A is a request or instruction you give to a language model. It may be one question or a longer message with a task, context, and source material.
What a useful prompt makes clear
- Task: clearly and precisely say what the answer should do.
- Context: provide information the task needs and the model cannot infer.
- Format: specify how you want the answer, such as a list, table, or short text.
- Limits: say what the answer must not do, such as use anything beyond the material you provided.
- Example: when useful, a sample can guide the answer’s format and tone.
Refine the prompt
A useful prompt rarely comes out perfectly on the first try. Read the answer as a draft, identify one thing to change, and ask for that change. Length is not what matters: a short prompt works when it makes the task, needed context, and format clear.