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In this course, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of crafting effective prompts. You will gain an understanding of how to refine and optimize prompts for a range of use cases. You will also explore techniques like zero-shot, few-shot, and chain-of-thought prompting. Finally, you will learn to identify potential risks associated with prompt engineering.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Suitable for learners with zero previous exposure to prompt engineering
Increases skills in areas relevant to data scientists and analysts
Real-world use case examples provide practical applications
Taught by AWS instructors who actively work in the field
Provides a foundational understanding of prompt engineering
Covers advanced techniques such as zero-shot, few-shot, and chain-of-thought prompting

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Reviews summary

Foundational prompt engineering for beginners

According to students, this course offers a largely positive and accessible introduction to prompt engineering fundamentals. Many find it excellent for beginners, praising its clear explanations of core concepts like zero-shot, few-shot, and chain-of-thought prompting. The course provides practical examples and a well-structured learning experience, helping solidify understanding and identify potential risks. However, a minority of learners with prior experience note its basic coverage, wishing for more advanced topics or hands-on activities. It effectively serves as a strong starting point but may not satisfy those seeking in-depth practical application.
Provides useful examples, but some desire more hands-on.
"The examples provided are practical and easy to follow. I found the section on refining prompts particularly useful for my work."
"I appreciated the emphasis on practical applications throughout the course."
"While the examples are helpful, I would have liked more hands-on exercises to apply the concepts directly."
Effectively covers essential prompting techniques.
"It covers the basics very well, explaining concepts like zero-shot and few-shot prompting clearly."
"The instructor explains complex ideas in simple terms, and the pace is perfect. The risk identification part was very insightful."
"The 'chain-of-thought' section was particularly illuminating and practical for me."
Ideal for new learners, less so for those with experience.
"It's a bit too basic for me as I already had some prior knowledge, but I can see how it would be valuable for absolute beginners."
"If you're looking for more than just the very basics, this might not be enough."
"Delivers on its promise of essentials. It's a great starting point, especially for those new to AI/ML."
Highly accessible for newcomers to prompt engineering.
"This course is an excellent introduction to prompt engineering. It covers the basics very well..."
"Absolutely fantastic for beginners! I had no idea about prompt engineering, and this course made it so accessible."
"As someone new to this field, I found the course structure and the way concepts were introduced very effective."
Primarily conceptual, some desire more advanced material.
"My only minor critique is that I wished for more advanced topics or challenges beyond the basics..."
"I found it somewhat lacking in depth. It felt like a high-level overview without much practical application or advanced scenarios."
"I was hoping for more hands-on activities or coding examples, but it's mostly theoretical and conceptual."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Essentials of Prompt Engineering with these activities:
Explore online tutorials and resources on prompt engineering
Exploring existing resources on prompt engineering will provide you with additional insights and best practices to enhance your understanding.
Browse courses on Prompt Engineering
Show steps
  • Search for online tutorials and articles on prompt engineering.
  • Identify reputable sources and experienced practitioners.
  • Follow along with the tutorials and apply the techniques to your own prompts.
Review Prompt Engineering Fundamentals
Reviewing the fundamentals of prompt engineering helps you better understand the course content.
Browse courses on Prompt Engineering
Show steps
  • Revisit the course description and syllabus.
  • Read through the provided learning materials.
  • Take notes on key concepts and definitions.
Participate in a Prompt Engineering Study Group
Engaging in peer discussions helps you clarify concepts and gain diverse perspectives on prompt engineering.
Show steps
  • Form or join a study group with fellow learners.
  • Meet regularly to discuss course materials and share knowledge.
  • Work together on projects and assignments.
Ten other activities
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Show all 13 activities
Practice writing prompts for different use cases
Practicing writing prompts will help you develop a strong understanding of the principles and techniques involved in crafting effective prompts.
Browse courses on Prompt Engineering
Show steps
  • Identify a specific use case for which you want to write a prompt.
  • Brainstorm different ways to approach the prompt.
