Better Results with ChatGPT — OpenAI: Commands and Practical Tips

Here’s how to get better results with ChatGPT

Tell ChatGPT what you want to achieve, provide the necessary information, and describe what the answer should look like. Refine the result with targeted follow-up questions and verify key details before using the text, calculation, or recommendation.

How can you get better answers from ChatGPT?

A clear assignment makes it obvious what constitutes a useful result for you. “Write a text” leaves a lot open to interpretation. “Write a friendly reminder email of no more than 120 words to a customer who still needs to submit documents” provides immediate direction.

You don’t need to learn a programming language to do this. You simply write in plain language. A short question may be enough; for larger projects, background information, examples, and clear terms and conditions are helpful.

Then continue working on the response. Indicate what’s already good and what needs to be changed. That way, you won’t have to start over every time.

A practical assignment answers three questions: What needs to be done? What factors need to be taken into account? And when is the result good enough?

What is a prompt?

A prompt is the input you use to get ChatGPT started. It can be a question, a task, a piece of text with instructions, or a combination of these.

“What does this word mean?” is already a prompt. You don’t need to turn it into a detailed instruction. More explanation becomes useful when multiple answers are possible and it’s important which direction ChatGPT chooses.

Suppose you need a schedule. Without further information, it remains unclear how much time you have, which tasks take priority, and whether there are fixed deadlines. It is precisely this missing information that determines whether you can carry out the schedule.

A simple structure for clear orders

Use the sections below if they’re relevant to your task. Think of them as a quick reference. You don’t need to fill out an entire form just to ask a simple question.

A fill-in-the-blank sample assignment

Achieve [the desired result] for [the target audience]. Use [information or source material] for this purpose. Take [important circumstances] into account. Deliver it in [format and length]. Retain [data that must not change]. Indicate which necessary information is missing.

Replace the text in parentheses and remove anything you don’t need. A task that you can understand right away is usually a good starting point.

1. Describe the result you need

Start with a verb that clearly describes the task: compare, rewrite, check, summarize, explain, or plan. Then add what you’ll use the result for.

“Help with my presentation” can mean all sorts of things. Maybe you want to choose a topic; maybe you want to shorten existing slides. Please specify what you need.

From a broad request to a practical solution

General question: “Help me with a presentation on internet safety.”

Create an outline for a ten-minute presentation on internet safety for 14-year-old students. Divide the explanation across six slides. Include one key message and one relatable example per slide. Develop only the outline.

This assignment also makes it clear where the work ends. You’ll first receive a structure that you can review before any extensive text is written.

2. Provide background information that changes the answer

Not all available information is useful. Select what affects the outcome. For a trip, for example, the starting point, available time, transportation, and interests all matter. A complete life story rarely helps in this regard.

When placing an order, please let us know which choices have already been finalized. Otherwise, you may receive suggestions for items you no longer wish to change.

Help me plan a Saturday afternoon with two teenagers. We’re leaving Kortrijk at 1:00 p.m. and need to be back by 6:00 p.m. We’re traveling by car. Find activities within this time frame and let me know which opening hours I still need to check.

The times in this example are conditions. Activities that are only possible in the morning do not fit the assignment, no matter how appealing they may sound.

3. Identify the reader and their level of knowledge

An explanation for a beginner requires different words than one for a specialist. Age alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Instead, focus on what someone already knows and why they need the explanation.

Explain two-step verification to someone who uses email but knows little about account security. Use a relatable example. Explain no more than two brand new concepts and conclude with what the user needs to remember in practice.

A specific target audience is also helpful when writing business texts. A customer usually wants to know what to do. A colleague, on the other hand, may need background information to make a decision.

4. Choose an appropriate response format

Decide how you’ll present the answer. A short text works well for a message on your phone. A table provides a clearer overview for a comparison. Numbered steps are often clearer for a procedure.

Specify the columns yourself when certain information is important. This makes it easier to compare options side by side.

Compare the three options below in a table with the following columns: option, time required, materials needed, and main drawback. Use “not specified” when information is missing. Conclude with two questions I still need to answer before making my choice.

A table is less suitable when you primarily need to tell a story or provide an explanation. Choose the format that makes it easier for you to read, rather than using the same layout for every assignment.

5. Make it clear what needs to be retained

When rewriting, a text can become more fluid, but important details may get lost. Therefore, specify which details are fixed—such as names, numbers, amounts, and agreements.

