Prompt Engineering Adventures: Playing with 14 Different Types of Prompts!

Hey there, adventurers! 🌟 Welcome back! Last time, we learned how to talk to our computer friends with fun questions and instructions. If you missed our first adventure, you can read it here.

Today, let’s go on a new adventure and discover different kinds of prompts!

What Are Different Types of Prompts?

Just like there are lots of fun games to play, there are many types of prompts we can use to chat with our computer friends. Let’s explore each one!

Straightforward Prompt:

• This is a simple, clear question or instruction.
• Example: “What is 2 + 2?” or “What’s the weather today?”
• When to use: When you want a direct answer quickly. Think of it like asking your friend to turn on the lights.

Tabular Formatting Prompt:

• Ask your computer friend to organize information into a cool table!
• Example: “Show me a table of different fruits and their colors.”
• When to use: Use this when you want to organize or compare data, like looking at a schedule or menu.

Missing Word Prompting:

• Play a guessing game with your computer friend! Give it a sentence with a missing word.
• Example: “The sky is _____ today.”
• When to use: Use this to fill in the blanks and make learning fun, like when playing Mad Libs!

Preceding Question Prompting:

• Ask a question based on something mentioned earlier.
• Example: “I love the ocean. What do you like most about the ocean?”
• When to use: Use this to provide context, like in surveys, interviews, and educational assessments.

Comparative Analysis Prompt:

• Have the computer compare two things for you!
• Example: “Which is faster, a cheetah or a falcon?”
• When to use: Use this when you want to weigh different options, just like comparing two brands at the store.

Experiential Perspective Prompt:

• Ask your computer friend to describe an experience or a feeling.
• Example: “What is it like to ride a roller coaster?”
• When to use: Use this to imagine different adventures, like daydreaming about a fun trip!

Developmental Critique Prompt:

• Get feedback on an idea or project.
• Example: “What do you think of my idea for a flying bicycle?”
• When to use: Use this for creative ideas or to improve your projects, like asking a teacher for feedback.

Everyday Functioning Prompts:

• Focus on everyday tasks and practical tips.
• Example: “What’s the best way to make a sandwich?” or “How do I tie my shoelaces?”
• When to use: Use this when you need help with daily activities, like asking a parent or friend for advice.

Universal Prompt Structures:

• Use general structures to keep questions simple and easy.
• Example: “What’s a good bedtime story?”
• When to use: Use this to keep things straightforward, like asking a librarian for a book recommendation.

Prompt Refinements:

• Make changes to your prompts to get better answers.
• Example: Change “What is the best pizza topping?” to “What’s the most popular pizza topping?”
• When to use: Use this to improve your questions, like trying different ways to ask your friend for help.

Prompt Priming:

• Give the computer context before asking a question.
• Example: “I love stories about animals. Can you tell me one?”
• When to use: Use this when you want to set the scene, like telling someone your favorite genre before asking for a movie recommendation.

Zero, One, and Few Shot Prompting:

• Choose how much context to give the computer: none (zero), one example (one-shot), or a few examples (few-shot).
• Example: In few-shot, you might say, “Once there was a brave knight. Can you tell me another story about a brave knight?”
• When to use: Use this to control how much the computer knows before answering, like giving more information when asking a question.

Reverse Engineered Prompt Generation:

• Ask the computer to come up with a prompt for you.
• Example: “Computer, can you create a prompt for me to play with?”
• When to use: Use this to be surprised or inspired, like asking a friend for a fun challenge.

Chain of Thought Prompting:

• Get the computer to explain how it thinks and solves problems.
• Example: “Can you explain how you solved this math problem?”
• When to use: Use this to understand the computer’s thinking, like asking a tutor to explain a math solution.

Now that you know about all these exciting types of prompts, you can play around with them and have a blast! Try using different types of prompts with your computer friend and see what fun answers and creations you get! 🌟

In the next part, we’ll dive deeper into each type of prompt and learn how to use them like a pro. Stay tuned for more prompt engineering adventures!