Learn AI Commons at your pace. See below for training resources, prompt writing guidance and tips. 

Prompting Tips

  • Be specific about what you want

  • Give examples if possible

  • State what you don't want

  • Specify length/depth

  • Mention your skill level with the topic

Good prompt vs. better prompt


Good


"Summarize this paper."


Better


"Summarize this paper for a first-year graduate student in linguistics. 5 bullet points, plain language, and flag one open question the authors leave unresolved."

Prompt Template


Template:

Help me [TASK] using the following context: [CONTEXT]. Follow these requirements: [REQUIREMENTS]. Present the response as [OUTPUT FORMAT] for [AUDIENCE], using a [TONE] tone.


Example:

Help me write a maintenance announcement using the details below. The message is for UCSB staff who may be affected by a planned service interruption. Mention that the service will be unavailable Friday from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. and direct urgent questions to the support team. Present the response as an email with a subject line, using a clear and professional tone.

Training resources