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Generative Artificial Intelligence (Beginner)

Citing Information Generated by ChatGPT/AI

Ask your class or department about their guidelines for incorporating information generated by AI in your papers. When allowed to use the output directly, consider using the following to cite:

  • The input you used when utilizing ChatGPT; and 
  • The output that the chatbot produced in response. If the response from ChatGPT is lengthy, please include it in the form of an Appendix. 

If GAI connects you to another resource, you need to cite that resource as well.

As for the in-text citation and the Bibliography/Reference/Works Cited item that will follow this description, apply the appropriate association's suggestions for citing ChatGPT and GAI. 

APA Style (7th Edition)

While the  American Psychological Association (APA) has not released official guidelines on citing generative AI quite yet, the recent post on the APA Style Blog provides guidance on citing ChatGPT adaptable to other AI tools. 

In-text example: 

(OpenAI, 2023)

Reference example: 

OpenAI (2023). ChatGPT (May 24 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

Chicago Style (17th Edition)

The Chicago Manual of Style provides guidance for citing ChatGPT and generative AI tools within an online Q&A, such as in this example.   

Note example: 
1. Text generated by ChatGPT, May 24, 2023, OpenAI. https://chat.openai.com/ 
 

In-text example
“(ChatGPT, March 7, 2023).”
 

Bibliography example
OpenAI. Text generated by ChatGPT, Version GPT-3.5. Accessed May 24, 2023. https://chat.openai.com/chat

 

MLA Style (9th Edition)

MLA now provides preliminary official guidance for citing information produced by generative AI. According to MLA, writers should not credit the AI as an author. Additionally, the description of the content of the generated product should be treated as the title of the source, as if it were an article or chapter title. 

In-text example:

While the green light in The Great Gatsby might be said to chiefly symbolize four main things: optimism, the unattainability of the American dream, greed, and covetousness (“Describe the symbolism”), arguably the most important—the one that ties all four themes together—is greed.

Works Cited entry example:

“Describe the symbolism of the green light in the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald” prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat.