Practical Tips to Get the Most out of AI Chatbots

ChatGPT and other AI writing tools have become increasingly prevalent in academia, prompting educators to adapt their approaches. Dan Fitzpatrick, author of The AI Classroom, offers insights on how to effectively utilize these AI tools through a framework of “levers” that can enhance interactions and yield superior results.

The PREPARED framework: Fitzpatrick’s approach, dubbed PREPARED, consists of eight levers that users can employ to optimize their AI interactions and obtain more precise, relevant responses.

• The framework is designed to be flexible, allowing users to apply the most relevant elements as needed rather than following a rigid, step-by-step process.
• By understanding and utilizing these levers, educators and students can better harness the power of AI writing tools in academic settings.

Propose: Setting the foundation: This lever emphasizes the importance of crafting clear, concise commands when interacting with AI.

• Users should aim for laser precision in their initial prompts to establish a solid foundation for the AI’s response.
• Vague language should be avoided to ensure the AI understands the intended task or query.

Role: Contextualizing the AI: Assigning a specific role to the AI helps provide context and guides its approach to the given task.

• By telling the AI “who to be,” users can ensure more accurate and relevant responses.
• This lever helps the AI understand the perspective it should adopt when addressing the prompt.

Explicit Instructions: Eliminating ambiguity: Providing clear, detailed instructions is crucial for obtaining desired results from AI interactions.

• Users should not assume the AI can infer unstated information or requirements.
• Explicit instructions help align the AI’s output with the user’s expectations and needs.

Presentation: Shaping the response: This lever focuses on setting clear parameters for how the AI should present its output.

• Users can specify the format, length, or style of the response they require.
• By controlling the presentation, users can ensure the AI’s output is tailored to their specific needs.

Ask: Encouraging AI inquiry: This innovative approach involves instructing the AI to ask follow-up questions to refine its understanding of the task.

• Users can request that the AI present these questions in bullet points for easier readability.
• This process helps the AI gather additional information to provide more thorough and accurate responses.

Rate: Implementing self-evaluation: By asking the AI to rate its own responses, users can gain insight into the AI’s decision-making process.

• This self-evaluation can include evidence to support the AI’s rating of its output.
• Understanding the AI’s self-assessment can help users refine their prompts or request improvements.

Emotions: Leveraging emotional context: Surprisingly, AI can respond to emotional cues within prompts.

• Users can emphasize the importance of accuracy or quality in their requests.
• Appealing to the AI’s “emotional side” may lead to more nuanced or carefully considered responses.

Diversity: Addressing bias proactively: This lever encourages users to actively seek out diverse perspectives in AI-generated content.

• By instructing the AI to search for underrepresented voices, users can help mitigate unconscious biases.
• This approach promotes more inclusive and comprehensive AI outputs.

Flexible application for optimal results: Fitzpatrick emphasizes that the PREPARED framework is not meant to be applied rigidly but rather as a toolkit for enhancing AI interactions.

• Users can start with natural conversations and selectively employ relevant levers as needed.
• This flexible approach allows for on-the-fly adaptation of prompts to extract more specific and accurate information from AI tools.

Implications for education: The integration of AI writing tools in academia is no longer a future prospect but a present reality.

• Educators and students who master the PREPARED framework can potentially gain a significant advantage in leveraging AI for academic purposes.
• As AI continues to evolve, understanding how to effectively interact with these tools will likely become an increasingly valuable skill in educational settings.