Whether being seasoned or brand new to using AI, it might be helpful to start with prompts that are relevant to your area of work. Below are some prompt ideas to start with when communication with an AI chatbot. Each AI chatbot will vary in response, so try testing some of these in different chatbots to see the variety in results. 

What is an AI Prompt?

An AI prompt is a text-based instruction, question, or request that you give to an artificial intelligence system to guide it toward producing a specific type of response or output.

Think of it as a conversation starter or a detailed request that tells the AI:

  • What you want it to do (write, analyze, create, explain, etc.)
  • How you want it done (tone, format, length, style)
  • What context it should consider (audience, purpose, constraints)

Simple example: "Write a thank-you email to my professor"

More detailed example: "Write a professional thank-you email to my biology professor after receiving feedback on my research proposal. Keep it concise, express genuine appreciation, and mention one specific piece of advice I found particularly helpful."

The key is that prompts are how humans communicate their needs to AI systems. A well-crafted prompt includes enough detail and context for the AI to understand exactly what you're looking for, while a vague prompt might produce generic or unhelpful results.

In essence, if AI is like having a very knowledgeable assistant, then a prompt is how you give that assistant clear instructions about what you need help with.

Prompts for Faculty

Beginner Prompts

  1. "Create 5 discussion questions for my [course topic] class that encourage critical thinking and connect to current events."
  2. "Generate a basic rubric for evaluating student presentations in [subject area] that includes 4-5 key criteria."
  3. "Help me write clear learning objectives for my unit on [specific topic] using Bloom's Taxonomy."
  4. "Create an icebreaker activity for the first day of my [type of course] class that helps students connect course content to their experiences."
  5. "Draft an email template to send to struggling students that offers support while maintaining encouraging tone."

Intermediate Prompts

  1. "Create assessment questions at different cognitive levels (remember, understand, apply, analyze) for [specific course content]."
  2. "Design a scaffolded assignment sequence that builds from basic concept understanding to advanced application for my unit on [topic]."
  3. "Develop a peer review protocol for student research projects that includes specific feedback criteria and reflection questions."
  4. "Generate ideas for making my [traditional lecture topic] more interactive and engaging for different learning styles."
  5. "Create a research proposal template for undergraduate students that breaks down each section with guiding questions and examples."

Advanced Prompts

  1. "Design a comprehensive course redesign that incorporates universal design for learning principles while maintaining academic rigor in [subject area]."
  2. "Develop a research collaboration framework that could connect my work in [research area] with faculty from [other disciplines], including potential methodologies and expected outcomes."
  3. "Create a grant proposal outline for [specific funding agency] that aligns my research on [topic] with their priorities and includes innovative methodological approaches."
  4. "Design a longitudinal assessment strategy to measure student learning progression across multiple courses in our program, including data collection methods and analysis frameworks."
  5. "Analyze the learning outcomes data from my course assessments and suggest pedagogical adjustments to address gaps in student understanding of [specific concepts]."

Prompts for Staff

Beginner Prompts

  1. "Draft a professional email to faculty announcing a new campus policy on [topic]. Keep it concise and include key implementation dates."
  2. "Create a checklist for new student orientation that covers essential services, deadlines, and campus resources."
  3. "Generate a FAQ section for our department website addressing common questions about [specific service/process]."
  4. "Write a clear, step-by-step guide for students on how to [complete specific administrative process]."
  5. "Summarize this lengthy policy document into 3-5 key bullet points that staff can easily understand and communicate."

Intermediate Prompts

  1. "Create a comprehensive communication plan for announcing budget changes that addresses different stakeholder concerns (faculty, students, parents)."
  2. "Design a workflow diagram for [specific administrative process] that identifies potential bottlenecks and suggests efficiency improvements."
  3. "Draft talking points for staff to use when explaining [complex policy change] to different audiences (students, parents, faculty)."
  4. "Analyze this student feedback survey data and identify the top 3 areas for improvement, along with specific recommendations for each area."

Advanced Prompts

  1. "Create a crisis communication template that can be quickly adapted for different scenarios (weather, security, academic disruption) while maintaining consistent messaging and stakeholder-specific information."
  2. "Analyze our department's operational data from the past 3 years to identify patterns, predict future resource needs, and recommend strategic improvements."
  3. "Develop a data-driven proposal for improving student retention that includes current metrics, benchmarking against peer institutions, and specific intervention strategies with projected outcomes."

Prompts for Students

Beginner Prompts

  1. "Help me create a study schedule for my upcoming exams in [list subjects] with built-in breaks and review sessions."
  2. "Explain [complex concept from your class] in simple terms with a real-world example I can relate to."
  3. "Generate practice quiz questions for my [subject] exam covering [specific topics]."
  4. "Help me brainstorm essay topics for my assignment on [broad theme] that are specific and researchable."
  5. "Create a checklist for editing my paper that covers grammar, structure, and argument strength."
  6. "Help me organize my class notes on [topic] into a clear outline for studying."

Intermediate Prompts

  1. "Help me develop a research strategy for my paper on [topic], including key databases, search terms, and source evaluation criteria."
  2. "Review my essay outline and suggest improvements to my argument flow and evidence organization."
  3. "Create flashcards for [subject] that test both basic recall and application of concepts."
  4. "Help me prepare for a class presentation by suggesting ways to explain [complex topic] clearly and engage my audience."
  5. "Generate potential interview questions for my informational interview with a professional in [field]."
  6. "Analyze this writing prompt and help me create a thesis statement with supporting arguments for my [type of paper]."

Advanced Prompts

  1. "Critique my research methodology for [project type] and suggest improvements to data collection and analysis approaches."
  2. "Help me develop a compelling personal statement for [graduate program/internship] that connects my experiences to my career goals."
  3. "Analyze potential ethical considerations for my research project on [topic] and suggest ways to address them."
  4. "Help me create a professional development plan for building skills in [area] with specific milestones and resources."
  5. "Generate thoughtful questions to ask during my [thesis defense/job interview] that demonstrate deep understanding of the field."
  6. "Help me synthesize these multiple sources on [research topic] to identify key themes, contradictions, and gaps in the literature."

Additional AI Prompt Resources