AMERH: A Structured Framework for Writing Effective Prompts in Academia and Beyond

As corporations increasingly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into everyday life, particularly with the emergence of GenAI tools such as ChatGPT, the inability to integrate these tools into school curricula leaves students unprepared for the future job market and societal demands. Moreover, without a foundation in writing prompts and evaluating models' responses, students may not recognize ethical concerns, such as deepfakes, which may contribute to misinformation and irresponsible use of technology in personal and professional settings. This article introduces AMERH, a structured framework for writing prompts. The framework includes five principles: Ask, Museful, Evaluate, React, and Chain/Refine, to optimize interactions with GenAI models, such as ChatGPT. While various frameworks have been introduced to help learners craft prompts, addressing the role of these learners in evaluating their prompts and model responses remains underexplored in these frameworks. Crafting prompt writing within the AMERH framework aligns with Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) by providing learners with scaffolded support as they develop their skills. This framework provides learners with step-by-step guidance and serves as a support tool for diverse learners regardless of prior experiences. This framework enables learners to think critically and creatively, preparing them to transition from guided to independent prompt designers.