A printable reference card. Great prompts aren't magic — they have four parts. Give the AI a Role, the Context, a clear Task, and the Format you want back. Keep this nearby every time you write one.
Each one answers a question the AI would otherwise have to guess at.
Tell the AI what expert hat to wear. Naming a role sets the vocabulary, depth, and point of view it answers from.
Give the background: who the audience is, why you need it, and any facts, tone, or constraints that matter.
State the one clear action you want, using a strong verb. Be specific — "draft," "summarize," "compare," "rewrite."
Describe the shape of the answer: length, structure, and style — email, bullet list, table, FAQ, or numbered steps.
Same goal, very different results. The strong version uses all four parts.
"Write an email about member benefits."
No role, no audience, no purpose, no shape. The AI fills the gaps with generic guesses — you'll spend more time editing than you saved.
"You are a veteran UFT chapter leader who writes in plain, warm language. This goes to newly hired teachers during open enrollment; avoid jargon and don't quote dues amounts. Draft a welcome email introducing three benefits members get on day one. Format it as an email with a subject line and three short bullets, under 150 words."
Role + Context + Task + Format, all present. The first draft comes back nearly ready to send.
Copy this, swap in the bracketed parts, and paste it into any AI tool.
Role: You are a [expert role — e.g. UFT chapter leader, communications specialist].
Context: This is for [audience]. I need it because [purpose]. Keep in mind [tone, facts, or rules to follow].
Task: [Draft / Summarize / Compare / Rewrite] [exactly what you want].
Format: Return it as [email / bullet list / table / FAQ / numbered steps], about [length].
Small habits that make a big difference.