Rewrite this invitation in friendly Dutch. Keep the date, location, start time, and registration fee exactly as they are. Shorten the text and place the requested action in the last sentence. Do not add any brand new details.

Be sure to double-check those specific details afterward. This allows you to perform a quick, targeted review rather than relying solely on the general impression that the text sounds right.

6. Make missing information visible

A well-written text may appear more complete than the source material allows. Therefore, make it clear in advance how missing data should be handled.

When working on a concept, you can use placeholders. When making a decision, you may want to answer a few questions first.

Turn these notes into an invitation email. Use [DATE MISSING] and [LOCATION MISSING] when those details haven’t been provided. Include a short list at the bottom of the email with information I still need to add.

When should you ask questions first?

Do that when the missing answer changes the entire outcome. Your available hours are essential for a personalized weekly schedule. For an initial list of ideas, not every detail needs to be set in stone.

Help me create a realistic study plan. First, ask me up to three questions about my available time, exams, and most challenging courses. Only then should you create the plan.

7. Use examples to clarify your preference

Words like “professional,” “smooth,” and “personal” don’t mean the same thing to everyone. A brief example will make your point clearer.

Please also explain what you like about that example. Otherwise, it remains unclear whether you’re referring to the tone, length, structure, or word choice.

Write three short product descriptions based on the information below. Use the example only as a style guide: I want the same simple words and direct opening. Do not copy any sentences, product features, or claims from the example.

An example doesn’t have to be a perfect piece of writing. Just two sentences of your own can show that you prefer to write in a calm and clear style rather than in an exuberant and sales-oriented one.

8. Provide specific feedback on the first response

“Not good” doesn’t say much about what needs to change. Instead, please identify a specific part and describe the desired change. Be sure to mention what should remain the same.

It’s best to focus on the content first and then on the finishing touches. There’s little point in refining the tone five times if the most important explanation is still missing.

9. Break down large tasks that require decision-making

A larger project often involves decision points. Make them visible. For a course, you can first define the target audience and learning objectives, then assess the chapter structure, and finally develop the lessons.

You don’t have to specify every small step yourself. Focus on breaking things down only where taking the wrong direction would require a lot of corrective work.

I want to create a beginner’s course on digital files. First, propose a chapter outline with one learning objective per chapter. Don’t develop the lessons just yet. Indicate where the order depends on prior knowledge.

A practical next step

The structure is good. Now just develop Chapter Two. Use the same terminology as in Chapter One and add three exercises that align with the learning objective.

Keep the approved outline handy while you work. This way, you can check as you write whether each section still aligns with the genuine intent.

10. Assign a clear function to source material

When you add text or a file, please specify what you want done with it. Summarizing, proofreading, and rewriting are different tasks.

When working with multiple documents, make it clear which document serves what purpose. An old manual can provide background information, while a recent change log specifies what should be included now.

Use Document A for the current structure and Document B for the revised opening hours. Only adjust the opening hours. List the sections you’ve changed below the results. Report any discrepancies between the documents.

When dealing with large files, refer as precisely as possible to a chapter, table, or topic. This will also help you compare the answer with the correct passage afterward.

11. Request research when seeking up-to-date information

A general explanation is insufficient for variable information. Please specify the country, time period, and product version for which you are seeking information. Request a web search when available.

A date listed on a page and the date on which something takes effect are not always the same. Be sure to include that distinction in your question when it’s important.

Find the current opening hours for these three museums on Sunday [DATE]. Use their genuine websites. List the opening hours and source link for each museum in a table. Clearly indicate if the information for that date has not been confirmed.

Open the relevant source before making a reservation or any other decision. A source link is a way to verify information; the link alone does not prove that every associated statement is accurate.

12. Make verification part of your assignment

Decide in advance what criteria you’ll use to evaluate the result. For a schedule, for example, this involves available time and a feasible sequence of tasks. For a summary, it involves an accurate representation of the source.

Check the schedule for overlaps, missing travel time, and tasks without duration. First, list the issues you’ve found. Then create a revised version in which you clearly explain the changes.

An additional check using ChatGPT can reveal potential issues. Use it as a tool to aid your own assessment. Especially if the same incorrect assumption is present in the prompt, it may also reappear in a second response.

Practical tasks you can use right away

The examples below are starting points. Replace the text in square brackets and add your own content. Before submitting, check to make sure there are no instructions left that don’t apply to your task.

