Center for Innovation In Teaching and Learning

Generative AI Citing Guide 

When using generative AI such as ChatGPT and others, it is important to cite the AI according to the proper guidelines. As AI is still developing, the rules for citation are being developed. The Committee on Publication Ethics states that generative AI can not be listed as an author of a paper. You can view their position statement here. 

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MLA 

View the official MLA guide on how to cite generative AI. 

Example:
NOTE: Examples are copied from the MLA website and additional examples are available here. 

• Paraphrased in Your Prose
  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-List Entry
  “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
• Quoted in Your Prose
  When asked to describe the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby, ChatGPT provided a summary about optimism, the unattainability of the American dream, greed, and covetousness. However, when further prompted to cite the source on which that summary was based, it noted that it lacked “the ability to conduct research or cite sources independently” but that it could “provide a list of scholarly sources related to the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby” (“In 200 words”).
• Works-Cited-List Entry
  “In 200 words, describe the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby” follow-up prompt to list sources. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 9 Mar. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat.

APA 7th 

APA is still determining the official guidelines for citing generative AI. For the time being, their team has written these general ideas. The suggestion is to follow the rules for citing personal communication unless AI input is shareable and retrievable - (Communicator, personal communication, Month Day, Year). If the generated material is retrievable or shareable, the guidelines for software are recommended (Section 10.10). 

Example: 
NOTE: Examples are copied from the MLA website and additional examples are available here.

• When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).
  • • Reference:
      • OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

Chicago 17th 

The Chicago Manual Style Online offers suggestions for how to cite generative AI in their Q&A section. 

Example: 

• ^Number.Originator of the communication, medium, Day Month, Year. 
  
  • ¹OpenAI's ChatGPT AI language model, response to question from author, 5 May, 2023. 

 

ACS 

The American Chemical Society citation recommendations for generative AI can be found here. 

Example: 

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