Day 4 of 14 · AI Superuser

Your First Power Prompt

⏱ 6 min 📊 Beginner

The difference between a useless AI response and a brilliant one? Your prompt.

The anatomy of a great prompt has four parts:

1. Role -- Tell AI who to be. "You are a high school biology tutor" or "Act as a debate coach."

2. Context -- Give background. "I am writing a 500-word essay on climate change for my 10th grade class."

3. Task -- Be specific about what you want. "Help me brainstorm three unique angles I could take."

4. Format -- Specify how you want the output. "Give me a bulleted list with one sentence per angle."

Bad prompt: "Help me with my essay."

Power prompt: "You are a writing coach for high school students. I am writing a 500-word persuasive essay on whether social media helps or hurts teen mental health for my English class. Brainstorm 3 unique angles, each with a one-sentence thesis statement."

The four components of a power prompt: Role, Context, Task, Format

Every great prompt has these four parts. Master this formula and your AI outputs improve instantly.

Knowledge Check

What are the four parts of a great "power prompt"?

A

Question, Answer, Source, and Summary

B

Role, Context, Task, and Format

C

Topic, Length, Tone, and Audience

D

Introduction, Body, Conclusion, and References

A power prompt includes a Role (who the AI should be), Context (background info), Task (what you specifically want), and Format (how you want the output). Using all four parts dramatically improves AI responses.

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Tomorrow — Day 5

Research Like a Pro

Tomorrow you will use AI to brainstorm topics, find angles, and build research outlines.

Continue to Day 5 →