prompting step-by-step)

How to use the tools?

STeP 0: open the tool

Choose the tool you would like to try out and go to the website. Most tools will require you to create an account. Below you can find websites of the best-known chatbots.

Gemini

1. Open a web browser of your choice
2. Ga naar gemini.google.com
3. Create an account
4. Log in

ChatGPT

1. Open a web browser of your choice
2. Go to chatgpt.com
3. Create an account
4. Log in

Claude

1. Opent a web browser of your choice
2. Go to claude.ai
3. Create an account
4. Log in

Microsoft Copilot 1. Open a web browser of your choice 2. Go to copilot.microsoft.com 3. Log in with your Ghent University account

STEP 1

STEP 1: decide ON WHAT OUTPUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET

Ask your chosen generative-AI tool a question or give it a task (e.g. write e-mail, summarise, ...). Such a question should be clearly and specifically formulated. This is also called prompt engineering, which means as much as giving a specific (role of the tool, context, form...), concise and unambiguous instruction to the system. A general roadmap that works for every tool does not exist. However, there are some general elements you can integrate into the question you ask the system. First, ask yourself what output you would like to obtain.

TKST

DATA-VISUALISATION

TEXT

PICTURES

STEP 2: ask a question (text)

Describe the task or problem you are presenting and give the tool a role.

Possibilities

The more details, the better the chatbot can help you generate the desired answer.

Possibilities

If necessary, give instructions on the desired form of the result.

Think of length, style, structure...

Give the system feedback on what you like and don't like about the result.

Possibilities

You can continue to do this chat-wise until you get the desired result.

Ask for clarification if something is not clear.

Ask for multiple versions or a number of answers

• Be specific. The more details you outline, the more relevant the output. Keep everything to the point.
• Use action words: compare, describe, explain...
• Ask open-ended questions.
• Use examples of the desired outcome in the question.
• Provide restrictions to refine the answer.

• Avoid asking too many questions at once.

Step 2: Ask a question (image)

Base Input

Additional Possible Additions

Describe the central objects/people/... of the image. Do you want these objects or people to have specific characteristics? Describe them as well.

Describe the from when the picture should be

Describe the style

Describe the color palette.

Describe the form. What style do you want the image in?

Describe the texture

Describe the environment

Example

Example

Do you want to go the extra mile? Then also add camera principles to your prompt.

PRINCIPlES

Avoid descriptions that can't be depicted. Write "a woman, formally dressed, in the middle of an auditorium" rather than "a programme chair in the middle of an auditorium". Since "programme chair" is not intuitive to depict, the tool will integrate the word into the image. And there are (currently) still spelling errors in it.

The tools are (currently) having a hard time understanding what should not be integrated into the image. It is possible that the description "a man without a moustache" will still result in a man with a moustache. Therefore, try to avoic "not", "without"....

Step 2: ASK A QUESTION (DATA VISUALIZATION)

Describe the context and type of data you want to visualize.

What is the subject of the data? Do you want quantitative, geographical data... describe?

Specify the type of chart you want to use.

For example, line chart, bar chart, pie chart, scatter plot, box plot... Specific colors or styles

Name titles, labels, and style.

Please indicate any preferences for colors or style. Also, make sure you clearly state which titles, labels... you want to include (X- and Y-axis names, scale or unit, column names...).

Filter the data in advance and add markers.

Specify whether you want to apply certain filters to the data before it is displayed (e.g. limiting it to a certain time period, filtering on specific criteria...). Do you want to include certain markers or reference lines in the visualization? Name them right away.

Provide markers or reference lines

Do you want to include certain markers or reference lines in the visualization? Name them right away (add reference line, mark peaks in graph, etc.).

Example

Some tools can deliver the visualization in a specific file type (bv. PNG image).

Step 3 : stay critical

Are you satisfied with the result? Then be sure to take a critical look at the answer. Look for irregularities, irrelevant information, grammatical errors,... before you use the text. For example, ask yourself the following questions:

Is the information sufficient, accurate and logical?

• Compare facts, figures, and other concrete information with reliable sources.
• Check for reasoning errors, inconsistencies, or ambiguities in the generated content.
• Consider whether the output is complete and in-depth enough
• Ask yourself if the output is authentic and creative.

Is the output relevant and contextually appropriate?

See if the output you got from the tool matches your question.

• Is everything in the answer relevant?
• Does the answer fit within the context (e.g. academically written)?

How inclusive and diverse is the output?

• Evaluate whether the output takes into account and respects different cultures, identities, and perspectives.

...

Are you not satisfied with the result? Do you think it's too vague, incomplete, or beside the point? Engage with the tool and have elements added, removed...

STAP 1

• Vertel het systeem ‘wie’ het is of welke rol het opneemt. Op die manier kan het de juiste toon en invalshoek gebruiken:bijv. “Je bent een academicus, expert in X,…” of “Je maakt dit voor educatieve doeleinden.”

• Geef de context van het probleem en mogelijke beperkingen mee (wat moet/mag er bijvoorbeeld niet in het resultaat zitten).
• Specifieer ook het doel of de doelgroep. Zo kan het model de juiste focus hanteren.
• Schets de stappen nodig om de taak te voltooien. Wil je een bepaalde volgorde in je antwoord? Geef dat dan ook aan. bijv. 'Leg eerst uit wat Y is, bespreek vervolgens de voordel

• Lengte: : maximum 500 woorden, drie paragrafen, …

Let op: de GAI-tools kunnen niet echt tellen. Het is dus eerder een richtlijn die je meegeeft dan een exacte instructie.

• Stijl: informeel, formeel, humoristisch, …

• Structuur: volgorde van concepten, …

• Specifieke aspecten: tabel, opsommingstekens, belangrijkste begrippen vetgedrukt…

• the time of day,
• foggy morning, twilight evening,...
• the style
• inspired by Salvador Dali, impressionist...
• the colour palette
• tones, bright colours, blue tones,...
• the texture,
• patchwork,...
• feedback
• "The image is good, but I

wish a green color."

Please note that not all tools will understand these principles. Free tools will not specifically integrate principles such as the lens and the camera into the output.

• Camera
• Describe a professional camera e.g. Canon EOS-1D X MARK III' or a camera type e.g. pinhole camera
• Lens
• Describe a specific lens e.g. Canon eos 2000d
• Depth
• Describe the depth settings e.g. f/1.4
• Exposure
• Experiment with lighting techniques e.g. natural light, colour filters, certain effects...
• Perspective
• Describe the perspective: eye level, bird's eye view, fisheye...

• central objects/persons/...
• a man with short brown hair and a moustache,
• a group of students,...

• The medium is
• a realistic photo, watercolor painting, cartoon, digital image,..
• The environment
• a forest, a meadow, a living room, a busy city,...

Prompt: "Visualize a retail company's monthly sales data over the past five years. Use a line chart to show the trends in total revenue by month. Add a reference line at €500,000 to mark the monthly revenue target. Use shades of green to differentiate the different years. Label the y-axis "Revenue in €" and the x-axis is labeled "Month." Use "Monthly Sales Trends (2019-2023)" as the title. Deliver the visualization as a PNG image."

Geef specifiek aan welk deel van de output goed is en welk deel moet veranderen. Bijvoorbeeld:

• “De eerste alinea moet formeler geschreven worden, de rest mag ongewijzigd blijven.”
• “Alinea 2 is goed. De rest van de mail moet korter geschreven worden”
• "Kan je idee 3 verder uitwerken?"