Writing clear prompts

A prompt is the input or question you give to an GenAI system to generate a response. Writing clear prompts helps you get better, more accurate responses from GenAI tools.

Examples of effective prompts:

• “Summarise this article about social media and mental health in under 150 words. What are the main ethical issues it talks about?"

• “What are three ways people criticise fast fashion and its impact on the environment?”

• “What are five better words I could use instead of ‘inclusive’ in an essay about equality in education?”

TIP: Create your own prompt library of tasks you use regularly – it saves time and improves results.

When using GenAI tools, always be mindful of data privacy. Only input content that is appropriate to share and does not include sensitive, personal, confidential, or copyrighted information.

Prompt Model for Effective Gen AI Use

When using GenAI tools, clear prompts are essential for getting high-quality results. The simple PREP/EDIT model can help you structure and refine your prompts: PREP/EDIT.

The PREP/EDIT Framework

Once you’ve drafted a prompt, PREP/EDIT helps refine it further.

PREP

• Prompt – Define exactly what you are asking for.
• Role – Specify who or what the GenAI should “be.”
• Explicit – Provide detailed instructions.
• Parameters – Set any limits (e.g. word count, style, format).

EDIT

• Evaluate – Is the prompt clear and relevant?
• Determine – Is the request accurate and appropriate?
• Identify – Could the prompt introduce bias or errors?
• Transform – How could the prompt be improved?

This model ensures your prompts are not only clear but also ethical, inclusive, and well targeted.