HOW TO USE CHATGPT: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE
The surge of ChatGPT around the world has completely changed the way people use technology, with many now relying on ChatGPT for almost everything possible. It does everything for us, starting from something as simple as writing an essay to explaining complex topics.
In this article, I’m going to explain what prompts are, why they matter, and guide you to be able to write better prompts to get accurate results.
Wikipedia defines a prompt as a natural language text describing the task that an AI should perform. A clear direction is needed while writing our prompts for us to gain better results.
Examples of Prompts
We can take an example of two prompts:
- “Write about technology”
- “Write an 800 word news post on the change in the operations of traditional businesses in Nepal due to technology, in simple language,in professional tone and formal structure”
The second example shows us the right way to write down a prompt as it give us a clear and concise direction of answer.
Why Does The Quality of Prompts Matter?
Taking the reference from the example provided above, we can see that in example 1, the input that we have provided is vague, confusing, incomplete, and directionless. Hence, the result will be weak.
So, we can say that:
Providing better prompts means receiving better results.
Practical Tips to Write Better Prompts in ChatGPT
- We need to be Clear and Specific
Instead of writing something like:“ Write about AI”
Try :“Write about how AI is used in medicine in around 600 words, with real examples.”
Being clear and specific about the topics will help the AI to understand the requirements better.
- Saying Why You Need It
We need to tell ChatGPT the reason for our request.
For example: add in “Write an essay for a travel blog” or “Write down notes for my exam”
- Setting the Tone of the text
We need to tell it how we want the answer to sound like.
Like:
“Explain in simple language” or “Use formal tone”
- Telling It How Long and What Format
ChatGPT answers better when we give it some format to work in
Things like: Specifying word count (1000 words) and structure(in bullet points, in paragraph)
- Giving It Some Context And Background
The more info we give, the smarter the response will be.
Instead of writing:
“Write about online business.”
We can Try:
“Write about online business chances for beginners in Nepal.”
- Using Examples and References in Our Prompt
We can show ChatGPT how we want the answer to look.
For instance:
Explain it like this: definition → example → benefits.
- Rephrasing Prompts to Improve Answers
We don't always have to get answers right on the first try.
We can say things like: “Make it simpler” or “Rewrite this in a professional tone”
ChatGPT can be super helpful, but only if we know how to talk to it properly. Learning to write good prompts is how you get the most out of it.
No matter if you're a student, blogger, marketer, or business owner, getting good at prompt writing will help you save time, get better quality work, and be more efficient.