Generative AI works best when it does not have to guess. If a prompt is vague, the model fills gaps with assumptions: it may choose the wrong audience, miss key facts, produce the wrong tone, or add details you never approved. Being clear is not about writing long prompts. It is about giving the right information so the output is usable on the first try.
A helpful beginner-friendly structure is CARE. It is a short checklist that turns “I need something” into a task GenAI can complete reliably. CARE is especially useful for everyday university work: website posts, emails, short reports, summaries, translations, lesson materials, and feedback templates.
What CARE means
C – Context: What is the situation? Who is the audience? What is the goal?
A – Action: What exactly should GenAI do? (write, rewrite, summarise, translate, compare…)
R – Criteria: What quality rules should it follow? (tone, length, must-include facts, what to avoid, what to verify)
E – Example format: Show the shape of the answer. Even a tiny template helps.
Think of CARE as “reduce guessing + control the output”.
CARE examples (beginner level, ready to copy)
1. Website post about an event
Context: Write a short university website post inviting staff to a GenAI workshop. Audience: UKF employees. Goal: inform and encourage registration.
Action: Create the final text.
Criteria: 120–160 words. Plain English. Friendly and professional. Include: date, time, and that the room will be confirmed by email. Do not invent any extra details.
Example format:
- Title
- 1 short paragraph
- 3 bullets (“When / For whom / What you will learn”)
- Call to action
2. Internal meeting summary
Context: Summarise notes from a project meeting for the internal team. Goal: align everyone on decisions and next steps.
Action: Write a structured summary.
Criteria: Max 200 words. Neutral tone. Include decisions, open questions, and next steps. No personal data. If a deadline is missing, write “deadline: not specified”.
Example format:
- Decisions
- Open questions
- Next steps (owner + deadline if known)
3. Short beginner explanation for students
Context: Explain “AI hallucinations” to first-year students with no AI background. Goal: help them use GenAI safely.
Action: Write a simple explanation.
Criteria: 6–8 sentences. Use one everyday analogy. End with a 3-item checklist (“How to check”). No technical jargon.
Example format:
- Explanation paragraph
- “How to check” (3 bullets)
4. Translation with control (SK → EN)
Context: Translate a short academic announcement from Slovak to English. Goal: keep meaning and tone, not marketing.
Action: Translate the text.
Criteria: Keep names and dates exactly. Keep a neutral tone. Do not add information. If a Slovak term is unclear, keep it in brackets.
Example format:
- Return only the translated text (no comments)
5. Feedback template for student assignments
Context: Create a reusable feedback template for short essays. Audience: instructors. Goal: faster, consistent feedback.
Action: Produce a template with placeholders.
Criteria: Tone supportive but honest. Include sections for strengths, improvements, and one next-step suggestion. Keep it short.
Example format:
- Strengths: …
- Improvements: …
- Next step: …
6. Slide outline for a short presentation
Context: Prepare a slide outline for colleagues about “basic prompting habits”. Goal: practical takeaway. Audience: beginners.
Action: Create an outline for 6 slides.
Criteria: Each slide max 3 bullets. Use simple language. Include 2 examples of good vs bad prompts.
Example format:
Slide 1: Title + goal
Slide 2–5: Key points
Slide 6: Summary + “Try this tomorrow”
A quick CARE starter sentence you can reuse
If you want a fast way to begin any CARE prompt, use this:
Context: … / Action: … / Criteria: … / Format: …
Example (very short):
Context: internal email to staff about a workshop. Action: draft the email. Criteria: 120 words, friendly, include date/time, no invented room. Format: subject + 2 short paragraphs + bullets.