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How to prompt better

Four questions for better answers from any AI assistant. Open How to prompt better

• Better prompts in four questions
  Goal, background, limits, done when: four questions that turn a vague request into a prompt that gets a useful first answer.
• What is a prompt? A plain explanation
  A prompt is the text you give an AI tool to tell it what you want. What it can contain and why its wording changes the answer.
• A prompt template you can reuse for most tasks
  Four lines cover most tasks: goal, background, limits and done when. How to fill each one and an example you can adapt.
• Why does the AI give vague answers?
  Vague answers usually follow vague requests. The AI fills gaps with the most common assumption. How to close the gaps.
• How long should a prompt be?
  A prompt should be as long as it takes to say what you need, and no longer. Why short is not always better, and when to cut.
• Why give the AI background information?
  The AI cannot know who the text is for or what came before. Background closes that gap. What to include and what to leave out.
• How do I set limits in a prompt: length, tone and format?
  Limits keep an answer from drifting: length, tone, language, format and things to avoid. How to state them so they are followed.
• What does 'done when' mean in a prompt?
  'Done when' describes what a good result looks like, so the AI knows when to stop. How to write it with one or two clear criteria.
• Does adding an example to a prompt help?
  Showing the AI one example of what you want is often clearer than describing it. How to use examples and what to watch for.
• Should I follow up or start a new chat?
  When an answer is close but not right, a follow-up is usually faster than a restart. When a fresh start is the better choice.
• How do I ask an AI for a good summary?
  A summary prompt works better when it names the reader, the length and what to keep. A short recipe and common pitfalls.
• How do I prompt an AI for a good translation?
  A translation prompt works best when it names the languages, the reader, the tone and any terms that must stay fixed.
• Can an AI make things up? How to check its answers
  AI tools can state wrong facts in a confident tone. Why that happens and a short habit for checking what matters.
• What should you not paste into an AI tool?
  Before you paste a text into an AI tool, think about who could see it. A short list of what to leave out or replace.
• Should I write my prompt in German or in English?
  Modern AI tools handle both well. What matters is that you state the language of the answer and, for German, the form of address.
• Does 'act as an expert' help in a prompt?
  Telling the AI to act as an expert can shift tone, but it does not add knowledge. Naming the audience and the task usually helps more.

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