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Scholarly use of GenAI tools

This guide provides information on using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools responsibly in scholarly contexts.

What is prompt engineering?

The process of crafting and refining natural-language inputs to guide GenAI tools and models, particularly large language models (LLMs), to produce desired outputs. Effectively designing such conversational inputs helps these AI systems understand the user's intent, follow instructions, and generate relevant and accurate responses.

Six key principles for effective prompt design

1. Keep It Simple

  • Use clear, straightforward language.
  • Avoid unnecessary complexity.
  • Start simple: Begin with a basic prompt and add details only if needed.

2. Be Specific

  • Include the necessary level of detail to achieve the desired result.
  • Avoid ambiguous or vague expressions.
  • Use concrete terms instead of general or unclear wording.

3. Provide Context

  • Give relevant background information
  • State your purpose
  • Include any necessary constraints

4. Structure Complex Requests

  • Break large tasks into smaller steps
  • Create a sequence of focused prompts
  • Build on previous responses

5. Define Your Output

  • Specify the desired format (poetry, list, code, etc.)
  • Set clear parameters (length, style, tone, etc.)
  • Indicate level of detail needed

6. Iterate & Refine

  • Test and adjust your prompts
  • Refine prompts based on past responses
  • Try different approaches if needed

Quick Tips:

  • Modularly combine these principles as required.
  • Start with a basic prompt and refine it based on the response.
  • Simplicity and specificity work in tandem: your prompts should be as simple as possible while remaining as specific as necessary.
  • Remember that effective prompting is an iterative process.

GenAI presentation templates - Download, reuse & adapt

AI Basics

History, Core Technologies & AI Types

These slides
→ foster a basic understanding of what AI is
→ unravel some of the technical language
→ equip the audience to follow discussions on AI
→ facilitate appreciation of everyday applications of AI

Download this PowerPoint presentation

AI Ethics & Safety

Introduction to ethical & safety implications of using AI

These slides
→ introduce ethical implications of AI usage
→ introduce strategies to responsible interaction with AI 
→ provide an overview on fair, accountable, and responsible AI development

Download this PowerPoint presentation.

AI Citations

How to cite & reference generative AI tools

These slides explain
→ why citing AI tools is imperative to academic integrity
→ when it is appropriate to cite generative AI
→ major citation style providers' (APA, MLA, Chicago,...) current guidelines

Download this PowerPoint presentation.

AI Terminology

Lightning Talk on AI Technologies & Terminology 

These slides
→ are a condensed version of the slides on 'AI Basics'
→ explain some of the core A.I. concepts, types, and terminology as briefly as possible 
→ help gain a foundational understanding of what AI is

Download this PowerPoint presentation.

Creative Commons License
This work by The University of Victoria Libraries is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License unless otherwise indicated when material has been used from other sources.