Sometimes, you aren’t using ChatGPT-type tools for creativity. Sometimes, you have a focused situation and want the “correct” answer.
In these cases, a close-ended question is a better choice.
Sidebar, is it “close-ended” or “closed-ended”? I’ve seen both and I don’t know which is right. I digress…
Close(d)-ended questions are sometimes frowned upon in academic or conversational settings because they only have a small range of answers (i.e. yes or no) and don’t promote creative thinking or elaboration. Sometimes you’re looking for that specific answer though.
If that’s the case, make sure that it is clear in your prompt.
Like this
You can still add more context to your prompts like personas, output formats, etc. After you set the stage, make sure that your question is clear. ChatGPT tends to default to long-winded answers and if you give it a chance it will likely find a way.
You can also add something like - “Only provide the answer to the question. Do not elaborate”
It doesn’t always work but sometimes it does.
As always, if you don’t get the output that you are looking for, send a follow-up prompt that specifies what was missing and reiterate what you would like to see.