Crafting Effective Prompts

Use short, clear instructions. Start simple, then refine. These principles will help you get useful results while keeping the thinking and writing your own.

• Start with a clear task
  "Give me the TL;DR of this article in 120–150 words."
• Give context (no personal details)
  "This is for a 1st-year business assignment. I’m new to the topic."
• Specify the format
  "Present the answer as 5 bullet points with one-sentence explanations."
• Ask GenAI to model a style
  "Show me how this explanation might look in academic writing, so I can compare it with my own draft."
• Assign a role or perspective
  "Act as a lab tutor and explain this in plain English."
• Add constraints
  "Keep it concise. Avoid made-up references. Define any key terms you use."
• Collaborate before you start
  "Suggest three better ways I could phrase this prompt to get clearer results."
• Ask for accuracy checks
  "Re-check for accuracy and list any limitations or gaps in your answer."
• Ask for search ideas
  "Suggest 3–4 keywords or themes I could try in LibrarySearch or Google Scholar."
• Iterate
  "Now expand point 2 with a short example I could apply in my coursework."

Tip: If you need accessible output, just state the preference (e.g., "Use short sentences and bullet points")—you don’t need to explain why.

Remember: you don’t need to write the “perfect” prompt first time. Treat GenAI as a study partner — experiment, refine, and always keep the final responsibility for thinking and writing with you.

The following examples demonstrate prompts that are generally acceptable as they can help with brainstorming, encourage critical thinking or assist in preparing for your own research and analysis. Remember, these prompts are designed to support your work, not to generate content that you would directly include in your assignments.

Here are some examples of effective prompts for different academic purposes:

• For brainstorming: "suggest 5 potential research questions related to the impact of social media on mental health among university students."
• For concept exploration: "what are some key terms I should understand to grasp the concept of 'opportunity cost' in economics?"
• For UG and PGT research preparation: "suggest some search terms or keywords I could use to begin researching academic literature on climate change adaptation in coastal cities from the past 5 years."
• For methodology consideration: "what factors should I consider when evaluating semi-structured interviews as a method for studying workplace diversity?"
• For critical analysis preparation: "suggest some aspects of Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory that I should consider when critically analysing its relevance in modern psychology."

Dos:

1. Do be specific about the type of information you need.
2. Do include relevant context in your prompts.
3. Do break down complex questions into smaller, more manageable prompts.
4. Do specify the desired format or structure of the response.
5. Do iterate and refine your prompts if the initial responses are not satisfactory.

Don'ts:

1. Don't use prompts to generate entire essays or assignments.
2. Don't rely solely on AI-generated responses without verifying the information.
3. Don't use prompts to bypass critical thinking or analysis.
4. Don't include personal or sensitive information in your prompts as it’s possible, depending on the AI tool you are using, your data may be used by that tool, in the future.
5. Don't use prompts to generate content that you intend to present as your own original work without proper acknowledgement. 

It's equally important to recognize prompts that are not appropriate for academic work. The following examples illustrate prompts that could lead to academic misconduct or over-reliance on AI in a university context:

• "Write a 2000-word essay on the impact of Brexit on UK businesses." (This prompt asks the AI to generate substantial content that should be your own work.)
• "Provide a critical analysis of Foucault's concept of power in modern society." (This prompt encourages reliance on AI for analysis that you should conduct yourself.)
• "Summarize the key findings of the latest peer-reviewed research on renewable energy technologies." (This prompt may lead to using AI as a source of academic information, which should come from scholarly sources.)
• "Generate a literature review on the effects of social media on mental health among university students." (Literature reviews should be conducted by you using academic databases and sources, not generated by AI.)
• "What's the solution to the case study problem in this week's assessed seminar?" (Using AI to solve specific problems or case studies assigned in your modules for assessment is a form of academic misconduct.)

1. Respect assignment guidelines: always adhere to the specific guidelines provided for each assignment regarding the use of AI tools.
2. Understand the purpose: use prompts to support your learning and understanding, not to replace your own critical thinking.
3. Verify information: always cross-check AI-generated information with reliable academic sources.
4. Acknowledge use: be transparent about your use of GenAI tools in your work, following the university's guidelines on acknowledgement.
5. Maintain academic integrity: ensure that the final work you submit reflects your own understanding and analysis.
6. Develop your skills: use AI as a tool to enhance your skills.

By following these guidelines, you can use prompts effectively and ethically to enhance your learning while maintaining academic integrity.