Prompting Basics
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Why your prompt matters
A prompt is your request — what you type to the AI. The quality of the response directly depends on the quality of your prompt. Vague question = vague answer. Specific, well-formulated prompt = useful, precise answer. The good news: learning to write better prompts is simple, and you'll see results immediately.
Think of it like ordering at a restaurant. If you say 'Give me something good', you'll get a random dish. But if you say 'I'll have the grilled salmon, medium rare, with vegetables and no sauce' — you get exactly what you want. It works the same way with AI.
Bad vs. good prompt
Bad prompt:
Write me an email.AI doesn't know who to, about what, in what tone, or how long. The result will be generic and unusable. You'll end up rewriting the whole thing anyway.
Good prompt:
Write a short professional email to my colleague Martin. I want to invite him to lunch on Thursday at noon at The Garden Bistro. Tone: friendly but professional. Max 5 sentences. Include the subject line.AI has everything it needs, and the result will be exactly what you want.
Even better prompt:
Write a short professional email to my colleague Martin. I want to invite him to lunch on Thursday at noon at The Garden Bistro. Tone: friendly but professional. Max 5 sentences. Write 2 versions — one more casual, one more formal. For each, note when to use it.Now you have options and context for why to choose each version.
The main rule: the more context you give AI, the better response you'll get. Don't be afraid to write longer prompts — AI handles long text just fine. A 3-line prompt is fine. A 10-line prompt is also fine. A full-page prompt? AI handles it without any issues.
The RICE framework for better prompts
RICE is a simple way to remember the four key components of a good prompt. You don't need to use it every time — for simple questions, just write naturally. But when a response isn't good, check if you're missing one of these components.
R — Role
Tell AI who it should be. 'You are an experienced copywriter...' or 'Imagine you're a personal trainer with 10 years of experience...' This steers the style and depth of the response. A 'personal trainer's' answer will be different from a 'doctor's' answer about the same topic — the trainer gives you a workout plan, the doctor will be more cautious and recommend a checkup.
I — Instructions
Say clearly what you want. 'Write...', 'Explain...', 'Compare...', 'Suggest 5 options...' Be specific: instead of 'write something about marketing' say 'write 3 variations of an Instagram caption promoting a new coffee shop in downtown Portland'. Also specify format and length: 'max 150 words', 'as a numbered list', 'as a table with pros and cons'.
C — Context
Provide background. Who is it for? What industry? What's the situation? For example: 'I'm writing for a small business with 5 employees, target audience is women aged 30-45, marketing budget is minimal, the company has been around for 2 years and has never done online marketing.' The more context, the more relevant the response.
E — Examples
Show AI what you want. Include an example of output you like, or conversely, an example of what you don't want. 'I want a style like this example: [example]' or 'I don't want formal language like in this example: [example]'. Examples are the most powerful prompting tool — one good example says more than a paragraph of instructions.
You don't need all four RICE components in every prompt. A simple question like 'What's the population of London?' doesn't need a role or examples. Pull out the RICE framework when you're getting bad responses — it'll help you figure out what's missing from your prompt.
Iterate — improve the response
You won't always get a perfect answer on the first try. And that's fine. Prompting is a conversation, not a one-time command. Tell AI what you don't like:
That's too formal, make it more casual.
Good foundation, but cut it in half and add humor.
Points 1 and 3 are great, rewrite point 2 — it's too generic.
Overall good direction, but I'm missing specific numbers and examples.Professionals who use AI daily typically iterate 3-5 times before they're satisfied with the result. This isn't wasted time — it's a process that leads to significantly better outputs. The first response is a rough draft; through iteration, you turn it into a finished product.
Don't rely on a single prompt. The best results come from iteration — first prompt, feedback, improved output, more feedback. Most people leave after the first response, but those who iterate get 10x better results. This is one of the most important lessons in this course.
Advanced techniques for beginners
A few simple techniques that will immediately improve your results. 'Step by step' — ask AI to explain its reasoning step by step. This leads to more accurate answers because AI is forced to 'think out loud.'
Explain your reasoning step by step.
Before you answer, ask me 3 clarifying questions.
First propose an outline, then expand each point.The 'ask me questions first' technique is especially powerful — AI discovers what you actually need instead of guessing. It's like visiting a doctor — a good doctor asks questions first before prescribing medicine.
When AI gives too long a response, try adding a constraint at the end of your prompt: 'Max 5 sentences.' or 'Summarize in 3 bullet points.' or 'Answer in one paragraph.' Explicit length constraints work surprisingly reliably.
Rewrite these bad prompts using the RICE framework: 1. 'Write me a social media post.' 2. 'Help me with a presentation.' 3. 'I want a healthy recipe.' For each one, add a role, clear instructions, context, and if possible an example. Then submit both prompts (bad and good) to AI and compare the responses — the difference will be dramatic.
Hint
Example rewrite: 'Write a post' -> 'You're a social media manager for a small coffee shop in Austin. Write a short Instagram post (max 150 words) about a new seasonal pumpkin latte offer. Target: young people 20-35. Tone: playful, casual. Include 3-5 relevant hashtags. Style inspiration: @starbucks.'
Give AI any creative task (write an email, design a plan, come up with a project name). After the first response, don't stop — iterate at least 4 times. Say what you like and what you don't. Change the tone, length, style. At the end, compare the first response with the final version — how much did it change?
Hint
Example iteration: 1) 'Write me a LinkedIn bio' 2) 'Too formal, add personality' 3) 'Better, but shorten to 3 sentences' 4) 'Great, now write a version in French, keep the same style'
Pick a more complex task — such as planning a vacation, writing a client proposal, or creating a marketing plan. Instead of trying to write the perfect prompt, write: 'I want [your task]. Before you start, ask me 5 questions you need answered to do a great job.' Answer AI's questions, then let AI complete the task. Compare the result with what you'd get without the questions.
Hint
This technique is powerful because AI often identifies aspects you wouldn't have thought of. For vacation planning, it might ask about budget, accommodation preferences, physical fitness for hikes — things you'd forget in your prompt.
Prompting for beginners — tips and tricks
- Prompt quality = response quality — a vague question gives a vague answer, a specific prompt gives a useful response
- Use RICE: Role, Instructions, Context, Examples — not always all at once, but as a checklist when responses aren't good
- Be specific — specify format, length, tone, target audience, and the purpose of the output
- Iterate — the best results come from 3-5 rounds of feedback, not from a single prompt
- Examples are the most powerful prompting tool — one example says more than a paragraph of instructions
4/6 complete — keep going!