0:00
/
0:00
Transcript

3. Tell better stories with AI or about AI

Let your AI explain why it loves the taste of pizza. It's not that GenAI is silent.

You sit at your desk. Fingers hovering over the keyboard. The human prompts, the machine responds. ChatGPT stares back at you. The cursor waits while ChatGPT thinks. That rainbow wheel is doing more loops than a rollercoaster having an existential crisis. You type a prompt, but the response misses the mark completely. Sound familiar?

AI tools transform how we work—but only if we know how to talk to them. Think of prompting as learning a new language. You wouldn’t walk into a French café and expect perfect service with broken phrases from your high school textbook. The same goes for AI. Let us show you how to order exactly what you want.

Context shapes meaning

And meaning creates context. Most self-proclaimed AI experts write prompts like they’re sending a text message to a stranger. A quick “write me a literature review” gets you about as far as “food please” gets you in a restaurant. Your AI assistant needs context—rich, specific, carefully crafted context.

Start with a clear frame. Tell the AI who you are, what you’re working on, and what you need. Plant the seed, and watch the garden grow. Give it boundaries, expectations, and examples. It’s not unlike showing a research scholar their first steps. The more specific you are, the better your results.

Tools serve you

Or you end up serving tools. Not every AI fits every task. Claude 3.5 Sonnet shines at complex analysis. GitHub Copilot accelerates coding. HeyGen helps create educational videos. Pick your tool like you’d pick your research method—match it to your objective. We discussed this at length in our webinar.

Start small. Small steps make great journeys, but great journeys also begin with the smallest of steps. Test different tools on manageable tasks. Compare their outputs. Build your toolkit gradually, and you’ll develop an instinct for which assistant suits which job. Shop for AI tools like you’re casting characters for another ‘The Office’ reboot.

Frame with precision. Frame with intent.

Frame with clarity. Prompts work best when they follow a clear structure. Here's my tested approach:

  1. Set the stage with context

  2. Define the specific task

  3. Provide examples of what you want

  4. Specify format and length

  5. Ask for step-by-step reasoning

  6. Request specific frameworks or approaches

Think of it as writing a detailed research proposal. Format those citations while you’re juggling flaming chainsaws, APA style. The clearer your requirements, the better your results.

Build better conversations

Stop treating AI like a vending machine. Single-shot prompts rarely give you the best results. Instead, build a conversation. Start broad, then narrow down. Ask follow-up questions. Challenge assumptions. Guide the AI toward your goal through dialogue.

These tools predict text based on patterns. Help them understand your patterns through clear, structured conversation.

Need more guidance? Check out our webinar. We discuss practical applications of AI tools in academic work.

Until next time.

Discussion about this podcast