Regardless of the ongoing debates about the use of ChatGPT or generative AI in general, maintaining academic integrity is crucial. If you use tools like ChatGPT, it's important to provide proper source citations. Any content generated with assistance from tools like ChatGPT should be explicitly marked as such – either through direct quotes with citations or simply citing the source if there's a rephrasing of the generated material. But how do you reference material from ChatGPT?
Since generative AI is not a person and, therefore, isn't accountable for its statements, it should never be credited as a co-author of a text. However, it should be treated as a source that needs to be referenced. It's also advisable to keep a record of conversations.
Different citation formats have different guidelines, and in this guide, you'll find some of the most common approaches.
APA suggests citing text from generative AI as software. Chatbot responses are not considered personal communication since there is no individual behind them. They are more akin to algorithm outputs, and therefore, there should be a reference both in the bibliography and in the text with the origin of the chatbot – in the case of ChatGPT, it is OpenAI. APA also encourages documenting the chat in an appendix or accessible supplementary material.
In-text citation example: “(OpenAI, 2024).”
Example of the reference in the bibliography: OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (3,5 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Read more about how to cite ChatGPT and generative AI from APA.
In the Chicago format, AI-generated text is considered a form of personal communication, similar to emails, etc., because the generated conversation is not immediately accessible. It is recommended to describe the chatbot prompt either in the text or as part of the reference. Since a reader cannot access the information independently, the chatbot should NOT appear in the bibliography. Only references in the text are needed. In this case, it might be useful to refer to an appendix with a log of the chatbot conversation.
Example note format: 1. ChatGPT, response to "How to create source citations?," January 7, 2024, OpenAI.
Example author-date format: (ChatGPT, Januray 7, 2024)
Read more at Chicago Manual of Style.
In MLA format, the reference follows a standardized structure, where:
Author: It is not recommended to set AI as the author.
Title of the Source: The title is a description of what the AI generated, e.g., based on the prompt.
Repository Name: This is where the material is found and is used to specify the name of the AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT).
Version: Specify which version of the AI tool the text was generated with, possibly including a version date, as in the example below.
Publisher: Write the name of the company that created the AI used (e.g., OpenAI).
Date: The date the text was generated.
Location: Provide the URL for the text – be aware that the last part of the URL might be replaced with "chat" since the specific chat cannot be accessed by others.
Example in-text citation: ("In 200 words")
Example bibliography entry: "In 200 words Describe the symbolism of the green light in the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald" prompt. ChatGPT, 3.5 version, OpenAI, 7 Jan. 2024, chat.openai.com/chat.
Read more at MLA's styleguide.
If you have visual material created via generative AI in your work, you should add a caption describing the source. Read more at MLAs guide on citing generative AI and images.
Vancouver: University of Newcastle Library [Australia]. (n.d.). Vancouver Referencing Style: Personal comm—Generative AI. University of Newcastle Library Guides. Retrieved 3 May 2023. Link.
Murdoch University Library. (n.d.). Vancouver—Referencing Guide: AI Generated Content [Library guide]. Murdoch University Library. Retrieved 17 August 2023. Link.
NLM: Patrias, K. (2007). Citing Medicine (2nd ed.). National Library of Medicine (US). Link.
Still confused about references, quotes, and other sources? Read more in our libguide on reference management.