  • Write a draft of the prompt.
  • Refine and optimize the prompt.
Attend a Prompt Engineering Workshop
Attending a prompt engineering workshop provides an opportunity to learn from experts and network with professionals.
Show steps
  • Research and identify relevant prompt engineering workshops.
  • Register for the workshop and attend the sessions.
  • Take notes and engage in discussions with other participants.
Create a step-by-step guide to creating effective prompts
Creating a guide will allow you to organize and solidify your understanding of the different elements and considerations of effective prompts.
Browse courses on Prompt Engineering
Show steps
  • Review the course materials on prompt engineering.
  • Identify the different types of prompts.
  • Break down each type of prompt into its components.
  • Provide examples of good and bad prompts.
  • Write a step-by-step guide to creating effective prompts.
Engage in discussions on prompt engineering forums and communities
Participating in discussions will expose you to diverse perspectives and allow you to learn from the experiences of others in the field.
Browse courses on Prompt Engineering
Show steps
  • Join online forums and communities dedicated to prompt engineering.
  • Introduce yourself and share your interests.
  • Participate in discussions and ask questions.
  • Share your knowledge and insights with others.
Practice Prompt Optimization
Practicing prompt optimization techniques helps you develop proficiency in crafting effective prompts.
Browse courses on Prompt Optimization
Show steps
  • Use the provided online tools or platforms for prompt optimization.
  • Experiment with different prompt variations.
  • Analyze the results and identify patterns.
Explore Zero-Shot and Few-Shot Prompting
Exploring zero-shot and few-shot prompting techniques helps you understand their capabilities and limitations.
Show steps
  • Identify online tutorials and resources on zero-shot and few-shot prompting.
  • Follow the tutorials and experiment with the techniques.
  • Analyze the results and compare the effectiveness of different approaches.
Develop a prompt-based chatbot
Building a chatbot will require you to have a deep understanding of the different prompt types and how to use them effectively.
Browse courses on Prompt Engineering
Show steps
  • Choose the programming language and platform you want to use.
  • Design the architecture of your chatbot.
  • Develop the core functionality of the chatbot.
  • Train the chatbot on a dataset of prompts and responses.
  • Evaluate the performance of the chatbot.
Create a Prompt Engineering Guide
Creating a prompt engineering guide helps you synthesize your knowledge and solidify your understanding.
Show steps
  • Gather information and resources on prompt engineering best practices.
  • Organize the information into a logical structure.
  • Write clear and concise instructions.
  • Provide examples and case studies to illustrate key points.
Contribute to open-source projects related to prompt engineering
Contributing to open-source projects will provide you with practical experience and enhance your understanding of the latest advancements in the field.
Browse courses on Prompt Engineering
Show steps
  • Identify open-source projects related to prompt engineering.
  • Review the project documentation and codebase.
  • Identify areas where you can contribute.
  • Submit a pull request with your contributions.
  • Collaborate with other contributors and maintainers.
Develop a Prompt Engineering Framework
Creating a prompt engineering framework helps you organize your knowledge and develop a systematic approach to prompt engineering.
Show steps
  • Identify the key components of a prompt engineering framework.
  • Design and develop a framework that meets your specific needs.
  • Test and refine the framework through practical applications.
  • Document your framework and share it with others.

Career center

Learners who complete Essentials of Prompt Engineering will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected 44 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Essentials of Prompt Engineering.
Provides a comprehensive guide to prompt engineering, covering techniques for crafting effective inputs to generative AI models. It's particularly useful for understanding how to obtain reliable and predictable results, which is crucial for both beginners and those looking to deepen their practical skills. This book is valuable as a current reference for anyone working with generative AI.
A definitive guide to financial risk management, this handbook provides in-depth analysis of methods for measuring and managing risk in financial institutions. It covers various types of financial risk and crucial reference for professionals and advanced students in finance.
