Summary
The software is designed to give relevant information when the right prompts are provided. Learning how to present your queries is key to getting efficient, personalized assistance.
ChatGPT is an AI-driven chatbot designed to make researching and accessing information easier. It allows users to ask questions directly and, using artificial intelligence (AI), tries to answer those queries as humanely as possible.
However, learning how to interact with ChatGPT is key to getting the best out of this tool. By learning the right prompts to ask and how to phrase them, you’ll be able to get answers to your questions easier. But what’s the right way to interact? Read on to find out!
1. Provide Context in Your Prompts
The more context you provide in your prompt, the better ChatGPT can answer it. It’s like conversing with someone who’s been there before—they know what to say and how to respond. Background information ensures relevant, useful, and accurate answers.
If you’re asking, “How do I fix my microwave?” give examples of what’s wrong with it: Is it a lighting issue? Is it not warming food? Or does it not turn on at all?
The more particular you are, the more relevant the response you’ll get will be. ChatGPT can then narrow down its responses to address your query specifically.
2. Ask Specific Questions
Asking specific questions is key to constructive conversation and getting the most out of ChatGPT.
When looking for a dog with specific attributes (like size or coat type), it’s best to ask for that information in a way that is easy for someone else to understand. For example: “I’m interested in finding an English Bulldog puppy.”
If this were just done as “I’m looking for a dog,” then the AI wouldn’t know what kind of dog or breed you were talking about! That way, you won’t have to read through heaps of unnecessary, generic information that isn’t helpful to your search.
3. Assign a Designated Identity/Persona
You might be tempted to give bullet point information when talking to an AI, but this can lead to confusion and frustration if your point isn’t immediately understood. Most people would be more likely to include more specific, conversational details when talking with another person.
Also, with people, you might give more clarification or explanation that provides a bigger picture. A useful tip I learned is to talk to Al as if you’re talking to another person, not as if you’re coding or programming.
That means treating your interactions with AI as role-playing, and you can go as far as giving it a name. Talking to “Lexie” will most likely make you include general information like you would if you asked a friend a question instead of vague, meaningless questions.
4. Rephrase and Make Changes Along The Interaction
Use your chosen, specific tone to achieve the desired results. However, if your initial prompt doesn’t get you what you want, try changing the words around.
If you must, try researching adjectives for your topic to help you find alternative ways to phrase your query. For example, if “Best stores for expecting mothers” doesn’t give you the desired results, try changing it to “Where to buy clothes for pregnant women.”
5. Use Natural Language
Choose words that are as natural as possible when interacting with AI. ChatGPT is designed to understand human speech and respond accordingly. That means the best way for you to get assistance from the system is by using natural language, which means making it easier for ChatGPT to understand you better.
Use words that are easy for people with different levels of education, experience, and backgrounds to recognize. If you’re researching something technical, you might be tempted to adopt a lot of industry-related jargon.
However, this can be limiting and even confusing for the AI. Instead, use the language you’d use to explain the same thing or concept to a high school student.
6. Ask for Evidence / Sources
A good way to ensure you receive accurate information is to ask for evidence or sources to back up the response generated. That way, you’ll know the info you’re getting is verified and reliable.
Ask if any citations can be provided as proof of anything in the response (e.g., books/articles). This is a great opportunity to ask if they’ve done their research before typing up answers on your behalf!
You can also ask if there’s any authoritative website (like Forbes) or a well-known site that’s written an article about something similar to back up the info.
If it cannot provide direct citations or supporting evidence, you might need to start your search again to get true information.
7. Experiment
One of the most relevant things to remember when using ChatGPT is that it’s a tool. It’s not magic. AI is as fallible as any human being, so it’s important to experiment with your question and prompt combinations to find the right answer.
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You probably won’t get it right the first time, so experiment with different prompts. Try using different word limits and ways of phrasing your prompt until you find the right response for your search.
Be patient with the AI; it’s still new, and learn to be more accurate. So providing a clear guide can help it answer your prompts better.
8. Keep Your Sentences Simple
When you’re asking questions, keep your sentences simple. This cannot be easy if you are a little more technical or have much information to provide. The AI might not be able to decipher complex sentences, and it will be unable to provide answers that fit your inquiry.
Instead of using complicated language or too many words simultaneously, try breaking down the information into smaller pieces and reusing them throughout your chat session. For example, instead of overwhelming the AI with multiple instructions, break down the inquiries into succeeding questions as follows:
- “List the various types of hoovers for home use.”
- “What should I expect from each type?”
- “What do they offer/ Features of different types?”
9. Ask for Tabulated Answers (Output Style)
You can specify the kind of output you want and ask for it to be presented in a table form. This makes it easier to understand the information, keeping the responses short and leaving no room for confusion or misunderstanding.
That way, you won’t have to read through multiple paragraphs if all you need is included in the tabulated output.
