Prompt Engineering for GenAI - Beginner-Level Course

What is this course about?

This workshop is designed to introduce to the basics of prompt engineering for generative AI (GenAI). The ability to design meaningful prompts is one of the core competencies required to successfully use for GenAI tools. By understanding how GenAI works and by exploring different prompting techniques, participants will gain foundational skills for writing effective prompts. By the end of the course, they will be comfortable using their prompting techniques to get the most out of GenAI across a variety of tools.

Version of content

• Last updated: June 5, 2024
• Updates: Presentation now includes slides on 'Prompts & Academic Integrity'

This workshop is for: 

• Undergraduate students
• Graduate students
• Faculty
• UVic staff
• Library Folk

Prerequisites:

• This course does not require any prerequisites.
• Bringing your personal computing device with internet access will be helpful in the hand-on activities

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand the role of prompts in GenAI

• Know the key principles for designing GenAI prompts

• Be familiar with a variety of prompting techniques

• Apply a strategic approach to prompt engineering
  • to reduce vagueness & ambiguity
  • to address bias & hallucinations

Estimated workshop time: 80 mins

Presentation (35 minutes)

Hands-on activities (45 minutes)

Abbreviations & Terminology

• GenAI = Generative AI
• AI; GenAI; GenAI tool; AI model
  • nuanced differences
  • here: used synonymously
• Prompt Chains = ‘Conversations’ with GenAI; Prompt sequences
• Prompt Design vs. Prompt Engineering
  • terminological ambiguity
  • using them synonymously
  • ‘Prompt Engineering’ most established

Briggs, L. (2024). Prompt Design For Beginners: Make the robot work for you. [LibGuide].  University of Victoria Libraries. https://libguides.uvic.ca/promptdesign

Lo, L. S. (2023). The CLEAR path: A framework for enhancing information literacy through prompt engineering. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 49(4), 102720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102720

McCue, R. (2024). Generative AI for Student Research. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Lo5T4f46W9E7MjyL2T7sN0UoO6ep4Jslr7Rm8KRe2I0

Miao, F., & Holmes, W. (2023). Guidance for generative AI in education and research (UNESCO Digital Library, p. 44). UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386693

OpenAI. (2023). Prompt Engineering. OpenAI Developer Platform: Guides. https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/prompt-engineering/prompt-engineering

Ray, T. (2023, September 15). Uh oh, now AI is better than you at prompt engineering. ZDNET. https://www.zdnet.com/article/uh-oh-now-ai-is-better-than-you-at-prompt-engineering/