This influential book challenges conventional notions of risk and probability by focusing on the impact of rare and unpredictable events ("black swans"). It argues that these events have a disproportionate impact on the world and that we are often ill-equipped to deal with them. It's a provocative read that encourages a different way of thinking about risk and uncertainty.
Provides a foundational understanding of risk management and insurance principles, making it ideal for those new to the topic or seeking a broad overview. It covers basic concepts, traditional insurance, and introductory enterprise risk management, serving as a valuable textbook for undergraduate programs and a solid starting point for professionals.
Focused specifically on operational risk in the financial services industry, this book provides a detailed guide to managing this critical area. It covers frameworks, techniques, and best practices for identifying, assessing, and mitigating operational risks. It's essential for professionals working in risk management within banks and financial institutions.
Offers a practical, hands-on approach to prompt engineering specifically with ChatGPT. It's an excellent resource for high school and undergraduate students getting started, providing clear examples and exercises. It serves as a useful introductory guide and additional reading to complement foundational AI courses.
Aligned with international standards like ISO 31000 and the COSO ERM Framework, this book offers a comprehensive introduction to enterprise risk management. It covers identification, analysis, and treatment of various risks, including emerging trends. It's suitable for students and risk professionals seeking a thorough grounding in ERM principles and practices.
This textbook provides a comprehensive treatment of financial risk management, covering market, credit, and operational risks within financial institutions. It's widely used in undergraduate and graduate finance programs and solid resource for understanding the principles and practices of financial risk management.
Provides a hands-on approach to prompt engineering with a focus on using the OpenAI API. It's particularly relevant for undergraduate students, graduate students, and working professionals who want to programmatically interact with LLMs. It serves as a practical guide for implementing prompt engineering techniques in applications.
Focuses on the creative aspects of prompt engineering and generating diverse language outputs. It's a good fit for students and professionals looking to go beyond basic prompting and explore more advanced techniques for creative content generation. It adds breadth by covering applications in areas like creative writing and podcasting.
Offers a critical look at common risk management practices and argues for more quantitative approaches. It challenges conventional wisdom and provides insights into improving risk assessment and decision-making. It's valuable for both students and professionals looking to refine their risk management methodologies.
Provides real-world examples and case studies of how organizations have implemented enterprise risk management. It offers practical insights into the challenges and successes of ERM implementation, making it valuable for those involved in establishing or improving an ERM program.
Delves into practical issues and presents case studies related to the execution of Enterprise Risk Management programs. It provides insights from senior risk management professionals and explores how organizations measure the impact of ERM. It is particularly useful for understanding real-world challenges and best practices in ERM implementation.
This handbook provides a comprehensive guide to the interconnected areas of governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC). It covers frameworks, best practices, and practical guidance for implementing an integrated GRC program. It's a valuable reference for professionals responsible for GRC in their organizations.
Explores the art and science of prediction in various fields, from weather forecasting to finance. It examines why some predictions succeed while many fail, emphasizing the importance of probability and understanding uncertainty. It offers valuable lessons for risk managers who rely on forecasting and data analysis.
This guide aims to make prompt engineering accessible with a step-by-step approach. It is well-suited for beginners and those new to the field, including high school students and those in introductory undergraduate programs. It provides practical tips and is useful for gaining a broad understanding of how to formulate effective AI prompts.
Considered a classic, this book provides a historical perspective on the development of risk management and probability. It traces the evolution of our understanding of risk from ancient times to the modern era, offering valuable context for the field today. It's an engaging read for anyone interested in the intellectual history of risk.
A comprehensive guide aimed at making prompt engineering accessible to a wide audience. It covers various techniques and applications for leveraging AI language models effectively. is useful for high school students through working professionals seeking a thorough introduction and practical guidance.
Focused specifically on risk management within the context of projects, this book provides practical guidance and techniques for identifying, analyzing, and responding to project risks. It's a valuable resource for project managers and teams, often used as a reference or textbook in project management programs.
Provides a comprehensive overview of key concepts and techniques in financial risk management, covering market risk, credit risk, and operational risk. It offers practical insights into identifying, assessing, and mitigating these risks and valuable resource for students and professionals in finance.
