent and desired dish.

❌ Poor Prompt “Give feedback on this resume.”

This poor prompt is problematic because it does not provide any context or criteria for the feedback. Without specified strengths, weaknesses, or specific focus areas (e.g., formatting, content relevance), the AI may struggle to focus its feedback, resulting in vague or irrelevant advice.

Imagine asking a teacher to 'give feedback' on an essay without saying what specific aspects to focus on. The teacher might comment on grammar or ideas but may miss important points you were concerned about, like clarity or argument effectiveness.

✅ Improved Prompt “Act as a hiring manager. Give 3 strengths and 2 weaknesses in this resume.”

Here, the prompt clearly defines the role of the AI ('hiring manager') and specifies the structure of the output (3 strengths, 2 weaknesses). This approach minimizes ambiguity, leading the AI to provide targeted and relevant feedback that is more useful to the user.

This is similar to hiring a consultant to improve your resume. If you tell them specifically to look for leadership qualities and project experiences, they will offer insightful and tailored feedback, rather than general comments that may not be helpful.

❌ Poor Prompt “Summarize this article.”

The prompt 'Summarize this article' is too broad and does not provide any framework. Without specific guidance on the type or length of summary, the response can vary widely and lack focus, which may not fulfill the user's expectations.

It’s like asking someone to 'tell you about a movie.' They might highlight different scenes or themes, leading to a summary that doesn’t touch on what you were interested in knowing, like the main plot or characters.

✅ Improved Prompt “Summarize this article in 5 bullet points using clear, concise language.”

This improved prompt is effective because it provides precise instructions. By asking for a summary in ‘5 bullet points’ and specifying the use of ‘clear, concise language,’ the prompt leads the AI to produce a structured and digestible response that meets user expectations.

Think of this like organizing your grocery list. If you simply think of what you need, you might forget an essential item. However, if you write your list with specific categories like dairy, produce, and meat, you ensure you gather everything efficiently and don’t miss anything important.

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