Common prompting mistakes to avoid in AI for Everyone - Step-by-Step Execution

Concept Flow - Common prompting mistakes to avoid

Start Prompting

↓

Write Prompt

↓

Check for Mistakes?

No→Send Prompt

Yes↓

Identify Mistake Type

↓

Fix Mistake

↓

Send Prompt

This flow shows how to write a prompt, check for common mistakes, fix them, and then send the prompt.

Execution Sample

AI for Everyone

User writes: "Tell me about cats"
Check: Is prompt clear?
Mistake found: Too vague
Fix: Add details "Tell me about cats' behavior and care"
Send improved prompt

This example shows how a vague prompt is improved by adding details before sending.

Analysis Table

Step	Action	Check/Condition	Result/Decision
1	User writes prompt	N/A	"Tell me about cats"
2	Check prompt clarity	Is prompt clear and specific?	No - too vague
3	Identify mistake	Mistake type?	Vagueness
4	Fix mistake	Add details to prompt	"Tell me about cats' behavior and care"
5	Check prompt clarity again	Is prompt clear and specific?	Yes
6	Send prompt	N/A	Prompt sent successfully

💡 Prompt is clear and specific, so it is sent.

State Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 2	After Step 4	Final
Prompt	"Tell me about cats"	"Tell me about cats"	"Tell me about cats' behavior and care"	"Tell me about cats' behavior and care"
Clarity	Unknown	No (vague)	Yes (specific)	Yes (specific)

Key Insights - 3 Insights

Why is the prompt "Tell me about cats" considered a mistake?

Because it is too vague and does not specify what information is wanted, as shown in step 2 of the execution_table.

How does adding details fix the prompt?

Adding details makes the prompt clear and specific, which helps the AI understand exactly what to provide, as seen in step 4 and 5.

What happens if the prompt is not checked before sending?

The AI might give a broad or unhelpful answer because the prompt lacks clarity, which is why checking is important before sending.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the prompt after step 4?

A "Tell me about dogs"

B "Tell me about cats' behavior and care"

C "Tell me about cats"

D "Tell me about cats' food"

💡 Hint

Check the 'Result/Decision' column in row for step 4.

At which step does the prompt become clear and specific?

A Step 5

B Step 4

C Step 2

D Step 6

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Check prompt clarity again' action and its result.

If the user did not fix the prompt at step 4, what would happen at step 5?

A Prompt would be clear

B Prompt would be rejected

C Prompt would still be vague

D Prompt would be sent anyway

💡 Hint

Refer to the importance of fixing mistakes before sending in the key_moments section.

Concept Snapshot

Common prompting mistakes include vagueness, lack of detail, and unclear questions.
Always check your prompt for clarity before sending.
Fix mistakes by adding specific details or examples.
Clear prompts get better, more useful answers.
Think of prompting like asking a friend for help clearly.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows how to avoid common prompting mistakes. First, you write a prompt. Then you check if it is clear and specific. If it is vague, like "Tell me about cats", you identify the mistake as vagueness. Next, you fix it by adding details, for example, "Tell me about cats' behavior and care". After fixing, you check again to confirm clarity. Once the prompt is clear, you send it. This process helps get better answers from AI by avoiding unclear or too broad questions.

Practice

1. Which of the following is a common mistake when writing prompts for AI?

easy

A. Checking the AI's responses carefully

B. Providing clear context and examples

C. Being specific about what you want

D. Using vague or unclear questions

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what makes a good prompt

   Good prompts are clear and specific, helping AI understand the request.

2. Step 2: Identify common mistakes

   Vague or unclear questions confuse the AI and lead to poor answers.

3. Final Answer:

   Using vague or unclear questions -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Vague prompts cause poor AI answers [OK]

Hint: Avoid vague questions; be clear and specific [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Writing broad or unclear prompts
• Not giving enough context
• Assuming AI knows your intent

2. Which prompt is correctly structured to avoid common mistakes?

easy

A. What do you think?

B. Tell me about stuff.

C. Explain the causes of climate change with examples.

D. Give me info.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze each prompt's clarity

   The prompts "Tell me about stuff.", "What do you think?", and "Give me info." are vague or too broad without specifics.

2. Step 2: Identify the clear and specific prompt

   Explain the causes of climate change with examples. asks for causes and examples, guiding the AI well.

3. Final Answer:

   Explain the causes of climate change with examples. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Specific prompts guide AI better [OK]

Hint: Look for prompts with clear requests and examples [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using vague words like 'stuff' or 'info'
• Asking open-ended questions without focus
• Not specifying what kind of answer is wanted

3. Consider this prompt: "List the benefits of exercise." What is a likely problem with this prompt?

medium

A. It is too long and complicated

B. It is too vague and lacks context

C. It uses technical jargon

D. It asks for an opinion

Solution

1. Step 1: Evaluate the prompt's clarity

   The prompt is short and simple but does not specify details or context.

2. Step 2: Identify the issue

   Without context, AI might give a generic or incomplete list.

3. Final Answer:

   It is too vague and lacks context -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Vague prompts cause unclear AI answers [OK]

Hint: Check if prompt gives enough detail or context [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Not specifying what kind of benefits to list
• Assuming AI knows the user's intent
• Using very short prompts without guidance

4. You wrote this prompt: "Explain AI." The AI gives a very short and unclear answer. What is the best way to fix this?

medium

A. Add more details and specify what aspect of AI to explain

B. Make the prompt shorter

C. Use slang and informal words

D. Repeat the same prompt multiple times

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify why the answer is unclear

   The prompt is too broad, so AI doesn't know what to focus on.

2. Step 2: Improve the prompt

   Adding details or specifying topics helps AI give a better answer.

3. Final Answer:

   Add more details and specify what aspect of AI to explain -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Specific prompts get clearer AI answers [OK]

Hint: Add details to broad prompts for better answers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using too short or broad prompts
• Repeating prompts expecting different answers
• Using unclear or informal language

5. You want the AI to generate a list of healthy dinner ideas but your prompt is: "Dinner ideas?" How can you improve this prompt to avoid common mistakes and get better results?

hard

A. Ask: 'Can you list 5 healthy dinner ideas with ingredients and cooking time?'

B. Just say: 'Food?'

C. Write: 'Tell me everything about dinner.'

D. Use: 'Dinner ideas' without question mark

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the problem with the original prompt

   "Dinner ideas?" is too short and vague, lacking details or guidance.

2. Step 2: Choose a prompt that is clear and specific

   Ask: 'Can you list 5 healthy dinner ideas with ingredients and cooking time?' asks for a specific number of ideas, includes 'healthy', and requests ingredients and cooking time, guiding the AI well.

3. Final Answer:

   Ask: 'Can you list 5 healthy dinner ideas with ingredients and cooking time?' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Specific, detailed prompts get better AI answers [OK]

Hint: Be specific and detailed in your prompt requests [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using very short or vague prompts
• Not specifying quantity or details
• Assuming AI guesses your needs