Req 6c — Prompt Engineering

You have learned five methods of communicating with AI. Now it is time to learn how to communicate well. This is called prompt engineering — the skill of crafting your input to an AI system so that you get the best possible output. It is one of the most practical skills you will learn in this merit badge, and you will use it every time you interact with an AI chatbot or generative AI tool.

Why Prompts Matter So Much

An AI does not read your mind. It can only work with what you give it. A vague, unclear prompt produces a vague, unclear response. A specific, well-structured prompt produces a focused, useful response. The AI has not changed — only your instructions have.

Think of it this way: if you asked a friend to “draw something cool,” you would get a very different result than if you said “draw a red-tailed hawk perched on a pine branch in a watercolor style.” Both are valid requests, but one gives the person (or the AI) far more to work with.

The Five Principles of Good Prompt Engineering

1. Be Specific

Tell the AI exactly what you want. Include details about the topic, scope, length, format, and audience.

2. Provide Context

Give the AI background information so it understands the situation. Context helps the AI tailor its response to your specific needs.

3. Set the Format

Tell the AI how you want the output structured. Do you want a list? A table? A step-by-step guide? Bullet points? A paragraph? If you do not specify, the AI will guess — and it may guess wrong.

Example: “Create a comparison table with three columns: Feature, Narrow AI, and General AI. Include at least five rows covering different characteristics.”

4. Use Examples

Showing the AI an example of what you want is often more effective than describing it. This technique is sometimes called few-shot prompting — you give the AI a few examples, and it follows the pattern.

Example: “I need to write vocabulary flashcards. Here is my format:

• Word: Photosynthesis
• Definition: The process plants use to convert sunlight into energy
• Example sentence: During photosynthesis, leaves absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

Now create flashcards in this same format for these words: mitosis, osmosis, symbiosis.”

5. Iterate and Refine

Your first prompt rarely produces the perfect result — and that is completely normal. Prompt engineering is an iterative process. You send a prompt, evaluate the response, and then adjust your prompt to get closer to what you want.

Iteration example:

1. First prompt: “Write about the American Revolution” → Too broad
2. Second prompt: “Write about the causes of the American Revolution for a school report” → Better, but too long
3. Third prompt: “Write a 200-word summary of three main causes of the American Revolution, written for an 8th grade audience” → Just right

Common Prompt Techniques

Beyond the five principles, here are some specific techniques that can dramatically improve your results:

Role Assignment

Tell the AI to adopt a specific role or perspective. This shapes the tone, vocabulary, and depth of the response.

Example: “You are an experienced marine biologist explaining coral reef ecosystems to a group of middle school students on a field trip. Explain why coral reefs are important and what threatens them.”

Chain-of-Thought Prompting

Ask the AI to show its reasoning step by step. This often produces more accurate and complete answers, especially for math, logic, and analysis tasks.

Example: “Solve this problem step by step, showing your work at each stage: If a Scout troop of 12 members needs to raise $3,600 for summer camp, and they have already earned $1,200 from a car wash, how much does each Scout need to raise from popcorn sales?”

Constraints

Set clear boundaries on what the AI should and should not include.

Example: “Explain quantum computing in exactly 100 words. Do not use any technical jargon. Do not use analogies involving cats.”

Why This Matters

Prompt engineering is important for several reasons:

1. Efficiency — Good prompts save time. Instead of going back and forth five times, a well-crafted prompt can get you what you need on the first or second try.
2. Accuracy — Specific prompts lead to more accurate, relevant responses with fewer errors and hallucinations.
3. Critical thinking — Writing a good prompt forces you to think clearly about what you actually need. This is a valuable skill far beyond AI.
4. Equity — Anyone can learn prompt engineering. You do not need to know how to code or understand the math behind AI. This makes AI more accessible to everyone.

Preparing for Your Discussion

When you explain prompt engineering to your counselor, aim to cover: