Your 5-minute guide to getting great results from AI - no experience needed
Even if you’ve never used AI before, you can get helpful, accurate, and creative results in less than a minute.
This guide (along with other similar approaches such as RISE) gives you:
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A simple Prompt Formula that works every time
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Examples you can copy, paste, and try immediately
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Tips for spotting high-impact opportunities
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Quick fixes for common AI mistakes
By the end, you’ll be ready to create your own prompts and know where AI can make the biggest difference in your work.
The Prompt Formula
Think of a prompt as instructions you give a helpful assistant.
Better instructions = better results.
Here’s the Prompt Formula:
[ACTION] → [CONTEXT] → [FORMAT] → [EXTRAS]
| Step | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ACTION | What you want the AI to do | Summarize, translate, write, draft, brainstorm |
| CONTEXT | Details the AI needs | Topic, background, audience |
| FORMAT | How you want the output | Bullet list, paragraph, table |
| EXTRAS (optional) | Style, tone, or constraints | Friendly tone, 200 words, focus on Canadian examples |
Using all four parts isn’t always necessary, but the more you include, the better the results.
Spot High-Impact AI Opportunities
Once you know the formula, the next step is finding tasks that AI can help with.
Look for work that’s:
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Repetitive - e.g., summarizing meeting notes, drafting standard emails.
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Time-consuming - e.g., turning raw data into a clear table.
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Language-heavy - e.g., writing reports, translating text, editing copy.
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Idea-driven - e.g., brainstorming event themes or problem-solving approaches.
Start with something small and low-risk; a task you already know well. That way, you can quickly check if the AI’s output is accurate and useful.
Quick-Win Prompts
Ready to try? Here are copy-and-paste ready examples you can adapt to your own work.
(Replace the [brackets] with your details.)
1. Summarize Text
Summarize the key points of this paragraph for a high-school student: [paste text here]
- ACTION: Summarize
- CONTEXT: Audience = high-school student
- FORMAT: Key points list
2. Translate Text
Translate this into French: “Our meeting is at 10 a.m. tomorrow.”
- ACTION: Translate
- CONTEXT: English → French
- FORMAT: Sentence
3. Create a To-Do List
From these meeting notes, create a bullet-point to-do list: [paste notes here]
- ACTION: Create list
- CONTEXT: Meeting notes
- FORMAT: Bullet points
4. Draft a Meeting Agenda
Draft a five-item agenda for a 30-minute staff meeting on project timelines.
- ACTION: Draft
- CONTEXT: Staff meeting, topic = project timelines, length = 30 minutes
- FORMAT: Numbered list
5. Brainstorm Ideas
Give me 5 ideas for a student engagement activity during Orientation Week, including low-cost options.
- ACTION: Brainstorm
- CONTEXT: Student engagement, Orientation Week
- FORMAT: Numbered list
- EXTRAS: Include low-cost options
4 Keys to Better AI Results
AI responds best when you:
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Are specific - Instead of just saying “Summarize”, try “Summarize for a high-school student”.
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Provide context - Explain what it’s for and who will use it.
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Request a format - Ask for a table, bullet list, or short paragraph to get the style you want.
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Refine with feedback - If the first try isn’t quite right, say exactly what to change or improve.
Pro Tips for Beginners
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Start simple - Give a short prompt first, then add detail as needed.
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Iterate often - After the first answer, ask for changes: “Make it more casual” or “Add three more examples.”
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Protect your privacy - Avoid sharing sensitive or confidential information.
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Ask AI for help - You can use AI itself to design the prompt for you as a starting place.
Troubleshooting in 10 seconds
| Issue You Might Hit | Quick Fix |
|---|---|
| Hallucinated or suspect facts | Ask "Show your sources" → verify or delete unsupported info. |
| Too long | "Make it half as long" or "Give me a three-sentence summary." |
| Off-topic / missing the point | Add more context or an example; restate key detail in a fresh prompt. |
| Wrong tone or formatting | "Rewrite in a friendly (formal) tone and format as bullet points." |
| Sensitive or private data appears | Remove it immediately and avoid pasting confidential information into public tools. |
Responsible AI principles
These principles guide how we use generative AI tools in our learning, research, and administrative work. They are not rigid rules, but shared commitments that help us use AI responsibly, creatively, and in ways that reflect the University of Waterloo’s mission.
Each principle is grounded in the University of Waterloo's core values: Act with Purpose, Work Together, and Think Differently.
They keep us focused on people, integrity, and innovation.