Good prompting is clear briefing. The model only knows what’s in the conversation, so strong prompts give role, task, context, and format.
Four patterns to memorize
- Role + Task: "You are a biology teacher. Explain photosynthesis to a 5th grader."
- Show an example: paste one good sample and ask for the same style.
- Ask for steps: "List the pros and cons, then recommend one."
- Demand sources or uncertainty: "If you’re not sure, say so instead of guessing."
The last pattern is the professional one: asking the model to express uncertainty cuts hallucinations sharply in practice, because it changes the most likely next words from a confident guess to an honest "I don’t know".