There are many prompt engineering frameworks available. We have highlighted two below and a quick web search will find many more.
PROMPT Design Framework
PROMPT Design Framework by Sarah Hartman-Caverly, Librarian at Penn State Berks
Use the PROMPT Design Framework to optimize output from generative AI by specifying a Persona, Requirements, Organization, Medium, Purpose, and Tone.
When using the PROMPT Design Framework, think of each part as an instruction for the AI to reduce confusion and make your output closer to what you need.This approach helps streamline the process and improve the relevance of the output.
Here is how you can use the PROMPT framework for the following situation: You are an undergraduate student and need information for you assignment on the influence of social media on the mental health of teenagers
|
PROMPT |
Reason |
Example |
|
Persona |
Define who you want the AI to be. |
“You are a psychology lecturer who specializes in adolescent mental health” |
|
Requirements |
State what you need, details, word count, reading level, include/exclude |
“Give me evidence-based studies from 2018 onwards, include statistics if available, and mention both positive and negative influences of social media. Keep it around 500 words.” |
|
Organization |
Describe how you want the response structured. |
Alphabetical, chronological, table, bulleted or numbered list, step by-step instructions, etc. “Include an introduction, 3–4 main points in clear paragraphs, and a short conclusion.” |
|
Medium |
Describe the format of output. |
Narrative, social media post, code, spreadsheet, website, slide deck, image, survey, interview, etc “Write it as an academic summary suitable for a first-year undergraduate essay draft.” |
|
Purpose |
Explain why you need it |
Explain, summarize, entertaining, convincing, etc “This will be used to help write my assignment on the topic.” |
|
Tone |
Describe the voice or style. |
Academic, professional, informal, etc “Use a neutral, formal, academic tone.” |
Completed prompt:
''You are a psychology lecturer, specialising in adolescent mental health and social media research. Write an evidence-based academic summary (about 500 words) on how social media influences teenagers’ mental health. Use peer-reviewed studies from 2018 onwards, mention both positive and negative effects, and include statistics if available. Organize the text with an introduction, 3–4 clear main points, and a conclusion. This is for an undergraduate essay draft, so keep the tone formal, neutral, and academic. Please include sources used. ''
Include prompts in the appendix of your assignment for full transparency.