Eliciting the desired response from ChatGPT is an art and a science centered around crafting an effective prompt. But what separates a good prompt from an ineffective one? This chapter provides an exhaustive examination of the essential components of a well-constructed prompt.

The power of clarity and directness

The first characteristic of an effective prompt is clarity. Clarity means that the instructions provided in the prompt are transparent and direct, leaving little room for ambiguity. A clear prompt acts as a direct beacon for the ChatGPT model, illuminating the path it should follow in generating a response.

To illustrate, consider these two prompts:

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