With the continuous advancement of technology, people are increasingly adopting the use of AI text generation, especially with ChatGPT being one of the most prevalent options. ChatGPT not only responds to user queries but also provides a wealth of informational content. However, did you know that there are specific questioning techniques for ChatGPT? How can we effectively utilize these techniques to ensure more accurate generated content? In this article, we will explore the art of ChatGPT questioning techniques and delve into maximizing the potential of this powerful tool.
What is the key to ChatGPT questioning techniques?
A good question should include a theme, background, and make effective use of instructions, which is the key “prompt” in ChatGPT questioning techniques. A prompt refers to a specific way of communicating when using ChatGPT. The content generated by ChatGPT largely depends on the instructions given by the user. Well-constructed and complete instructions can lead to high-quality content from ChatGPT. Without a good prompt, the differences may not be apparent in simple questions, but when the questions become more complex, the information obtained may be vague, surface-level, or deviate from the main topic.
Ineffective prompt
An ineffective prompt is akin to everyday conversations between people. Although we can understand, artificial intelligence may not. ChatGPT has a vast amount of data, and without asking questions clearly, it may grab seemingly relevant information but end up shooting in the dark.
- “Is Japan’s population large?”
- “What are some good restaurants?”
- “Please translate the article into English.”
- “Please write an article about XXX.”
Effective prompt:
An effective prompt is like an exam question; it needs to be clear, specific, and appropriately include assumptions and scope limitations to help ChatGPT generate more accurate and focused content.
- “As of the year 2000, what is the total population of Japan?”
- “Please recommend vegetarian restaurants in KYOTO with high ratings.”
- “Translate the article into professional academic English for me.”
- “You are an expert in the field of XXX, and in the industry, you are a respected senior. Please write an article about OOO for me, with a word limit of 300 words.”
Is there a need for skills in asking questions to ChatGPT?
In the past, whether we used ChatGPT to ask questions, search for information, translate, write, etc., ChatGPT could easily achieve the user’s goals. However, if today you wish to generate more in-depth and professional content, then you must use some ChatGPT questioning techniques. Why is that? This is because ChatGPT is a model based on extensive text training, and it lacks comprehension ability. It cannot understand the meaning behind questions like humans do. Therefore, users must employ certain techniques to make the generated content from ChatGPT align with their needs.
Sometimes, ChatGPT may provide incorrect or unrelated answers, or it may refuse to answer due to sensitive, ethical, or open-ended issues. In such cases, if we change the way we ask questions or provide additional prompts, ChatGPT will generate another response that is closer to what you are looking for.
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What are some practical techniques for questioning ChatGPT?
Here are a few useful ChatGPT questioning techniques to help you obtain more valuable and accurate responses during the questioning process:
Clarity is Key
Ensure that your questions are clear and precise, avoiding ambiguous wording. It is crucial not only for humans to understand but also for ChatGPT.
For example, instead of “What are the differences between XX and OO?” consider using “Explain the differences between XX and OO and compare the distinctions between the two.” The latter provides a clearer instruction.
Be Specific and Detailed
Provide sufficient background information. If your question is too vague or broad, offer context, surrounding information, or assumptions to aid the model in better understanding. For complex questions, especially those involving multiple aspects or requiring in-depth explanations, it’s essential to break down the question, guiding ChatGPT step by step. This approach helps ChatGPT to comprehend the question more clearly and provide more specific answers.
Using Directive Phrases
When conversing with ChatGPT, it’s essential to get used to using directive phrases such as “explain,” “evaluate,” “compare,” “enumerate,” “discuss,” and so on. Depending on the context of the question, choose suitable terms to help ChatGPT provide responses that align more closely with the user’s expectations.
Single-topic Focus
Keeping questions centered around a single topic ensures that ChatGPT can concentrate on one question, contributing to obtaining responses that are more in-depth and precise.
For instance, the question “Describe the characters and analyze the personalities of Tang Seng, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing in ‘Journey to the West'” involves multiple topics and is overly complex. If a sentence contains multiple questions or requests, it may make it challenging for ChatGPT to delve deeply into each subject, potentially reducing the depth and quality of the content.
Set Roles and Background
When posing questions, one can request ChatGPT to assume specific roles, making responses more vivid and concrete. A common approach is having ChatGPT play the role of an expert in a particular field and asking questions related to that domain. This questioning style can stimulate ChatGPT’s creativity, resulting in more narrative and personalized responses. Additionally, it can be used to explore potential responses in specific scenarios.
Extensive reading：How to use ChatGPT role settings? 5 useful ChatGPT character settings
Use English
Asking questions to ChatGPT in English generally leads to more thorough and precise answers. Moreover, ChatGPT is more efficient in handling English inputs, providing smoother and more natural responses. This is because ChatGPT is primarily trained in English, making its comprehension abilities stronger in English compared to other languages, especially concerning specific domains or professional terms. Using English ensures that ChatGPT accurately understands and delivers corresponding professional knowledge.
These are the key points of ChatGPT questioning techniques. In summary, a good question should ideally encompass five elements: theme, role, background, question, and purpose. Providing any details that aid answer generation ensures ChatGPT becomes a practical tool tailored to your needs.
ChatGPT Questioning Technique Considerations
Having learned the ChatGPT questioning techniques, it’s crucial to be aware of some common pitfalls to avoid. Here are some of the typical mistakes users make when interacting with ChatGPT, which, if unintentionally made, could directly impact the quality of ChatGPT’s responses.
- Avoid questions with time sensitivity and future uncertainty: Currently, ChatGPT3.5 is only updated with information until January 2022.
- Steer clear of overly abstract and open-ended questions: ChatGPT lacks subjectivity, so non-objective questions may hinder its ability to provide appropriate suggestions or solutions.
- Refrain from repeating the same question: Repetition can lead to a lack of understanding by ChatGPT, potentially resulting in different responses.
- Avoid using excessively specialized terminology: If specific technical terms are necessary, it’s advisable to provide a brief explanation within the question to help ChatGPT understand the meaning of the terms.
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