Prompt Engineering Terms
Browse all prompt engineering term lessons by stage.
Why terms matter
Terms are the language of prompt quality. When you know which ingredient is missing, you can fix weak prompts in seconds.
Stage 1: Prompt Foundations
Task
Task If prompt engineering had a steering wheel, Task would be the part that points the car somewhere usef...
Open termGoal
Goal A prompt without a goal is basically a road trip with no destination. You might still end up somewher...
Open termContext
Context Context is the stuff your prompt should have said before it started expecting miracles. It is the ...
Open termAudience
Audience When you write a prompt, audience means one simple thing: who the answer is for. That sounds obvi...
Open termTone
Tone Tone is one of the fastest ways to make an AI response feel useful instead of weirdly off-brand, too ...
Open termFormat
Format Format is one of the simplest prompt engineering terms, and one of the most useful. It answers a ve...
Open termResult
Result If a prompt is a request, the result is the thing you actually want returned at the end. Simple ide...
Open termStage 2: Precision and Guardrails
Role
Role Role is one of the simplest ways to make a prompt better, fast. It tells ChatGPT who it should be, or...
Open termLimits
Limits Limits are the guardrails of a prompt. They tell ChatGPT where the edges are, what it should avoid,...
Open termGuardrails
Guardrails Guardrails are the part of a prompt that tells ChatGPT what to avoid, what to be careful about,...
Open termExamples
Examples Examples are one of the fastest ways to make a prompt better. Instead of hoping the AI reads your...
Open termDetail
Detail Detail is what turns a vague prompt into something the AI can actually work with. It means adding d...
Open termHook
Hook A hook is the part of a prompt that gets attention fast. It is the opening line that makes the AI imm...
Open termStage 3: Working with Input Material
Input Material
Input Material Input material is the stuff you hand to ChatGPT so it has something real to work with. It i...
Open termSummarization
Summarization Summarization is one of the most useful prompt engineering skills because it helps you turn ...
Open termOrganization
Organization Organization in prompt engineering is exactly what it sounds like: taking a pile of thoughts,...
Open termChunking
Chunking Chunking is the simple but surprisingly powerful habit of breaking big information into smaller, ...
Open termMethod
Method Method is the part of a prompt that tells ChatGPT how to do the task, not just what task to do. If ...
Open termStage 4: Teaching and Practice Loops
Teaching Level
Teaching Level Teaching Level is the part of a prompt that tells the AI how deep, simple, or advanced the ...
Open termPractice
Practice Practice is the part of a prompt where the user stops just reading and actually does something. I...
Open termScenario
Scenario A scenario in prompt engineering means you give the AI a simulated situation to work inside. Inst...
Open termUser Need
User Need If a prompt is missing one thing, it is often this: the actual problem that needs solving. User ...
Open termStage 5: Evaluation and Refinement
Evaluation
Evaluation Evaluation is the part of prompt engineering where you stop nodding politely at the AI’s answer...
Open termFeedback
Feedback Feedback in prompt engineering is the part where you ask the AI to improve something, not just pr...
Open termRefinement
Refinement Refinement is the part of prompt engineering where you stop accepting the first draft like it i...
Open termIteration
Iteration Iteration is the part of prompt engineering where you stop expecting one perfect prompt to do al...
Open termStage 6: Comparison and Decision Prompts
Comparison
Comparison Comparison is the part of prompt engineering where you ask the AI to choose between options ins...
Open termTrade Offs
Trade-offs Trade-offs are what happen when a choice solves one problem and quietly creates another. In pro...
Open termDecision
Decision A decision in a prompt is the moment you stop collecting options and actually ask for a final cal...
Open termAssumptions
Assumptions Assumptions are the sneaky little gremlins hiding inside a prompt. They are the things ChatGPT...
Open termPerspective Shift
Perspective Shift Perspective Shift is exactly what it sounds like: asking the AI to look at the same topi...
Open termStage 7: Verification and Critical Thinking
Evidence
Evidence Evidence is the part of a prompt that says, “Don’t just tell me something, show me why.” It asks ...
Open termCritical Thinking
Critical Thinking Critical thinking in prompting means you do not just accept the first answer like it arr...
Open termConfidence
Confidence Confidence is the part of a prompt that asks the AI to say how sure it is about its own answer....
Open term