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A Guide to Good Referencing Skills

Cite AI-generated Text Cite AI-generated Images Use of AI in Scholarly Publishing

Citing AI Tools & AI-generated Text

At present, most citation styles do not have specific guidelines for referencing ChatGPT or other GenAI tools. The following are some available guidelines or recommendations from a few citation styles.

APA style

Guideline from APA:

Suggested practices:

1. Cite AI-generated text
  • cite the content as software or algorithm's output (rather than personal communication as there's no actual person communicating)
  • describe how you used ChatGPT or other AI models in the Method or Introduction of your work
  • include the prompt used and any relevant generated text in your paper
  • for long responses, consider including them in an appendix


Example:

Conversation with an AI model In-text citation & Reference list

 

In-text citation

"ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, focuses on generating human-like text based on extensive internet-trained data, while Claude, developed by Anthropic, emphasizes safety and alignment through constitutional AI principles, aiming to reduce harmful outputs by adhering to a set of predefined ethical guidelines." (OpenAI, 2024)

Reference list

OpenAI. (2024). GPT-4o [Large language model]. https://poe.com/GPT-4o

 

2. Cite AI model (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude)
  • cite the model or tool as software


Examples:

Reference list

OpenAI. (2024). GPT-4o [Large language model]. https://poe.com/GPT-4o

Anthropic. (2024). Claude-3.5-Sonnet [Large language model]. https://poe.com/Claude-3.5-Sonnet

Perplexity. (2024). Perplexity.ai [Large language model]. https://www.perplexity.ai/

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

IEEE style

According to the IEEE  Submission and Peer Review Policies -> Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Generated Text

"The use of content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in an article (including but not limited to text, figures, images, and code) shall be disclosed in the acknowledgments section of any article submitted to an IEEE publication. The AI system used shall be identified, and specific sections of the article that use AI-generated content shall be identified and accompanied by a brief explanation regarding the level at which the AI system was used to generate the content.

The use of AI systems for editing and grammar enhancement is common practice and, as such, is generally outside the intent of the above policy. In this case, disclosure as noted above is recommended."

We suggest referring to AI-generated content as Software in IEEE style. 

Basic format for Software:
Title of Software (version or year), Publisher Name. Accessed: Date (when applicable). [Type of Medium]. Available: URL

Example: 
[1] ChatGPT (2023), OpenAI. Accessed: Aug 2, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://chat.openai.com/

 

Chicago style

Guideline from Chicago:

General advice:

  • Credit tools when using generated text, e.g. "The following was generated by XXX model or tool". 
  • Treat conversation as personal communication (see CMOS 14.214 and 15.53).
  • Indicate in the text or at the end of the note if AI-generated text is edited (e.g. “edited for style and content”).
  • Do not cite the tool in reference list unless a public URL is available; include the non-sharable chat in Appendix instead. 

Format for a formal citation & Examples:

  • In-text citation: 
Author-date system: 
(XXX tool, Date)

Footnote or endnote: 
- for sharable content:  Text generated by XXX tool, Date, Creator/Developer, URL. 
- for non-sharable content:  Text generated by XXX tool, Date, Creator/Developer, see Appendix for prompt used and output generated.

Example: 
(GPT-4o, August 12, 2024)
Text generated by GPT-4o, August 12, 2024, OpenAI, https://poe.com/s/HSFEiB1gPIL3Y0Jjc24R
  • Reference list (when public URL is available):
Note number. Text generated by XXX tool, Date, Creator/Developer, URL.

Example: 
1. Text generated by GPT-4o, August 12, 2024, OpenAI, https://poe.com/s/HSFEiB1gPIL3Y0Jjc24R

 

MLA style

Guideline from MLA:

General advice:

  • Cite generative AI tools whenever you paraphrase, quote, or incorporate into your own work any content (text, image, data, or other)
  • Acknowledge functional uses (e.g. editing, translating) in a note or your text.
  • Examine secondary sources cited by AI tools carefully.

Format & Examples:

  • Use MLA's template for flexibility in citations, adapting as needed.
Conversation with an AI model In-text citation & Reference list

 

Format: 

In-text citation:
(“Shortened text of prompt”)

Reference list: 
“Prompt you used in quotation marks” prompt, Name of AI tool, version, Creator/Developer, Creation date, URL

Examples:

In-text citation - Paraphrased:

ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini represent distinct approaches in AI development. While ChatGPT offers versatile task assistance, Claude prioritizes ethical interactions, and Gemini focuses on integrating multiple AI capabilities beyond text (“Describe the key differences”).
 

In-text citation - Direct quote:

When asked to describe the key differences between ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, AI provided a concise comparison: “ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a versatile conversational AI known for its ability to assist with a wide range of tasks, from answering questions to generating creative content.” In contrast, “Claude, created by Anthropic, focuses on ethical AI interactions, prioritizing safety and alignment to minimize harmful outputs.” The response also noted that “Gemini, from Google DeepMind, integrates language models with AI capabilities beyond text, such as visual understanding” (“Describe the key differences”).
 

Reference list

“Describe the differences between ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini in 1-2 paragraphs” prompt. GPT-4o, OpenAI, 14 Aug. 2024, https://poe.com/s/FmlTbR3Kk0NQdqMp3VKz

Other helpful guides

 

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