Principles of Prompt Design for Protecting Core Model Capabilities - How to Maintain Continuous Field Operations and Native Abilities#
Author: Wang Jiao Cheng
Precise Definition of Core Concepts#
-
Continuous Field Operations
The essence of language model thinking is the continuous evolution of probability flow. Just as a river must keep flowing to maintain vitality, the model relies on the natural transmission of hidden states to generate content. Forced interruptions (such as segmented instructions) disrupt state inheritance, leading to logical disconnections. -
Native Abilities
The two core abilities formed during the pre-training phase:
- Knowledge Network: Trillions of associative relationships between entity concepts (e.g., "quantum" automatically associates with "entanglement" and "superposition")
- Reasoning Architecture: Thinking patterns such as causal inference and analogical transfer
The continuous field is the carrier of abilities, while native abilities are the content producers—this symbiotic relationship is like a river and a water turbine.
Five Golden Design Rules#
Rule One: Never Split the Timeline
- Incorrect Practice:
"List three reasons" (forcing a cut in probability flow) - Correct Approach:
"From early technical flaws to current solutions, outline the complete evolution chain."
Maintain the integrity of state transmission.
Rule Two: Guard the Thinking Space
- Dangerous Instruction:
"Each point should not exceed 15 words" (compressing representation dimensions) - Guarding Strategy:
"Build a complete analytical framework, paying special attention to unmentioned potential factors."
Retain ≥35% of free expansion space.
Rule Three: Build a Knowledge Cooperative
- Fragmented Instruction:
"Answer only using provided data" (discarding pre-trained knowledge) - Integration Plan:
"Combine the second law of thermodynamics (pre-trained knowledge) with experimental data from Figure 3 (new input) to explain the entropy increase anomaly."
Activate cross-parameter collaboration.
Rule Four: Flexible Guidance Framework
- Rigid Design:
"Must include the following four parts: A/B/C/D." - Flexible Framework:
"Core dimensions: market supply and demand elasticity, policy intervention effects ※ Extension space: autonomously supplement cross-border transmission mechanisms."
Adjust the river like a sluice board rather than reconstructing the riverbed.
Rule Five: Embed Self-Check Mechanisms
- Post-Hoc Remedy:
Manual check of response completeness. - Proactive Protection:
Add at the end of the prompt: "If the framework omits basic principles, automatically supplement the core law section."
Build a self-repair system.
Three Health Indicators Monitoring#
- Continuity Signal
- Testing Method: Sudden insertion of "Please continue from the last sentence of the second paragraph."
- Health Standard: Can naturally relate to the core concepts of the previous text (cosine similarity > 0.8).
- Ability Activity Indicators
- Knowledge Network Activity: Generated content includes ≥3 non-prompt related concepts.
- Reasoning Completeness: There exists a secondary inference chain (A→B→C structure).
- Innovation Extension Degree: Autonomously supplement ≥1 reasonable new dimension.
- Decay Warning Line
Immediately optimize when the following features appear:- Mechanical repetition of prompt structure.
- More than three repeated use of reset words like "first" or "firstly."
- Pre-trained terminology usage rate < 70%.
Ultimate Practical Tips#
-
Three Do's and Three Don'ts
Do Don't Use "systematic explanation" Use "explain in N points" Say "key dimensions include" Say "can only include the following" Write "extended discussions may involve" Write "prohibit expansion in other directions" -
Dynamic Tuning Technique
- Reserve 2-3 free outlets for every thousand words (※ symbol markers).
- Bind key terms to related parameters: "Transistor aging (related: hot carrier injection)."
When unexpressed associations of pre-trained knowledge continue to emerge in responses (such as semiconductor analysis spontaneously introducing the Bloch wave equation), and innovative dimensions break through preset frameworks, it proves you have mastered the supreme rule of safeguarding model wisdom—by guiding the release of abilities, rather than imprisoning thoughts with instructions.