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Using Generative AI To Do Research

Effective Prompt Strategies

The way you prompt using text-generating AI tools will have an important link to the output the tool gives you. Savvy prompting leads to better outputs! So learn here from the tips we share!

 

Prompting means the questions and instructions you give AI tools like ChatGPT to get what you want. You're essentially telling the model how to behave. Depending on the tool, it can give you text, images, videos, code, or other content.

Keep in mind that the same prompt can produce different results, even with the same tool. This happens because AI tools are complex and designed with built-in randomness. Different tools also vary because they use different designs, training data, and methods. Plus, AI models get updated regularly, which can change how they respond.

  • For prompting guides check out the links in the tabs above!

See below a list of key tips from some of the best prompting guides or frameworks.

BASIC TIPS FOR WRITING EFFECTIVE PROMPTS

  • Provide context.
  • Give the AI tool a role or persona to play.
  • Be concise and direct (short sentences).
  • Be specific.
  • Provide constraints if applicable.
  • Spell out the goal or task you want to achieve.
  • Offer clear and full instructions.
    • Examples are often helpful or spelling out steps or subtasks where applicable.
  • Tell it how you want your output formatted, e.g., as code, a bulleted list, a chart, a presentation.
  • Consider defining your target audience for the output to be generated.
  • Define tone or style of output as needed.
  • Don't stop at one prompt! Doing research is iterative and dynamic and so is prompting! Keep conversing and developing your inquiry through prompting.

 

EXAMPLE OF PROMPTING FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES

Prompt Example - Help scoping your topic and crafting your search strategy for an assignment
Remember to check with your instructor first, if their course allows AI use in this way.
1. Initial prompt: Large Topic - > Help identifying facets of it

SAMPLE PROMPT: I'm a university student writing a research paper for my undergraduate course in Sociology.  Act as a topic expert. I need help coming up with a topic. I'm interested in topics related to youth homelessness. Please give me a list of ten topic ideas related to this topic.

TIP: While this is one source that can help, for best results, use it in tandem with library guides on developing your topic. We recommend SPARK's Choosing Your Topic Module. 
2. Example of next prompt based on ongoing interaction - > More specific topic - > Further sub-topic exploration

SAMPLE PROMPT: Now give me some sub-topics for mental health challenges among homeless youth [one of the ten topics ChatGPT suggests in response to prompt above] 
3. Example of next prompt based on ongoing interaction: Defined topic focus - > Help with search strategy and keyword generation

SAMPLE PROMPT: I'd like to focus on the topic of mental health interventions and programs for homeless youth. Act like a research expert. Give me tips to build a search strategy to search this topic including keywords and phrases I can use.

TIP: While this is one source that can help, AI can make mistakes with showing how to combine search terms using Boolean but it's good at coming with search vocabulary ideas usually! For best results, use it in tandem with library guides on search strategy, e.g., our Using AND/OR for Best Research Results video, or our SPARK's Research Strategies module

CLEAR Framework

Concise, Logical, Explicit, Adaptive, Reflective
Category
Description
Examples
Concise
  • Be clear
  • Avoid superfluous information
  • Be specific
  • Indicate what is most important for your question/task

Do not use:  Tell me about the history of computing technology.

Use: Provide an overview of the milestones for technological advancements in computing from 1950 to today. Highlight the most renowned innovations relating to the history of personal computing based on their significance and impact. Include the names of important inventors or companies involved. Limit this response to 500 words.
Logical
  • Have a logical structure to the information in the prompt, e.g. if asking for steps or elements of a task or process, indicate a clear logical order that needs to underpin the output generated
  • Make relationships between concepts clear
  • Provide context that's useful

Do not use: What's the scientific method?

Use: Describe the steps in the scientific method, starting with forming a hypothesis and ending with drawing conclusions.
Explicit
  • Have clear output specifications, e.g, defining format, content or scope needed
  • Be specific about type of information sought

Do not use: What are some renewable energy sources?

Use: Identify five renewable energy sources and explain how each works.
Adaptive
  • Let your prompts evolve (rephrase and restructure them), informed by the ongoing interaction, i.e. be flexible
  • Experiment with different prompt formulations and phrasing, i.e., be adaptive
  • Be creative with prompts

Actually, that's not what I meant. I meant __________

Can you provide more examples?

Example: 

If asking: "What is the impact of social media on mental health?" and the responses are too general, consider a follow-up prompt such as: "Examine the relationship between social media usage and anxiety in adolescents?"
Reflective
  • Evaluate the outputs the generative AI tool produces
  • Be responsive and adaptive based on reflective evaluation, i.e., to inform how you engage in further prompting
 To help you with evaluating and verifying what a generative AI tool produces, consult the Verifying What You Find and Use section of this guide.

Source: Lo, L. S. (2023). The CLEAR path: A framework for enhancing information literacy through prompt engineering. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 49(4), 102720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102720 

These are selected additional sources that are useful for learning about how to engage in effective prompting.