A useful prompt tells the AI who it is helping, what you need, and how you want the answer.
A weak prompt
"Explain photosynthesis."
A better prompt
"I am a first-year college student. Explain photosynthesis in under 150 words using a simple everyday example, then give me three short questions to test my understanding."
Why the second works
- It gives context (who you are)
- It sets a task (explain, then test)
- It defines the format (length, example, three questions)
Your turn
Pick a topic from your current subject. Write a prompt with context, task and format. Answer the test questions yourself before checking.
You have finished AI Basics. Next, try the course Prompting Well to go deeper.