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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Media Literacy

Prompt Frameworks

There are many different prompt frameworks, or strategies, that you can use to remind yourself of important instructions to include in AI prompts. The following infographic explores the CREATE framework.

CREATE Prompt Framework by Elaina Fisher

 

 

CREATE Examples

Here are examples of ways that you can incorporate CREATE elements into your next AI prompts!

Context: 

  • "Act as an expert in mechanical engineering."
  • "You are an experienced editor and proof-reader."

Relevance: 

  • "The purpose of the report is to communicate our department goals to the broader community."
  • "The objective for this project is to educate our target market on the value of our services."

Execution: 

  • "The summary should be two paragraphs of about 3-5 sentences each."
  • "Format the memo with an introduction, bullet points for clarity, and a conclusion."

Audience: 

  • "The recipients of the message will be first-generation college students."
  • "The target market for this report is college-educated professional knowledge workers."

Tone: 

  • "The tone should be professional and motivational."
  • "Make the tone creative and energetic to attract young entrepreneurs."

Examples: 

  • "Here are examples of effective email communications. Use these to craft new email responses."
  • "This outline is formatted according to institutional requirements. Follow this structure."

Prompt Creation

What is a prompt?

A prompt is an input, or instruction, given to an AI system to guide its response. Just like asking a well-worded question can lead to a better answer, crafting a strong prompt ensures you receive relevant and useful information. AI tools rely on clear, structured input to understand what you want, so the more context and specificity you provide, the more accurate and helpful the AI’s response will be.

What does AI do with a prompt?

AI responds to prompts by analyzing patterns in its training data. When a user inputs a prompt, the AI breaks it down into keywords and concepts, then searches for similar patterns in its training data to generate a response. It does not think or reason like a human, but predicts what words, phrases, or sentences are most likely to follow based on the given input. Its responses are influenced by the data it has seen before, and it cannot independently verify facts or assess the accuracy of the information it provides. 

Prompt Creation Strategies

Here are some considerations for you to keep in mind as you create your AI prompts:

  • Specificity: Provide clear and detailed instructions! Instead of saying, "Tell me about climate change," try, "What are the primary causes of climate change, and how do they impact global weather patterns?"
  • Structure: Organize your prompt logically. If you need a response in a specific format, go ahead and mention it. For example, "Explain the process of photosynthesis in three bullet points."
  • Tone: You can adjust the wording based on your audience and purpose. For example, "Explain Newton’s laws of motion in simple terms for a 10-year-old" versus "Provide a technical breakdown of Newton’s laws of motion."
  • Iteration: AI responses can improve with follow-up prompts. If the initial answer is too broad or unclear, refine your question by adding more details or asking for examples.

Some prompts work better than others. Weak prompts are often too broad or lack important details, while strong prompts provide clear instructions and necessary context. Practicing different approaches to prompting will help you refine your skills and get better results.

Explore the infographics on this page for specific prompting strategies and examples that you can use to start generating clear and effective AI prompts!

Craft More Effective Prompts

The following infographic explores some examples of ways you can improve your attention to specificity, structure, tone, and iteration.

More Effective Prompts by Elaina Fisher