Making an email clearer

Rewrite the email below so that the recipient immediately understands what I’m asking. Keep the facts and agreements intact. Use a friendly tone, no more than three short paragraphs, and a clear closing question. Include only the subject line and email text.

Use this when you already know what you want to say, but your message has become too long or unclear.

Summarizing a long text

Summarize the text below for someone who hasn’t read the genuine. First, summarize the main points in two sentences, followed by five key points. Do not include any information not found in the text. Condition the conclusion drawn by the source itself.

Then compare the summary with the passages that are most important for your purpose.

Truly understanding a subject

Help me understand how [TOPIC] works. First, ask me what I already know about it. Then provide a brief explanation with an example. Next, ask me one practice question and don’t give me feedback until I’ve answered it.

This approach makes your own understanding clear. Sometimes, simply reading a clear explanation feels easier than applying the subject matter on your own.

Creating a Realistic Daily Schedule

Plan your schedule from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a half-hour lunch break. Use the tasks and time estimates below. Schedule the two most important tasks early in the day. Indicate which tasks do not fit within the available time, rather than silently omitting them.

Enter realistic time estimates. A well-planned schedule becomes unworkable when tasks that take too long are assigned too little time.

Coming up with ideas that make a clear difference

Come up with eight topics for short explanatory videos about [TOPIC]. The target audience is [TARGET AUDIENCE]. For each idea, specify the viewer’s question, the learning objective, and a possible opening. Make sure the ideas address different problems.

Then select a few ideas and develop them further. This way, you can focus on the topics that are truly useful.

Prepare a comparison

Compare these two proposals based on price, scope of work, turnaround time, and missing information. Use only the proposals provided. Do not draw conclusions about quality that are not supported by the documents.

This helps you identify differences before contacting the providers.

Have your own prompt improved

Review my assignment below. Identify up to three ambiguities that could affect the outcome. Ask only necessary questions. Then rewrite my assignment without adding any brand new requirements.

This is especially useful when you have a lot of individual notes. You’ll still need to add any missing source information yourself.

Common Mistakes When Issuing Commands to ChatGPT

Too many different results at once

An article, presentation, social media plan, and newsletter each require different choices. Start with the element on which the rest depends. Then reuse approved information.

Conflicting requirements

“Very brief” and “explain all details in full” can conflict. Specify which takes priority. For example: a short main text with additional details below it.

Tell us only what you don’t want

“No boring text” offers little guidance. Describe the desired approach: a direct opening, concrete examples, and minimal repetition.

Seeing an impressive role as a solution

“You’re the best expert in the world” is no substitute for good data. A job description is especially useful when it clarifies the perspective from which the task should be performed.

Applying a fixed formula everywhere

You don’t need an extensive briefing for a spelling question. Add information only if it changes the answer. This keeps your assignments organized.

Save and reuse a successful order

Save tasks that yield useful results for your work. Enclose variable data in clear brackets, for example [TARGET AUDIENCE], [SOURCE TEXT], and [MAXIMUM LENGTH].

Try using a reusable template on different examples. A template that works well for a short email might omit important information when dealing with a complex complaint.

So be sure to note when you use the command and how you verify the result. This makes your collection more useful than a long list of individual prompts without explanation.

Terms and search terms

Frequently Asked Questions About Better ChatGPT Prompts

Does a good prompt have to be long?

No. A brief prompt can be clear enough. Be sure to include information needed to choose the right direction among various possible answers.

Do I need to write my assignments in English?

For standard Dutch tasks, you can use Dutch. Keep product names and terms from your source when a translation might cause confusion.

What should I do if the answer isn’t helpful?

Specify what is missing or incorrect and ask a specific follow-up question. Also indicate which parts should be retained.

Would it help to have ChatGPT ask some questions first?

This is helpful when missing information significantly affects the outcome. For a simple task, you can usually get started right away.

Can a good prompt completely prevent errors?

No. Clear instructions help define the scope of the assignment more precisely. You still need to verify key facts, calculations, and agreements.

Key Insights

• Describe the desired result and provide only relevant background information.
• Specify the target audience, format, and conditions when these factors determine the outcome.
• Use examples and specific feedback to improve answers.
• Break down larger orders into smaller parts at key decision points.
• Review the results and save the tasks that work well in your practice.