An example might be: “Compare our current and competitors’ prices.” Tabulated answers are also good for questions that require listing, such as: “What are the benefits of this product over similar products?”
The response can be formulated in table form, making it easier to digest than lengthier paragraphs.
10. Adjust the Word Limit for the Responses
One of the best ways to get personalized assistance with ChatGPT is by adjusting your word limit. When asking any question, you must monitor the number of words generated for the response.
If you want specific instructions on completing a task like “How do I set up a bank account” and want something simple, adjust your word limit accordingly. However, if more complex questions require more information, like researching historical events, consider increasing the number of words. This ensures that all the necessary data will be included in the response!
This makes sense because sometimes you may want an easy-to-follow guide on how to do something. Depending on the complexity of the task, you should decide how elaborative you want the response to be.
11. Think About the Final Product
When you have a clear picture of the information you want to gather, you’ll have a higher chance of engaging in a constructive conversation with ChatGPT. Knowing what you want will also help you frame your questions better, making it easier for ChatGPT to understand what info you’re looking for.
Keeping the target audience in mind can also help ChatGPT generate age-appropriate content. For example, if your audience is middle school kids, their prompts will differ from those targeted at university graduates. So ask your questions with an end in mind!
12. Copy and Paste Template Prompts
Don’t be afraid to use templates from other sources as a quick guide. Copying and pasting the template prompts a great way to get started, especially if you’re new to chatGPT or don’t want to rack your brain coming up with the “right questions.”
These templates will be time savers because they’re likely tried and tested, so they will have better chances of giving you relevant and accurate data. And you can always customize them along the way to suit your search better.
13. Give Elaborate Examples
When you’re asking for personalized assistance, the key is to ensure that you’re giving the prompts enough information so they can get a good idea of your goal. If you want recommendations on vacation destinations, for example, list activities and hobbies like yours so the bot will know what you’re looking for.
To do this, start by identifying your problem, then clearly state examples that accompany that problem. E.g., “Top 10 suggestions for a solo vacation.” You can list your hobbies as part of the prompts to guide the AI.
That way, the destination will be more likely to align with your interests and be where you’ll have fun. List these examples so that artificial intelligence can use the information accordingly.
14. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions are the best way to gather information about any topic. They help you collect detailed, relevant information more effectively than yes/no questions. That’s because they allow the AI to expand on its answers and provide more details.
For example, consider asking, “What are the dangers of eating chalk?” Such a question would likely generate a more detailed response highlighting how your body could be negatively impacted if you ate chalk. Asking, “Is chalk good for you?” on the other hand, would likely only generate a yes/no response without any elaboration.
Prompt Examples
Let’s put this advice into practice, shall we? Here are examples of how to phrase your prompts:
Ask it to Translate the Text
I want you to translate my words into English and improve the text. I will use five different languages, and you must identify the language used, translate it to English, and generate an improved adaptation. I want you to replace my simple expressions with more expressive words to create better xx sentences.
Make sure the meaning and context aren’t changed while improving the text, but make it more descriptive. I want you to only generate the translations and corrections without adding more information about the topics and questions. My first sentence is “kan jy my na die naaste kroeg in die dorp verwys”
Ask It To Suggest A Holiday Destination
Please act as a travel guide and suggest my best solo holiday vacation. I will give details about my hobbies, likes, and the places I enjoy visiting. You will use these details and examples to suggest an ideal vacation destination. My first suggestion is, “I am a single Filipino in my mid-thirties, and I enjoy history.”
Ask It To Act As An Interviewer
I want you to pretend to interview for an HR position in a big hospital. I will act as a candidate, and you’ll direct the questions to me. I want you only to ask me questions as an interviewer would and answer as the interviewer without writing a full dialogue yourself.
Hold the conversation with me. You will direct the questions to me and wait for my replies without digressing or explaining. Please ask the questions one at a time, like an interview would be done, and wait for my response before moving on to the next dialogue. My first sentence is, “Good morning.”
Ask It To Act As A Stand-Up Comedian
Please write a script where you act as a stand-up comedian. I will give details related to the topic you’ll write about, and you will use humor, satire, and observational abilities to write an engaging, funny routine. Ensure to add relevant anecdotes to create a more relatable script. My first request is, “Write a witty narration about the worst date you’ve ever been on.”
To Sum Up!
ChatGPT is undoubtedly a valuable tool to help you get the information you want. To reiterate: don’t rush in with your first query—take advantage of ChatGPT’s ability to personalize assistance; hopefully, the experience will be much more rewarding.
We hope these tips will help you start your path to ChatGPT mastery. If you’re still having trouble, don’t fret! There are many other ways to get in on the action—like taking a class or doing more research. The important thing is that you keep practicing and learning from your mistakes!
Comment below and let me know about your experience with chatbots so far!
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