Artificial Intelligence - Student Guide

The CLEAR Framework

The CLEAR framework, created by Librarian Leo S. Lo at the University of New Mexico, is a framework to optimize prompts given to generative AI tools. To follow the CLEAR framework, prompts must be: 

Concise: "brevity and clarity in prompts"

• This means to remain specific in your prompt. 

Logical: "structured and coherent prompts" 

• Maintain a logical flow and order of ideas within your prompt.

Explicit: "clear output specifications"

•  Provide the AI tool with precise instructions on your desired output format, content, or scope to receive a stronger answer. 

Adaptive: "flexibility and customization in prompts"

• Experiment with various prompt formulations and phrasing to attempt different ways of framing an issue to see new answers from the generative AI 

Reflective: "continuous evaluation and improvement of prompts" 

• Adjust and improve your approach and prompt to the AI tool by evaluating the performance of the AI based on your own assessments of the answers it gives. 

Lo, Leo S. "The CLEAR Path: A Framework for Enhancing Information Literacy through Prompt Engineering." The Journal of Academic Librarianship 49, no. 4 (2023): 102720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102720 

Instruction: Include explicit instructions for the desired output. Ask the model to think step by step, to rephrase an idea, or to synthesize ideas. When possible, include context as well. 

Context: Providing context helps generative AI understand its task. Explain your role, the AI's role, expected outcomes, and the reasons or purpose. Instruction and context work well when used together. 

Explain & Check: Explain your topic or query and check the generative AI understands. 

Clarifying Questions: Have the generative AI ask questions to clarify what output you want. 

Tone and Direction: Guide the generative AI so that its output is in a particular direction, style, tone, or format.

Provide Examples: Provide an example that you have already created or have found, such as: demonstrations of the output needed, a set of keywords, or a reference text.  

Act as Expert: Have the generative AI teach you about the topic you are interested in.

Revise and Repeat: Prompting generative AI to give you the best output takes trial and error, so reword your prompt a few ways to see what generates the best response. 

Scharth, Marcel. (2023, February 23). How to perfect your prompt writing for ChatGPT, Midjourney and other AI generators. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/how-to-perfect-your-prompt-writing-for-chatgpt-midjourney-and-other-ai-generators-198776

Siegel, Jake. (n.d.). The art of the prompt: How to get the best out of generative AI. Microsoft. https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/ai/the-art-of-the-prompt-how-to-get-the-best-out-of-generative-ai/

Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Students by Thompson Rivers University Library is licensed under a CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.  Artificial Intelligence Guide by Bronte Chiang at the University of Calgary Library is licensed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence.