How do you create effective prompts for AI? With prompt engineering.
- Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
Have you used AI to assist you with content creation?
If the answer is yes, you are not alone. According to research, over 80% of content creators use AI for at least a portion of their workflow.
In last week’s post, we explored ways AI can be utilized responsibly and ethically in professional writing. This post describes how to effectively provide directions to AI so it will provide the desired output.
How do you direct AI for assistance? With a prompt.
Generative AI requires human input. You must provide AI with directions. These directions are referred to as prompts.
What is a prompt? Here is an AI-generated definition:
“A prompt is a user-provided input, such as a question, command, or statement, that guides a generative AI model to produce a specific output. Prompts act as instructions, providing the necessary context for the AI to generate content like text, images, or code. The quality and specificity of the prompt directly influence the quality and relevance of the AI's response.”
Bottom line: AI is only as effective as the direction you provide.
What is needed for a good quality prompt?
The adage, “garbage in, garbage out” originated with the dawn of computer programming back in the 1950s. It applies as well today to prompting AI to generate content. The better the prompt, the better the output.
A good quality prompt will:
Follow the guidelines for the AI tool being used.
Provide specific and detailed task information. What exactly do you want AI to produce?
Provide plenty of context and background. The more detail provided, the better. Who is the audience? What is the situation? What information does AI need to know to perform the task with accuracy and relevance?
Provide your goals and parameters for the output desired. Is the purpose to inform, inspire, entertain…? What is the tone? What is the level of complexity? What is the length? Explain both what you want and what you don’t want the output to include. Be specific.
A prompt may also give AI a role, such as a persona or character, directing AI to perform the task from that perspective, expertise, or style.
Provide additional prompts and continue iterating until you get the desired result.
Why does “prompt engineering” lead to the best outcomes?
Prompt engineering is a term used for interacting with AI through the design and implementation of high-quality prompts. It is the entire process of creating, testing, and refining the human inputs used to guide generative AI tools in producing precise, accurate, high-quality outputs.
A vague, poor-quality prompt might simply state, “Write an article about food waste.”
A precise, high-quality prompt provides sufficient guidance to produce the desired outcome:
“Write a < 400-word article for SNAP participants with families, providing statistics on food waste, including the average value of food wasted by one family per month, describing the main reasons for food waste in the home, and giving practical suggestions and benefits for minimizing food waste. Keep the reading level at the 6th-grade level or below. Use short sentences and bullet points.”
Here is the resulting 254-word output of that prompt from ChatGPT:
Waste Less Food, Save More Money
The Problem
In the U.S., about one-third of all food is wasted.
The USDA says a family of four loses about $1,500 a year in food that is thrown away — that’s about $125 a month.
The EPA estimates some families waste even more — up to $243 each month.
Food waste costs money, time, and effort.
Why Food Gets Wasted
We buy too much.
We forget what’s in the fridge.
Food spoils before we eat it.
We misunderstand date labels.
Leftovers get ignored.
Simple Ways to Waste Less
Plan your meals. Write a short shopping list and buy only what you need.
Check before shopping. Look in the fridge and pantry first.
Use “first in, first out.” Eat older food first.
Store food right. Keep fruit and veggies in the best spot to last longer.
Freeze extras. Save leftovers for another day.
Understand labels. “Best by” means quality, not safety. Smell and look before tossing.
Have a “use-up” night. Make one meal each week from leftovers.
Benefits of Wasting Less
Save money. Even small changes can save over $100 a month.
Feed your family more. Every bit counts.
Help the planet. Less food waste means less trash and pollution.
Save time. A plan makes shopping and cooking easier.
Quick Tips
Freeze fruit before it goes bad — great for smoothies.
Use wilted veggies in soups or stir-fries.
Make breadcrumbs from old bread.
Label leftovers with the date. Eat within 3–4 days.
Keep a “use soon” box in your fridge.
ChatGPT also provided references for all statistics as well as other sources. Always check for accuracy. AI is known to make mistakes presented as facts, referred to as hallucinations.
When using AI tools to generate a first draft, the temptation will be to use the output as is. It is now your responsibility to reword the writing in your authentic and creative voice. Better yet, write the first draft yourself using AI if needed to assist in locating ideas, and then ask for further assistance in revising.
Be transparent in properly crediting the use of AI, following your organization’s or publication’s guidelines.
Did you know? Prompt engineer is also a career option. Click the link for an example of a Prompt Engineer job description.
A helpful resource used in writing this content is the book, Strategic Business Writing: A People-First Approach, and the webinar presented September 25, 2025: Best Practices for Using AI in Business Communications, both by Kasie Roberson, PhD, a Clinical Assistant Professor at Purdue University’s Daniels School of Business.
This series of posts shares content I am working on for the 2nd edition of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide, specifically in the updated version of Chapter 22, covering best practices for using AI in professional writing.
In next week’s post, we will explore guidelines for effectively using AI for creating visuals, to be considered for inclusion in the updated version of Chapter 18, which is about visual aids.
Check out these previous posts about using Artificial Intelligence:
“AI is as good as your prompts. If you ask it shallow questions, you get shallow answers. If you push it with layered context, contradictions, and challenges, you turn it into a second brain. The difference? Knowing how to guide the conversation.” ~ Hiten Shah
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