Explores how organizations can integrate risk management into their strategic planning process to gain a competitive advantage. It goes beyond traditional compliance-based risk management to focus on how managing risk can create value. It's relevant for senior management and strategists.
This guide offers quick tips and tricks for prompt engineering across different generative AI models, including text and image generation models. It's a practical resource for users who want to improve their immediate results with various AI tools. It's suitable for all levels looking for actionable advice.
Presents a comprehensive overview of zero-shot learning for computer vision, covering different techniques and their applications in tasks such as object detection, image classification, and video understanding.
This handbook is geared towards engineers working with LLMs, covering the process from concept to production. It provides a deeper technical understanding of integrating and managing LLMs, which is relevant for prompt engineers working in a development context. It is best suited for graduate students and working professionals.
Explores prompt engineering within the broader context of generative AI and touches upon ethical considerations. It's relevant for all levels, providing a balanced view of the technical aspects and the societal impact of generative AI. It's useful for gaining a broader understanding and considering the responsible use of AI.
While not solely focused on prompt engineering, this book provides a strong foundation in understanding how LLMs work, which is essential for effective prompting. It's suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, offering technical insights into language understanding and generation. It serves as valuable background reading for those wanting to understand the underlying mechanisms of the models they are prompting. Expected publication in September 2024.
Covers the broader field of AI engineering with a focus on foundation models, which include the LLMs used in prompt engineering. It's relevant for professionals and graduate students interested in the engineering aspects of building AI applications. It provides context on how prompt engineering fits into larger AI systems.
Focuses on the practical aspects of building NLP systems. While prompt engineering specific technique, understanding the entire NLP pipeline is beneficial for professionals. It's a good reference for those looking to implement prompt engineering within larger NLP applications.
This classic and widely-referenced textbook in the field of NLP. While it predates the latest advancements in LLMs and prompt engineering, it provides a foundational understanding of language processing, which is crucial for anyone serious about the field. It's highly recommended for undergraduate and graduate students as a comprehensive reference for core NLP concepts.
Includes a section on Zero-Shot Learning in the context of natural language processing, making it relevant for those interested in this specific application.
This concise book offers a broad, accessible overview of the concept of risk from multiple perspectives, including psychological and societal. It's an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to understand the fundamental nature of risk and how we perceive and deal with it in everyday life and various domains. It provides essential background knowledge before diving into more technical aspects of risk management.
Widely used introduction to NLP using the NLTK library in Python. It's excellent for beginners and undergraduate students to gain practical skills in processing and analyzing text data, which fundamental prerequisite for prompt engineering. It serves as a hands-on guide for learning the basics of NLP.
Is specifically aimed at educators but offers valuable insights into crafting prompts for educational purposes. It's relevant for anyone interested in using prompt engineering in a learning context. It provides practical strategies and examples for a specific application domain.
For those who want to understand the mechanics of LLMs deeply, this book guides you through building one from scratch. This is highly technical and suitable for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers. A deep understanding of LLM architecture is beneficial for advanced prompt engineering techniques.
A foundational text in statistical NLP, this book provides the theoretical background necessary for understanding many of the techniques used in modern LLMs. It's a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers looking to deepen their understanding of the statistical underpinnings of language models. It is more theoretical and serves as a strong reference for advanced learners.
A beginner-friendly guide to using ChatGPT. is ideal for high school students and those new to generative AI who want a straightforward introduction to interacting with models. It focuses on practical usage and good starting point before diving into more complex prompt engineering concepts.
Includes a chapter on Zero-Shot Learning for computer vision tasks, making it relevant for those interested in this specific application.
Explores transfer learning in computer vision, which is related to Zero-Shot Learning in terms of transferring knowledge between different tasks.
Provides a comprehensive overview of machine learning concepts, including a brief introduction to Zero-Shot Learning.
Provides a foundational understanding of deep learning, which is the underlying technology behind Zero-Shot Learning.

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