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Good prompt vs bad prompt

Video Module 3: Core Prompt Writing Principles

The Core Principles of Prompt Engineering

Principle	Bad Prompt (Vague)	Good Prompt (Specific)
Context	"Write a story about a cat."	"Write a noir mystery short story about a cynical alley cat in 1940s Chicago."
Persona	"Explain quantum physics."	"Explain quantum physics like you are a friendly high school teacher using a sports analogy."
Constraint	"Give me a workout plan."	"Create a 30-minute bodyweight workout for a beginner with no equipment. Focus on core strength."
Format	"Summarize this article."	"Summarize this article into five bullet points, followed by a one-sentence takeaway."

Anatomy of a "Good" Prompt:-A high-quality prompt usually contains four key ingredients. You don’t always need all of them, but the more you include, the better the output:
- Instruction: A clear task (e.g., "Write," "Analyze," "Debug").
- Context: The background info or setting (e.g., "For a professional LinkedIn audience").
- Input Data: The specific text or data you want the AI to process.
- Output Indicator: How you want the result to look (e.g., "Use a table," "Write in Markdown," "Keep it under 100 words").
Pro-Tips for Better Results
- The "Step-by-Step" Trick: If you have a complex task, ask the AI to "think step-by-step." This triggers a chain-of-thought process that significantly reduces errors in logic or math.
- The "Iterative" Approach: Don't expect perfection on the first try. If the response is too formal, say: "That’s good, but make it more conversational and remove the corporate jargon."
Give Examples (Few-Shot Prompting):- If you want a specific style, show, don't just tell.
- Example: "Write product descriptions in this style: [Insert Example]. Now, write one for a reusable water bottle."
- Quick Tip: Avoid "negative" prompts like "Don't make it boring." Instead, use "positive" instructions like "Make it energetic and fast-paced." The AI handles "do" much better than "don't.