ChatGPT and AI in Library Research

Prompt Engineering

Getting the most out of ChatGPT requires more than just typing a question or statement; it involves crafting your prompts in a way that guides the model to produce the kind of response you're looking for. Whether you're a student seeking help with an essay or a faculty member looking for course material ideas, understanding the art of "Prompt Engineering" can be incredibly useful.

Important Points:

• Using Roles: Want ChatGPT to speak like Shakespeare or explain a concept as if it were a kindergarten teacher? By assigning a role ("pretend you're a Shakespearean actor," for example), you can tailor the style and tone of the output to your needs.

• Styles and Formats: You can specify the style or format you want the answer in. For instance, asking for a "summary" or "bullet points" can help you get the kind of concise information you might need for note-taking or quick referencing.

• Being Polite: Although ChatGPT doesn't have feelings, using polite language like "please" and "thank you" can sometimes yield more nuanced and detailed responses. It's a good practice, especially if you're using ChatGPT in a public or shared setting.

• Chain of Thought Prompting: If you have a complex query, consider breaking it down into a series of related questions. This method helps maintain the model's focus and often results in more accurate and coherent answers.

• Explicit Instructions: If you're looking for a specific type of answer (e.g., pros and cons, a debate format, etc.), stating that explicitly in your prompt can guide ChatGPT to generate the response you desire.

• Temperature and Length: Some platforms allow you to adjust the "temperature" and "max tokens" settings. Lower temperature values make output more focused and deterministic, while higher values make it more random. Limiting the length can also help in obtaining concise answers.

• Avoiding Ambiguity: The clearer and more specific your prompt, the better the output. Ambiguous questions often result in vague or generalized responses, which might not be helpful for academic purposes.

• Iteration: Don't hesitate to refine your prompt and ask again if the first response doesn't meet your needs. Iterative questioning helps in zeroing in on the exact information or format you're looking for.