Learn With Nathan
  • AI Chat Tools
    • ChatGPT - OpenAI
      • Start with ChatGPT
      • Account Settings
      • ChatGPT Free Plan
      • ChatGPT Account Settings
    • Claude - Anthropic
      • Signup for Claude
      • User Interface
    • Gemini - Google
  • AI Concepts
    • Context
    • Tokenization
    • Prompt Engineering
    • Temperature
    • Max Tokens
    • Fine-Tuning
    • System Prompt
    • Persona
    • Memory
    • Hallucination
    • Model Bias
    • Embedding
    • Latency
    • User Intent
    • Multimodal AI
    • Safety Layers
    • Chain of Thought
    • Prompt Templates
    • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
  • Introduction to Prompting
    • Beginner's Prompting Strategies
      • Understanding the Purpose of a Prompt
      • Be Specific and Clear
      • Using Contextual Information
      • Direct vs. Open-Ended Prompts
      • Step-by-Step Instructions
      • Role-Based Prompts
      • Sequential Prompts
      • Multi-Step Questions
      • Incorporating Examples
    • Common Prompting Mistakes to Avoid
      • Being Too Vague or Ambiguous
      • Overloading with Multiple Questions
      • Ignoring Context Limitations
      • Not Specifying the Desired Output
      • Lack of Iteration and Refinement
      • Neglecting to Set the Right Tone or Role
      • Using Jargon or Complex Language Unnecessarily
      • Ignoring Feedback from the AI
      • Overly Long or Short Prompts
      • Page 6
      • Page 5
      • Page 4
      • Page 3
      • Page 2
      • Page 1
    • Output Formatting Techniques
      • Using Headings and Subheadings
      • Bulleted and Numbered Lists
      • Paragraph Structure
      • Tables and Charts
      • Direct Answers vs. Detailed Explanations
      • Incorporating Summaries and Conclusions
    • Leveraging Formatting for Clarity
      • Highlighting Key Points
      • Guiding the AI on Tone and Style
      • Requesting Examples or Case Studies
      • Formatting for Different Audiences
      • Using Questions to Clarify Information
      • Prompting for Step-by-Step Guides
      • Customizing Responses for Presentation or Reports
      • Avoiding Over-Complicated Formatting
  • Types of Prompts
    • Direct Prompts
    • Instructional Prompts
    • Conversational Prompts
    • Contextual Prompts
    • Example-Based Prompts
    • Reflective or Feedback Prompts
    • Multi-Step Prompts
    • Open-Ended Prompts
    • Role-Based Prompts
    • Comparative Prompts
    • Conditional Prompts
    • Summarization prompts
    • Exploratory Prompts
    • Problem-Solving Prompts
    • Clarification Prompts
    • Sequential Prompts
    • Hypothetical Prompts
    • Ethical or Judgment-Based Prompts
    • Diagnostic Prompts
    • Instructional design prompts
    • Page 8
    • Page 7
  • Advanced Prompting Techniques
    • Zero-Shot
    • Few-Shot
    • Chain-of-Thought
    • Meta Prompting
    • Self-Consistency
    • Generated Knowledge
    • Prompt Chaining
    • Tree of Thoughts (ToT)
    • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
    • Automatic Prompt Engineer (APE)
    • Active Prompt
    • Directional Stimulus
  • Live Examples
    • Legal
      • Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
      • Employment Contract
      • Lease Agreement
      • Service Agreement
      • Sales Agreement
    • Zero-Shot Prompting
    • Few-Shot Prompting
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  1. Introduction to Prompting
  2. Common Prompting Mistakes to Avoid

Overly Long or Short Prompts

Balancing the amount of information in your prompts is crucial. A very long prompt with excessive detail can overwhelm the AI and dilute the response, while a very short prompt might not provide enough context. For example, “Explain the causes and impacts of climate change, including economic, social, and environmental aspects in detail” is comprehensive but might benefit from breaking into smaller prompts. Meanwhile, “Explain climate change” is too broad. Aim for prompts that are detailed enough to be clear but concise enough to stay focused.

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Last updated 5 months ago