Prompt Engineering Basics

This is the most important section of the entire program. Prompt engineering is the skill of writing clear, specific instructions that get great results from Claude. Everything else we learn builds on this foundation.

The Core Mental Model

Remember our metaphor:

You are talking to a very capable new employee who knows nothing about Riverside Literacy Project. They are smart, eager to help, and great with words, but they need you to tell them exactly what you need, who it is for, and what "good" looks like.

The better your instructions, the better the output. It really is that simple.

The Six Key Principles

1. Be Specific

The number one mistake people make is being too vague. Look at the difference:

2. Give Context

Claude does not know your situation unless you tell it. Always include relevant background information.

I work at Riverside Literacy Project, a nonprofit.
I am writing to our general membership list.

You can paste in existing documents, previous emails, or reference materials. The more context Claude has, the better its output will be.

3. Assign a Role

Telling Claude who to be dramatically improves the quality of its responses.

You are a warm, professional administrative assistant at
a nonprofit. You write clearly and with heart,
and you know how to communicate with a diverse community.

Other useful roles for your work:

• "You are an experienced nonprofit communications director"
• "You are a helpful assistant who explains your donor database features to non-technical users"
• "You are an editor who improves text while keeping the original voice"

4. Provide Examples

If you have a specific style or format in mind, show Claude an example.

Here is an example of the style I want:

"Dear Riverside Literacy Project Family,
As we prepare for the week ahead, we wanted to share
a few updates from around the nonprofit..."

Now write a similar opening for our next Impact Newsletter.

Examples are especially powerful for maintaining consistent voice across communications.

5. Iterate: Don't Start Over

If Claude's first response is not quite right, do not start a new conversation. Instead, give feedback right in the same chat:

• "Good start, but make it shorter: aim for 2 paragraphs instead of 4"
• "The tone is too formal. Make it warmer and more conversational"
• "Can you add a line about parking?"
• "This is great. Now rewrite it as an item for our Impact Newsletter instead of an email"

Claude remembers everything in the current conversation, so each follow-up builds on the last.

6. Specify the Output Format

Tell Claude exactly what format you want:

• "Give me this as a bulleted list"
• "Format this as an email with a subject line"
• "Create a table with columns for Event, Date, and Contact Person"
• "Write this as 3 short paragraphs suitable for a newsletter"

The Prompt Formula

Here is a simple formula you can use every time:

Example Using the Formula

You are a professional nonprofit communications coordinator.

I need you to draft an email to our community about our
upcoming Annual Meeting.

Here is the context:
- The meeting is Sunday, June 8 at 7:00 PM
- It will be held in the Riverside Literacy Project social hall
- Agenda includes: budget review, board elections, and
  a presentation on the new building project
- Light refreshments will be served
- All members in good standing may vote
- Babysitting is available with advance RSVP

The output should be a warm, professional email of about
3-4 paragraphs with a clear subject line.

Try this formula a few times and you will be amazed at how much better the results are compared to a quick, one-line prompt.

Practice: Write Your Own Prompt

Now it is your turn. Use the prompt formula to write a prompt asking Claude to draft an email about an upcoming annual impact dinner at your nonprofit.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Being too vague "Write something for the bulletin" gives Claude nothing to work with. Always specify what, for whom, in what tone, and how long.

Not providing context Claude does not know your nonprofit, your members, or your events. Paste in the details.

Expecting perfection on the first try Think of the first response as a draft. Refine it with follow-up messages.

Starting over instead of iterating A new conversation does not carry over the drafts and feedback from the previous one, even if Memory remembers some background about you. Stay in the same chat and refine. Start a fresh chat when you move to a new task, and give it the context it needs.

Giving up too quickly If the first attempt is not great, try rephrasing your request or adding more detail. Two or three rounds of iteration usually get you to an excellent result.